The 10 Best Summer Nail Trends of 2024
Summer is here and this season’s nail trends are fabulous and on-point.
From vibrant orchid motifs inspired by Kali Uchis' latest album to playful picnic fruit patterns and whimsical doodles, there's a style for every mood and occasion. Whether you're a DIY nail art enthusiast or prefer a professional touch, this year’s summer nail trends are easy guaranteed to make a statement.
1. Orchid (ORQUIDEAS) Nails
@nailsw.a (Instagram)
The "Orchid (ORQUIDEAS) Nails" feature a vibrant and elegant design with deep red orchid flowers accentuated by gold details, set against a mix of clear and red polished nails. This nail art captures the essence of summer by incorporating the trending orchid motif, inspired by Kali Uchis' ORQUIDEAS album and the season's viral fashion accessories.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint the thumb, index, and pinky nails with a deep red polish.
- For the middle and ring fingers, use a nude polish as the base color.
- On the middle and ring fingers, create a deep red French tip.
- Use a fine brush to paint a red flower on the middle and ring fingers, starting from the center and working outward.
- Add a small gold bead or dot in the center of each flower for a touch of sparkle.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush
- Gold beads or gold nail polish for the flower centers
2. Picnic Fruit Nails
@nailedit_byash (Instagram)
The warm seasons come with cute romantic picnics and these combinations of fruits and gingham patterns embody the energy of spring and summer. Juicy fruits and dainty gingham patterns makes for adorably sweet and fun nail sets.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint all nails with a nude or sheer pink polish as the base color.
- Using a fine brush, create a green and white checkered pattern on the tips of each nail.
- On the ring and middle fingers, use a fine brush to paint small red strawberries with green leaves.
- On the index fingers, paint small red cherries with green stems.
- On the pinky fingers, paint small blue blueberries with green leaves.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush
- Dotting tool (optional for detailing)
3. Colorful French Tip Nails
@kuredstudio (Instagram)
Colorful french tip nails are a playful twist on the classic French manicure, with each nail tip painted in a different bright, summery hue. Usually combined with mini floral details made using a dotting tool. Soft transition of bright summery colors like a breeze carrying petals along on your fingertips.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint all nails with a nude or clear polish as the base color.
- For the thumb, use a light blue polish to create a French tip.
- For the index finger, use a pastel yellow polish to create a French tip.
- For the middle finger, use a fine brush to paint small abstract shapes in pastel blue, yellow, and pink.
- For the ring and pinky fingers, use pastel pink and white polishes respectively to create French tips.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush for abstract shapes
- French tip guides (optional for precise tips)
4. Mini Florals Nails
@nails_by_stacey_griffiths (Instagram)
A seasonal nail art style that never goes out of style. The cute round flowers can be created with one simple dotting tool that makes quick, easy and adorable embellishments for your fingertips.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint all nails with a nude pink polish as the base color.
- Using a bright pink polish, create a French tip on each nail.
- With a fine brush, draw small white flowers on the middle and ring fingers.
- Add small pink dots in the center of each white flower using a dotting tool.
- Use a fine brush to add small white star accents around the flowers for extra detail.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush
- Dotting tool
5. Aura Gradient Nails
@nailshuney (Instagram)
Gradients have become a classic element in nail design for the soft, dreamy vibe it brings to your nail sets. Subtly celebrate the warm season with a combination of pink, orange, yellow and greens beautifully merging with one another into a dreamy haze on your fingertips, evoking the feels of walking through a flowery garden or gazing into the distant seaside sunset. You can achieve this soft blur effect with either an airbrush or a soft, round sponge to gently pat the color in.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint each nail with a different pastel color: yellow, purple, pink, orange, and green.
- Using a white nail polish and a dotting tool, create a small flower on each nail by making five dots in a circle.
- Add a small dot of yellow polish in the center of each flower using a smaller dotting tool.
- Allow the design to dry completely.
- Apply a clear top coat to seal the design and add shine.
Nail colors used:
- Pastel yellow polish
- Pastel purple polish
- Pastel pink polish
- Pastel orange polish
- Pastel green polish
- White polish
- Yellow polish
Supplies needed:
- Dotting tools (various sizes)
- Clear top coat
6. Star Nails
@nailsby_hal (Instagram)
Star nails have gone viral and stayed viral for its versatility from cool, simple embellishment for short nails to repping the Y2K aesthetic on long baddie nail sets. You can make an adorable and easy summer nail set for yourself with just two nail polish colors that creates a perfect star-studded mix-and-match nail design.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint the thumb and pinky nails with a bright yellow polish. Use a dotting tool to create a pink circle in the center of each nail.
- Paint the index and ring finger nails with a bright turquoise polish. Use a fine brush to draw a white star in the center of each nail.
- Paint the middle finger nails with a white polish. Use a fine brush to draw a pink star in the center of each nail.
- Paint the ring finger nails with a bright pink polish. Use a fine brush to draw white teeth shapes along the tip of each nail.
- Paint the pinky nails with a bright green polish. Use a fine brush to draw a white spiral starting from the center and extending outward.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Dotting tool
- Fine brush
7. Doodles Nails
@yebony_nail_ (Instagram)
Playful doodles of flowers and abstract shapes in bright, summery colors like pink, blue, green, and yellow, done with the use of creative techniques like thickened polish for texture and diluted polish for a watercolor effect adds an artistic flair, making it perfect for the lively and colorful summer season.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint all nails with a light blue polish as the base color
- Use a fine brush to create horizontal stripes in pink on the thumb, index, and pinky nails
- On each nail, use different colors (red, blue, green, yellow, white) to draw flower shapes with a fine brush
- Add a small dot in the center of each flower using contrasting colors to make them pop.
- Apply a glossy top coat to seal the design and add shine.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush
- Dotting tool
- Glossy top coat
8. Pastel Nails
@overglowedit (Instagram)
Pastels are the quintessential warm season color palette. Fresh, breezy, warm and gentle. You can never go wrong with pastels for the start of a sunny season.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint the thumb, middle, and pinky nails with a pastel pink polish.
- Paint the index nail with a pastel green polish.
- Paint the ring finger with a pastel yellow polish.
- Using a fine brush, create a diagonal split on each nail with a different pastel color. For the thumb, use pastel blue; for the index, use pastel pink; for the middle, use pastel green; for the ring finger, use pastel blue; and for the pinky, use pastel yellow.
- Allow the nails to dry completely and finish with a clear top coat for shine and protection.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush
- Clear top coat
9. Tulips & Chrome Nails
@nuin_____ (Instagram)
Tulips and chrome nails is a design combination gaining popularity amongst Japanese and Korean Nail artists. A unique and stylish combination of bright colorful bouquets of tulips popping on a mirror-like chrome base. Chic and classy while exuding the summer spirit.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush
- Dotting tool
- Clear top coat
10. Greek Nails
@nailsbyrobinandnicky (Instagram)
An fun yet elegant combination of bright citruses popping on intricate Greek porcelain details. A perfect look for summer vacations on the mediterranean seaside.
Achieve this look at home:
- Paint all nails with a clear or nude polish as the base color.
- Using a fine brush, paint blue abstract leaf designs on the tips of each nail.
- On each nail, add small orange fruit designs using orange polish and a dotting tool.
- Use green polish and a fine brush to add small leaves to the orange fruit designs.
- Seal the design with a clear top coat to protect the nail art and add shine.
Nail colors used:
Supplies needed:
- Fine brush
- Dotting tool
- Clear top coat
