Summer nail inspo coming in hot.
If April showers bring May flowers, then June brings balmy days, hot summer nights, and even hotter manicures.
As temperatures rise, we’ve got a high dose of tropical tips, mermaidcore-inspired nails, and sunset-shaded polish on the forecast this season. With Instagram as our guide, we’ve sourced the brightest and boldest manicures sure to inspire your next set of summer nails — no matter the occasion. Pool parties? Cocktails on the patio? A summer in Europe? You name it, these looks have got you and your nails covered. The only question is: which set will you choose?
RELATED: Vanilla Chrome Nails Are the Sweetest Spring Manicure Trend
Ahead, scroll through five of our favourite summer nails to recreate this season.
Tropical floral tips
Give your springtime floral nails a seasonal makeover with this vacay-ready manicure. Summery shades of lime green, fiery tangerine, hot pink and Caribbean blue serve as the perfect base for colourfully contrasting floral details that pop. To add a bit of depth and dimension, try switching up the size and placement of your flower designs on each nail for a more abstract and unique-to-you look.
Under the sea-inspired shell nails
It’s mermaidcore season, folks! That means it’s time to unleash your inner mermaid with these oyster shell-inspired nails. Elevate a standard blue manicure by introducing a layer of opalescent polish on top of a translucent jelly shade of aqua to create this velvety, aquatic-looking finish. We’re sure this look would get The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey’s approval.
Elevate your aura
If you’ve been looking for a sign to hop on the aura nail trend, here it is! This rainbow-hued set is sure to radiate good vibes and positive energy, so you can feel confident that this summer will be a good one. Using a blush pink polish as the base, layer droplets of your favourite summertime shades to create the “aura” effect. To take the look one step further, incorporate colourful, miniature beads to add a three-dimensional element to your manicure.
Colour block French claws
For this mani, bring back two classic trends: French manicures and good ol’ colour blocking. If you can never decide on a single shade of polish, why settle for one when you can have them all? Pro tip: Draw inspiration from your summertime wardrobe palette; that way your manis will always match your look!
A summer sun set
Still loving spring pastels? Try mimicking a summer sunset with this ombré manicure. Instead of having your ombré pattern run top to bottom on each individual nail, opt for soft yellows, pinks, purples and blues to help create a sunrise-to-sunset (or vice versa) effect across all five nails on each hand. As the summer months roll on, feel free to swap your pastels out for bold neons for a tequila sunrise-inspired heatwave manicure.
