Pale pinks will always have a place when the weather gets warm, but why not try some spring nail art that’s a little more unexpected? Whether you’re heading to the salon or doing your nails at home, Instagram is brimming with ideas.
Yes, there are plenty of pretty riffs on pastels (lilac is still going strong for spring 2024), but also get ready for nail trends that are just pure fun. Think bright rainbow colors, playful takes on flower nail art, and quirky patterns like clouds and cow print (yes, really).
More of a minimalist? Not to worry—we’ve got ideas for you too. The French manicure isn’t going anywhere, and if you’d rather paint your nails at home? Mismatched nail art, the easiest nail art to DIY, is happening big time.
Scroll on for some of our favorite spring nail art ideas to try right now.
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Instagram nailslpc.xo1/50Dainty Daisies
Flower nail designs are a no-brainer for spring. Try the look with dainty daisies and clean nails. A French-tip accent nail in pastel pink will add a seasonal pop of color.
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Instagram nailstampingqueenuk2/50Aurora Nails
Lean in to the aurora nails trend with a spring-ready lavender shade. Get the look at home with iridescent polish—we love Addiction Tokyo the Nail Polish in Twilight Song.
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3/50ɴuᴅᴇ Chrome
Glazed donut nails are still valid in 2024. Elevate ɴuᴅᴇ nails with a silver chrome finish.
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Instagram herarings.morocco4/50Coquette Pearls
The coquette aesthetic was made for spring. Try the trend with a charming manicure featuring dainty pearls, strawberry nail art, and a plaid accent nail.
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Instagram v.nailedit_5/50Abstract Chrome
Abstract chrome nails will always be chic no matter the season. Keep the base matte for a cool contrast.
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Instagram peachinails6/50Groovy Pastels
Something about this swirly nail art reminds us of a lava lamp. For the brightest pastels, try shades from Pear Nova or ILNP.
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Instagram lillypalm__7/50Blue Gradient French
Add an eye-catching pop of color with blue gradient French tips and trending square nails.
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Instagram ginivee_studio8/503D Watercolor
3D nail art looks especially stunning with watercolor nails.
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Instagram simlynail9/50Pearly Pink
These pearly nails may seem complicated but are actually easy to achieve at home. Select a polish with pearl shimmer and apply one coat. Once dried, apply the polish in dots across the nail and swirl in circular motions with a dotting tool. Nail artist @simlynail, who created this pink set, has a full tutorial you can follow.
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Instagram/@tiffdods10/50French Tips
Nostalgia for the early ’00s isn’t going anywhere in 2024. Give your high school favorite a modern twist with a rounded shape instead of square.
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Instagram/@themaniclub11/50Pop of Sparkle
Bored with a gradient mani but don’t want to attempt any other nail art? Add a pop of glitter with a polish like Olive & June’s Exclamation Point.
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Instagram/@betina_goldstein12/50“French” Manicure
Gilded tips that read beau, amour, non, and oui? Genius.
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Instagram/@j.hannah13/50Fresh Olive
Try a muted olive for a more sophisticated—but still eye-catching—twist on last year’s slime.
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Instagram/@vanityprojects14/50Mismatched Hearts
Negative-space hearts are made even cooler with a different color on each hand. DIY it by painting over a heart-shaped sticker on each nail and peeling them off after the polish dries.
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Instagram/aliciatnails15/50Rainbow French
For the perfect minimalist nail art, start with a French mani, but add a different color tip on each finger.
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Instagram/@laurenladnier16/50Split Screen
Can’t decide on a single color? Wear them all! (Paintbox’s Power Couple sets make it easy.)
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Instagram/@themaniclub17/50Crayon Box Nails
A Skittles manicure using mainly primary colors feels surprisingly fresh and modern, while a hint of brown keeps it from veering into preschool territory.
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Instagram/@aliciatnails18/50Realistic Flowers
Ornate blooms on bare nails look like true works of art. Try these stickers for a similar vibe.
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Insatgram/@lemanoir19/50Sleek Silver
Pro tip: Match your rings to your nails for maximum impact.
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Instagram/@fleuryrosenails20/50Cherry on Top
This mani is almost too cute to handle. And perfect in the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ of winter when you wish it’d just be spring already.
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Instagram/@oliveandjune21/50Cotton Candy
Modern color blocking cuts the sweetness of sorbet shades.
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Instagram/@Oliveandjune22/50Two-Tone
A double French tip in spring colors like mint and lilac is perfect to get you in the mood for sunny days ahead.
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Instagram/@betina_goldstein23/50Understated Greige
If spring nail designs feel too cute, go for an unexpected neutral shade instead. Try Essie’s Wool Me Over for a cool greige.
