Having Memorial Day in the rearview mirror means one thing: It’s officially summer! And nothing goes better with white jeans than a fresh mani and pedi. Need inspo? We’ve got all the summer nail art ideas for you.
For your next appointment, we have a long list of trending nail designs to choose from. Some feature the best summer nail polish colors while others allow you to skip the salon and opt for press-ons instead. If you’re conscientious about nontoxic nail polish, we’ve got some for those for you too.
From subtle gradients and designs (chrome is still going strong this season!) to checkered nails and seasonally appropriate neons, there’s a little something for every taste and skill level.
And if your choice of a cute nail design inspires you to go one step further with your summer look, we hear that a summer haircut can be the perfect complement. Scroll on for the summer nails that we’ve been double-tapping nonstop.
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Instagram/@boycott_boringnails1/53Western Flare
If Yellowstone has as much of a grasp on you as it does on us, this mani just makes sense. And it’s not that hard to DIY! All you need is a dotting tool and a steady hand to create the cow-print design.
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Instagram/@amberjhnails2/53Rainbow Angles
For a different take on a rainbow French manicure, we’re loving this diagonal double line take on the trend.
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Instagram/@ginaedwards_3/53Bejeweled Nails
Taylor Swift isn’t the only one who gets to be bejeweled– these super-easy-to-apply press-on nails dial up any look instantly.
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Instagram/@heygreatnails4/53Mermaid Chrome
Thanks to the Little Mermaid movie, the mermaidcore trend is going strong, plus chrome hasn’t gone anywhere since glazed donut nails hit the scene. This teal and purple metallic combo is the best of both worlds.
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5/53Heart Nails
These heart beam nails—inspired by the Powerpuff Girls and Gen Z’s fave phone case—have been popping up everywhere. In bold red and pink, they feel particularly summer-ready.
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6/53Cartoon Clouds
Cloud nails may have been trending this winter, but they give us total summer vibes. Unlike the more stylized clouds that were popping off, these cartoony clouds are totally DIY-able. All you need is a good art brush and the perfect opaque white (try Orly French Tips).
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7/53American Manicure
For Nicola Peltz’s wedding to Brooklyn Beckham, manicurist Tom Bachik decked Peltz’s nails with a ’90s-inspired American manicure—think of it as a French manicure, but with less definition where the tips start and end. We’re expecting to see the softer style everywhere this summer.
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8/53Bright Stars
A cluster of neon stars will make you feel beach-ready in seconds. If the thought of free-handing stars with a nail brush stresses you out, just glue a sprinkling of star sequins by your cuticles for the same effect.
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9/53Mixed Checkerboards
ICYMI, checkered nails are a major front-runner as the coolest summer nail designs this year. We’re particularly into this mix-and-match set.
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10/53ʙuттerflies
These dainty ʙuттerflies will remind you of sunny days ahead. (If you can’t DIY them, try these stickers instead.)
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11/53’70s Swirls
Graphic yet simple nail art will be your best friend this summer. Give it a retro vibe with earthy, mustard-toned neutrals like Paintbox’s Like Lush + Like Flora Power Couple.
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12/53Rainbow French
Put a cute twist on a classic French mani with tiny rainbow tips, complete with cloud details.
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13/53Smiley Nails
If you’re in the market for cute summer nails, look no further than these rainbow happy faces. They’re a fun twist on the classic yellow smiley-face nails that have been spotted on Harry Styles and Dua Lipa.
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14/53Monotone Matte
Love mismatched nails but want something a little more sophisticated? Go for different shades of the same color and add a matte topcoat for a luxe velvet feel.
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15/53Sunny Swiggles
For some easy art, pick your favorite nail polish color and artfully swirl it over a white base. Doing a different shade on each hand only ups the coolness.
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16/53Slime Green
Our Nickelodeon days might be over, but our love for slime lives on with these bright summer nails. Copy nail artist Betina Goldstein, and use two coats of Essie Nail Polish in Blanc and one coat of Stencil Me In to really make the green pop. Or, head to your salon and get gel nails for that super-shiny effect
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17/53Shimmering Swirls
Negative space and holographic polish are a truly magical combination.
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18/53Mismatched Hands
Want something fun but can’t wield an art brush? Try one vivid color on your right hand and a different color on your left. The hearts are cute too, but not necessary to make this look.
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19/53Rainbow Mani
A gradient of summer nail colors is never a bad idea.
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20/53Color Melt
Feels so H๏τ you could melt? Take that vibe to your mani with melting, swirly tips.
