Cute Summer Nail Ideas

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Bright yellow beams of light, green leaves full of life, baby blue ocean waves — your manicure can take a cue from the lively and vibrant colors that are found all around us during the summer months. Now it's time to transition from spring nail art and bring on the color — because the best summer nails are nothing if not colorful. With these easy-to-replicate manicures, nail art has never looked so cool for the season.

Whether you're just looking for a fresh new shade to paint your nails, or you're a burgeoning nail artist looking for your next design-orientated challenge, here's some popular nail trend inspiration for your next summer manicure. From fun twists on French manicures to easy DIY manis — these cute designs aren't afraid to play with color and pattern. The result? Some light and breezy nails that are perfect for flipping through your beach read and soaking up in the sun. Now that summer is well on its way, go ahead and grab your favorite polish and get to painting before it's fall again.

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French tips always look sweet — but they look even sweeter with a citrus touch. Add a pop of color to French tips with a cheery orange shade, and paint on some miniature citrus fruits for a fun design.

Imagine pressing your favorite flower between a book's pages while reading in a sunny park. Now imagine transferring those blooms to your nails — you end up with a chic and sophisticated floral mani.

If you're a fan of a traditional French manicure but want to liven it up a bit, lilac tips are the perfect way to try out a fun twist on the classic.

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No need to use base coat — these colorful stars look easy and effortless on top of your natural nails. Try nail stickers for clean lines and symmetrical shapes.

If your favorite summer drink is water infused with your favorite fruit, these detailed nails are perfect for you. Try this tiny nail art with any fruit (or vegetable!).

For almost-bare nails that still pack a punch, go for itsy-bitsy polka dots. You can do these in any color, but contrasting shades like orange and blue are striking. This design is especially great for short nails.

Cute Summer Nail Ideas For 2021 « Tallfashionblog

You'll look right at home next to the neighborhood pool with nails that resemble a colorful inner tube. For even more of a pool float effect, add texture to the stripes with puffy paint. Bonus idea: dab the colors together while still wet for a cool tie-dye effect.

If you love nail art but like to keep your nails simple, try placing designs on bare nails for a chic, minimalist look.

For a French tip lover who likes to stay trendy, this graphic French manicure fits the bill. Pastel squiggles make this manicure eye-catching.

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Nothing says screams summer more than ice cream. When the weather gets warm, opt for a manicure that's good enough to eat — these fun, multi-colored tips with gilded drips remind us of our favorite sweet treat.

These detailed nails are giving off major plant mom vibes. Bring your favorite plants to life by adding little faces to the pots.

Gold trimming along the side isn't a must have, but it definitely gives eye-catching finish to a coat of holographic nail polish.

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Over a fresh and clean white base coat, let your creativity run wild with some colorful, abstract designs. To recreate this tiny and colorful artwork, you can other opt for nail stickers, or dip a fine-tip, line detail nail brush into a your favorite polish and create a design of your own.

Floral accent nails are cute to begin with, but the best part of these nails is the peep of leopard print on the sides — talk about mastering the art of pattern mixing.

Why choose one color when you can include every color of the rainbow? By applying your color in thin stripes, you get a more grown-up manicure.

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Katie Berohn is the Beauty Assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day and Prevention magazines, all part of the Hearst Lifestyle Group. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a major in journalism and minor in technology, arts, and media, and earned her Master’s Degree at NYU’s Graduate Program of Magazine Journalism. In addition, Katie has held editorial internships at Denver Life Magazine, Yoga Journal, and Cosmopolitan, a digital editorial internship at New York Magazine’s The Cut, a social good fellowship at Mashable, and has freelanced for HelloGiggles. When she’s not obsessing over the latest skincare launch or continuing her endless search for the perfect shade of red nail polish, Katie can be found in a hot yoga class, trying everything on the menu at New York’s newest restaurant, or hanging out at a trendy wine bar with her friends.

As an Editorial Fellow for Good Housekeeping, Katie covers health, beauty, home, and pop culture. Outside of the office, you can find her killing it on the karaoke machine or listening to true crime podcasts.

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26 Best Spring Nail Polish Colors 12 Best Nail Colors for Winter 2024 40 Showstopping Christmas Nail Art Ideas 8 Causes of Peeling NailsThe days are getting longer, our feeds are getting brighter, and we’re itching for a style refresh — starting with our summer nails! If you’re anything like us, then summer is your favorite time to experiment with different styles and try out

The trends. And your mani is the perfect canvas! To give you some inspo for your next salon appointment (or DIY sesh), we’ve rounded up THE best summer nail ideas and designs for 2023.

From vibrant hues that should come with an OOO message, to trendy designs that will brighten up any Monday, these nail ideas are the ultimate addition to your summer wardrobe. Plus, we’re sharing a few of our tips and tricks for ~nailing~ these looks at home. So clear out your camera roll, break out your favorite polish, and let’s get into it!

Cute Summer Nail Design Ideas

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For it. From pastel ombre designs to neon French tips, this trend is perfect for indecisive nail lovers who struggle to choose just one hue (we see you).

A full rainbow feel a little too bright? Barbiecore is also having its moment this summer, and we’re seeing pink nail ideas

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Right now. With so many different shades to choose from, there’s a perfect pink for every style. Viva magenta? Glossy blush? Rose chrome? The options are truly endless!

And last, but certainly not least, we’re loving the lavender haze that has taken over our summer mood boards. It’s a soft and romantic alternative to pink, and it’s the ultimate color for your Eras Tour summer nail design!

If your summer bucket list looks anything like ours, then your nails are going to need some serious TLC throughout the season. From swimming to traveling, your favorite summer activities can quickly start to wear down your healthy nails.

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To prep your mani for all these summer must-dos, we suggest using a strengthening topcoat over your polish. This will protect your nails from the elements and keep your summer design looking fresh for as long as possible.

Cuticle oil is also a lifesaver when it comes to protecting your nails from the summer heat and dry air. Apply a few drops to your nail beds every day along with your favorite sunscreen (which will also keep your bright polishes from fading!) and you’re pretty much golden.

Now that you’re prepped and ready to go, it’s time for some inspo! We’ve rounded up our favorite summer nail design ideas for all styles, from coffin shapes to gel manis to ombre hues.

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Clear out your camera roll, because we’ve rounded up the best bright and bold nail ideas for your next summer mani! This year, we’re boosting our summer serotonin with vibrant hues and fun color combos. You won’t find any neutrals here!

Over our summer inspo boards — but we’re not stopping there. Keep scrolling for our favorite bright summer nail ideas for all styles and color palettes, from neon pinks to pastel greens to bold reds!

Take a bite out of these juicy beauties! If your warm weather aesthetic could be summed up with the song “Watermelon Sugar, ” then this is the perfect nail design to give you that sweet summer feeling.

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These bright summer nails truly look good enough to eat, especially with the mini green french tip (get the look with this green gel liner set!) combined with the ombre pink hue. Best paired with a watermelon margarita and a beach