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Instagram/@Oliveandjune24/50Delicate Blossoms
This flower art is beginner-friendly—just use the end of a bobby pin for the perfect dots.
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Instagram/@yeswhatnails25/50Spring Flowers
Merge the retro floral trend with the mismatched nail trend for the coolest spring manicure around. Just dip the end of a bobby pin into your rainbow of polishes to create the daisies.
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Instagram/@yeswhatnails26/50Pastel Tips
For a super-spring-y update on a French mani, try tips in contrasting pastels. For a similar look, try Essie’s Lilacism as the base and Busy Beeline for the tips.
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Instagram/@tipsnailbar/@miyukinakatomi27/50Rainbow Daisies
Combine French tips, a rainbow of shades, and dainty daisies for the most spring-ready manicure we could possibly think of.
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Instagram/@lolo.nailedit28/50Cool Blue
A fresh mint shade makes a cool statement, no nail art needed.
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Instagram/@thehangedit29/50Smiley Face Nails
Make like Dua Lipa and Harry Styles and paint some smily faces on those digits.
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Instagram/@overglowedit30/50Blue Blooms
Pale blue and daisies are a match made in spring-y heaven. The best part? They’re actually gel nail stickers, so there’s no skill needed to replicate the look at home.
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Instagram/@paintboxnails31/50Opposites Attract
Pair complementary colors for a mani that pops.
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Instagram/@overglowedit32/50Spring Flowers
This French mani and floral hybrid using the coolest spring nail colors feels totally groovy. Follow nail blogger @overglowedit’s lead and use OPI in Can’t CTRL Me, Racing for Pinks, and The Pᴀss Is Always Greener for a similar look.
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Instagram/@lolo.nailedit33/50ʙuттerfly Blues
Some dainty ʙuттerfly nail stickers make any mani feel spring-ready—even if it’s yet to hit 50 degrees.
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Insatgram/@aliciatnails34/50Glitter Orbit
For just a touch of sparkle, outline your nails with a delicate glitter.
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Instagram/@themaniclub35/50Neutral Dots
For the true minimalists out there, a dark dot on ɴuᴅᴇ nails is all you need. Try a dotting tool like this one for perfect circles every time.
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Instagram/@__luxk36/50Abstract French
Swirling white tips are a dreamy riff on the classic French manicure.
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Instagram/@betina_goldstein37/50Gilded Roses
A foiled gold background makes delicate pink roses feel extra special.
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Instagram/@frecklepusnails38/50Animal-Print Hearts
Kick cow-print nails up a notch and update the celeb-fave trend with some negative-space hearts.
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Instagram/@evemeetsnails39/50Pastel Clouds
Spruce up last winter’s cloud nails with a pastel purple background instead of a blue one.
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Instagram/@stephstonenails40/50Strawberry Nails
Fruit nails are the epitome of spring nail art. Seriously, does it get any cuter than these tiny berries?
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Instagram/@heygreatnails41/50Floral French
Looking for some spring acrylic nails? Pretty pastel flowers and extended French tips are a winning combination.
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Instagram/@evemeetsnails42/50Checkerboard Nails
Has The Queen’s Gambit left you itching to cut some baby bangs? Go for an easier Beth Harmon–inspired DIY with some chessboard nails instead.
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Instagram/@lolo.nailedit43/50Pastel Ombrè
A blue-purple-pink gradient is the perfect in-between twixt a single shade and full-on nail art.
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Instagram/@paintbucketnails/@_tagliente_44/50Pressed Flowers
Take nail inspo right from nature, and add tiny pressed flowers directly to your mani.
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Instagram/@betina_goldstein45/50Pink and green
Light pink with green is one of spring’s prettiest color combinations. Swap out a mint green for a more olive-toned shade like Essie Expressie in Precious Cargo-Go! for something a little less expected.
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Instagram/@thehangedit46/50Spring Daisies
Classic daisies get a sunny update with H๏τ pink and orange centers. Try Sally Hansen in Beet-ing Heart and Peach Please for a similar vibe.
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Instagram/@evemeetsnails47/50Cartoon “Sparkles”
The coolest way to add some glitter? With cartoon glimmers on each finger.
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Instagram/@overglowedit48/50Tiny Rhinestones
Amp up TikTok’s favorite jelly-nails trend by adding a sprinkling of dainty rhinestones.
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Instagram/@betina_goldstein49/50Glimmering ʙuттerflies
For a more glamorous take on spring ʙuттerflies, deck them out in silver sparkles.
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Instagram/@nailartbyqueenie50/50Spring French
Give a French mani a fresh update with bright lavender tips and a negative-space accent outlined in crisp white.