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21/53Sweet Cherries
These sweet little cherries look way more complicated than they actually are; just follow nail artist Natalie Pavloski’s lead for the ultimate DIY nails.
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22/53Tiny ʙuттerflies
How cute are these itty-bitty ʙuттerflies? Pastels with a pop of bright pink transition perfectly from spring into true summer.
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23/53All That Glitters
The easiest high-impact, low-effort manicure? A full-on glitter (Paintbox makes some of our favorites).
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24/53Rainbow French
The best part of this bright French manicure? It’s actually press-ons.
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25/53Starburst Mani
This eye-catching nail design is so cute and nostalgic.
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26/53Strawberry Nails
Have you seen anything sweeter? Try Essie in Rock the Runway and Watermelon for the berries and Off Tropic for the leaves.
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27/53Negative-Space Hearts
Negative-space hearts in sunny yellow are one of the best summer nail ideas we can think of. For this look, nail artist Kim Truong used OPI’s nail color in I Just Can’t Cope-acabana. -
28/53The New French
It’s back, baby. While there are tons of cool variations on French manis now—rainbow, glitter, negative space—we’re a sucker for the classic early-aughts throwback. Almond tips look so pretty on both natural and acrylic nails.
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29/53Mixed Mani
Here’s another great option for the indecisive! Try a different summer nail design, like flowers and bright checks, on each nail for an unforgettable mani.
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30/53Checkerboard Tips
Channel your favorite Lisa Says Gah top with these groovy checkered tips.
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31/53Sticker-Book Nails
Remember your favorite sticker book in elementary school? Treat your nails the same way for the cutest throwback mani around. While you can easily DIY with a smattering of stickers, you can buy this set of sparkly press-ons from Color Camp.
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32/53Dainty Florals
You don’t need to have a green thumb to appreciate these tiny daisies. Use a toothpick or the end of a bobby pin for perfectly symmetrical dots. Easy.
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33/53Iridescent Ombré
Make an opalescent polish even more magical by graduating the intensity. Nail artist Betina Goldstein used the discontinued Essie in Tiers of Joy to get the look above. Try Essie You Do Blue for a similar effect.
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34/53Emoji Hearts
Take your favorite emoji from your screen to your nails with some simple sequins. Amazon is full of specialty shapes.
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35/53Daisy French
Cartoony daisies add a fun touch to black French tips, and are easy enough to DIY with the end of a bobby pin.
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36/53Drop of Gold
Spice up your go-to bright with a subtle gold stud.
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37/53Mismatched Moons
Ease your way into a full rainbow by stacking colors just at the base of your nails.
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38/53Double French
These stacked French tips have twice the impact. To get a similar look, apply a base of Orly Morning Mantra, then layer a thin stripe of Orly Love My Nails on top.
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39/53Hint of Neon
Afraid of full-on neon? This subtle neon stripe is the perfect way to ease into the trend.
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40/53Confetti Nails
For a party on your nails, accent your middle three fingers with bright dots. Try Olive & June Nail Polish in Grateful & Kind for your base, and Jin Soon Daisy for confetti made easy.
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41/53Floating Hearts
Crisp black-and-white and negative space keeps tiny hearts from being too sweet.
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42/53Orange Dream
This bright orange shade on Addison Rae makes for the perfect nails for summer. Since the shade is so vibrant (try Essie Expressie in Bearer of Rad News), you don’t even need to add art.
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43/53Summer Flowers
April showers bring May flowers, and you can bring those flowers into summer with a bright color palette like this one.
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44/53Bright Blooms
Sunny yellow puts a summery twist on classic florals.
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45/53Neon Splashes
A drizzle of neon polish across bare nails is a cool take on the brights trend.
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47/53Cute Stickers
Spice up your mani with cute stickers like these lemonade ones. We love Olive & June and Deco Miami for the coolest stickers.
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Instagram/@heygreatnails48/53Cotton Candy Clouds
Like a dreamy summer sunset, this set incorporates pastel colors and fluffy clouds in the perfect way.
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Instagram/@paolaponcenails49/53Celestial Skies
These star stickers on top of sparkly blue ombré are for the zodiac lovers out there.
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50/53Groovy Barbie
A H๏τ pink mani is fun, but it’s made even better with some ’70s swirl accent nails.
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51/53Lovely Lemons
Fruits are a total vibe this summer, and ʙuттercup yellow happens to be trending too—so lemons it is!
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Instagram/@lexi_nails_spa52/53Aura Nails
Make any color mani look way cooler by getting an airbrush aura design.
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53/53Evil Eye
Whether your summer plans take you to the Greek islands or not, evil eyes make for fun nail art.
