I’m Legit *Obsessed* With This Summer’s Nail Colors (2024)

It’s officially 80 degrees in half of the country, which means my entire mani vibe has shifted to summer nail colors. Goodbye, nude nail polishes and short nails; hello, neon nail colors, cool nail designs; and almond nail shapes. When summer hits, I’m all about showing off the coolest summer nail trends, whether I make an appointment at the salon, DIY, or stick on a press-on nail kit. So you could say I have quite a few ideas when it comes to my summer nail colors this year.

Neons, pastels, creamy nudes, and light shades are about to dominate everyone’s fingers and toes this fall, according to nail artists Julie Kandalec, Syreeta Aaron, and Thuy Nguyen. So I handpicked the top summer nail colors to try this year as well as what to use to do them yourself at home and tips to make it a smidge easier.

✔️ FYI: We updated this article in May 2023 to give you the most up-to-date info on summer nail colors, including the nail trends going viral on TikTok, a celebrity nail artist’s favorite summer shades, and go-to nail colors to try every summer.

Yup, the Barbie movie we’ve all been waiting for is finally coming into theaters this summer, meaning it’s 100 percent about to be a Barbie Girl Summer—hey, I don’t make the rules. Commemorate the time with a bright-pink manicure (and pedicure, if you’re feeling extra special). IMO, LaPierre Pretti-N-Pink and Expressie Mall Crawler are the absolute best Barbie-pink nail polishes.

If you’re not glazing your bright-colored summer manis, then IDK what to tell you. Heck, celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt has basically covered every color in a chrome powder at this point. And I am v ~inspired~ by her coral look on Kylie Jenner. The base is slightly muted and pastel, but the shimmery finish makes it feel like a summery dream.

Lavender is the color rn, says nail artist Thuy Nguyen. The pale shade was all over runways for the spring/summer 2023 season (ahem, Valentino, Marni, and Louis Vuitton), because it’s a simple, lighter take on the usual bold neons of summer. Paint two coats of this Olive and June shade all over your nails, then go over your tips with one more coat to prevent chips.

Legit just brought this nail inspo to an appointment because I wanted “mermaidcore” nails (and they turned out fab, tyvm). My nail artist mixed a slew of sheer, jelly polishes to get the watercolor effect, then painted on a few different iridescent top coats to get a shimmery, underwater finish.

Consider this the summer 2023 take on glazed-donut nails, nail artist Miki Higuchi previously told Cosmo. Just pair a milky, sheer nail polish with iridescent pearly chrome powder with pink, blue, and purple shimmers for a multi-chrome effect.

This creamy, medium-brown nail polish is a great take on a summer neutral nail color, because it’s light and breezy but still has a little depth. TBH, I’m planning on wearing this to a few summer weddings.

Not only did this shade blow TF up on runways (we’re talking Givenchy, Michael Kors, Elie Saab), but it made its nail debut on Hailey Bieber, who has essentially started every massive nail trend of the last year. She combined hers with a gold-chrome accent for Coachella, which feels totally right. But feel free to try this shade as an accent nail to dip your toes fingers in.

TikTok’s latest nail trend? Milky nails, which is essentially just a sheer, cream nail color. It’s like glazed-doughnut nails before you put the chrome powder on. To get that creamy effect, just drip one drop of top coat onto your nail after you’ve painted on your white nail polish while it’s still wet.

Red nails are an all-year-round staple, but this specific tomato-red polish was legit made for summer. It has a slight orange undertone with neon-level brightness that fits right in with all of your statement summer shades.

Okay, low-key, this slime-green nail color is kinda ugly (like, it’s giving Shrek), but it perfectly fits in with the ’70s, retro style vibes that have been everywhere since Taylor Swift’s Midnights album released. If you want to try the trend but are iffy on the shade, combine it in a squiggle pattern with other muted hues.

Neon nail polish in summer is basically the blueprint, so why not just wear ’em all? This gradient French-tip look is slightly toned down from an all-over vibrant neon mani, but the combination of colors on each nail has summer co*cktails and beach days written all over them. Nail artist Thuy Nguyen says trying ombré/gradient nail art is also a nice way to switch it up if you’re more of a neutral-nail person because “you can control how much color is exposed and how far up it goes on the nail bed.”

Don’t feel like getting your nails done? No biggie, just throw on a ridge filler and a strengthening top coat and call it a day. The key, though, is to coat your nails with cuticle oil to keep your skin moisturized, so hangnails and dry cuticles don’t steal the spotlight. As a bonus, your nails will be smooth and healthy by your next mani.

This vivid, turquoise-blue nail color legit screams summer. But it looks ~sophisticated~ (more patio happy hour, less teen pool party) with this dainty French-tip design. “It’s set in between pastels and bolds this summer—think a Euphoria-like eyeshadow palette,” says nail artist Julie Kandalec.

Strawberry-glazed nails are expected to be a massive spring/summer trend. But if you want a slightly simpler version, just swipe on two coats of a shimmery-pink nail polish. You’ll get a similar shiny pink vibe with fewer steps (and tools…and products…).

Hi, your resident queer here, telling you the best way to celebrate Pride Month is with Pride nails, like this pastel-rainbow gradient. DIY it with a makeup sponge and a handful of pastel nail polishes by swiping each shade of polish on the tip of the sponge one after another in a line, then dotting it on each nail. Blend it together by painting on a top coat.

Want your nails to look like the literal ocean? Try this blue nail polish, which is filled with varying blue and silver shimmers that’ll legit glow in the sunshine. Pro tip: Pair it with a shiny top coat for max shine.

Yellow is about to be the it beauty shade of the summer (like, imagine the colored-eyeliner looks), including these chrome nails Hailey Bieber wore for a Rhode campaign. Choose a bright, pastel yellow instead of a primary yellow for a more updated version of the hue, or tone it down with a butter-yellow nail polish instead.

Don’t expect me to order anything but rosé until fall, nor wear any other shade on my toes, tbh. This muted-pink shade is ideal for anyone who wants to cash in on the summer Barbie vibes without going all in on a bright shade.

If you care about matching your nails to your outfits, you’ll legit never have to worry with a white nail look because it’s an ideal base with whatever you’re wearing. Go for a classic stark-white polish on its own, which will always be on trend, or add a squiggly design or shimmery top coat to jazz it up.

Happy neon season! This vivid, highlighter-esque pink nail polish is “giving hot girl summer,” says Aaron, since the color is so rich and pigmented. But if you want it to be even stronger, paint on a white base coat first.