2024’s Trending Summer Nail Colors: Fresh Ideas for Almond, Short & Toe Nails

Summer 2024 calls for chic nail inspirations. Join us as we reveal the top colors and designs that will define the season’s nail fashion landscape

Unveiling Summer’s Palette: A Tapestry of Hues for Every Skin Tone

As a professional manicurist, I can tell you that when summer rolls around, it’s not just the sun that gets brighter—the season’s nail colors blossom too. Imagine a set of nails shimmering like the surface of the ocean under the mid-July sun. That’s the vibe we get from our first summer nail color sensation. It’s a holographic marvel, boasting shades that swing from a soft lavender to a vibrant spectrum of rainbow reflections. This manicure is the epitome of summer’s playful spirit and infinite possibilities.

Photo credit by: @breathespa.qa

• Materials Needed:
  • Holographic lavender nail polish (e.g., Color Club’s “Eternal Beauty”)
  • UV topcoat for that glass-like finish
  • Nail polish remover and cotton pads for prep and cleanup

To recreate this celestial dance on your nails, begin with a clean, buffed nail bed. Apply a base coat to protect your natural nail and follow with two coats of your holographic lavender polish. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly before adding the next. Finish with a UV topcoat for durability and extra shine. It’s a design that promises to turn heads and radiate summer energy.

A Summer Symphony of Pastels and Brights

The second design whispers a different summer tale, one of soft pastel skies and bursts of citrusy joy. Here, we see an almond-shaped canvas showcasing a symphony of pastels: baby blues, soft pinks, and delicate purples, accented with bold swipes of lemon yellow and tangerine. It’s a fresh take on the summer nail colors almond shape trend, with a pastel palette that’s just as at home at a beachside café as it is at a chic rooftop bar.

Photo credit by: @nailsby.hails

• Materials Needed:
  • Pastel nail polishes in baby blue, soft pink, and lilac (e.g., Essie’s “Bikini So Teeny,” “Romper Room,” and “Full Steam Ahead”)
  • Bright yellow and orange polishes for accents (e.g., OPI’s “Exotic Birds Do Not Tweet” and “Summer Lovin’ Having a Blast”)
  • Fine nail art brush for detail work
  • Nail striping tape for clean lines

Start with your pastel base, alternating colors on each nail. Once dry, use the striping tape to section off areas for your bright accents. With a steady hand, fill in the sections with your vibrant yellow and orange. Peel off the tape while the polish is still wet to achieve crisp lines. A fine nail art brush can help clean up any edges or add additional details.

Celebrate Summer with Vibrant Brushstrokes and Florals

Now, let’s take a stroll through a blooming garden with our third design. This one’s a vibrant celebration, with brushstrokes of pink, coral, and green embodying the vivaciousness of summer. Sprinkled with floral decals, these nails are a love letter to the blooms of spring and summer. They’re a testament to the beauty of combining art and nature on the small canvas of our nails, suitable for both summer nail colors for pale skin and summer nail colors for dark skin.

Photo credit by: @beautyfxink

• Materials Needed:
  • Base nail polish in a neutral shade (e.g., DND’s “Pink Ballet”)
  • Acrylic paints in pink, coral, and green for the brushstrokes
  • Pre-designed floral nail stickers or decals
  • A sealing topcoat to protect your masterpiece

After your base coat and neutral polish have dried, take your acrylic paint and liberally create your brushstrokes in a crisscross pattern. There’s no right or wrong here—the beauty lies in the imperfection. Add your floral stickers, sealing everything with a topcoat to ensure your blossoming design lasts through your summer adventures.

Whispering Waves: The Elegance of Minimalism

Step into the serene side of summer with this understated design. As someone who’s spent years painting and shaping, I see this manicure as a refreshing breath of cool sea breeze. The clear base adorned with gentle strokes of seafoam green creates an illusion of waves lapping at the shore. It’s minimalist, yet it tells a tale of summer’s tranquil moments. The summer nail colors blue embodied in the wisps of green give a nod to oceanic vibes, perfect for short and natural nail lengths, proving that summer nail colors short can make a significant statement.

Photo credit by: @_thenailvault_

• Materials Needed:
  • Clear nail polish as the base (e.g., OPI’s “Natural Nail Base Coat”)
  • Seafoam green polish for the art (e.g., Essie’s “Mint Candy Apple”)
  • Fine-tipped nail brush for delicate strokes

Begin with a glossy clear base to emulate the purity of water. Once it sets, use a fine brush to swirl seafoam green in gentle, curling motions. It’s the finesse in your hand’s movement that’ll bring the wave-like designs to life. Seal it with a topcoat and let the waves carry you through your day.

Sunset Flames: Ignite Your Summer Flair

Here, we fan the flames of summer with a manicure that’s as bold as a sunset sky. It’s a style for those who love to stand out. The neon pink and fiery coral tips seem to burn with the intensity of a summer evening, making it an exceptional choice for summer nail colors 2024 dip. It brings the heat to any nail shape but really takes the spotlight on longer, almond-shaped nails.

Photo credit by: @nailsnerd82

• Materials Needed:
  • Neon pink and coral dip powders (e.g., Kiara Sky’s “Neon Pink” and “Sunset”)
  • Base coat specific for dip powder
  • Activator and topcoat for dip powder systems

To create this gradient effect, start with a clean, buffed nail. Apply your base coat and dip into the neon pink powder. Once the base layer sets, apply the base coat to the tips and dip into the coral powder. Use the activator to harden the dip layers and finish with a shiny topcoat for a smooth, glass-like effect.

A Spectrum of Summer: The Warmth of Seasonal Shades

Lastly, we have a carousel of colors that captures the essence of summer warmth. From deep cherry to pastel pink and soft coral, each nail dons a different shade, inviting a playful mix-and-match style. This range of summer nail colors offers versatility and a chance to highlight trending shades like summer nail colors 2024 gel and classics alike. It’s a tasteful nod to the summer spectrum, ideal for toes and fingers, and a lovely pick for a summer picnic or a breezy evening walk.

Photo credit by: @instylemagazine

• Materials Needed:
  • A variety of nail polish colors in cherry, pastel pink, and coral (e.g., DND’s “Cherry Berry,” Essie’s “Fiji,” and OPI’s “Coral-ing Your Spirit Animal”)
  • Base and topcoat for longevity

Apply a base coat to protect your natural nails. Then, paint each nail a different color from your summer palette. Keep the coats thin to avoid smudging and allow each to dry thoroughly. Finish with a topcoat to seal the colors and add a lustrous shine. It’s the perfect way to flaunt all the trending hues of the season.

Serene Lavender: The Soothing Side of Summer

The soft lavender shade in this design is like the first whisper of dawn on a tranquil summer morning. It’s a hue that flatters every skin tone, exuding both warmth and coolness in a single stroke. The summer nail colors blue family has a gem here, with a matte finish that speaks to a sophisticated yet understated summer vibe. It’s the perfect match for the summer nail colors 2024 trend forecast, which sees a return to muted elegance.

Photo credit by: @nail.art.tbilisi

• Materials Needed:
  • Matte lavender polish (e.g., OPI’s “Do You Lilac It?” with a matte topcoat)
  • High-quality base coat (e.g., CND’s “Stickey Base Coat”)
  • Matte topcoat for that contemporary finish (e.g., Essie’s “Matte About You”)

To achieve this look, start with a nourishing base coat to protect your natural nails. Apply two coats of the matte lavender polish, allowing each to dry thoroughly. Finish with a matte topcoat for that modern, velvety touch. This design brings a touch of calm to the bustling summer days.

Golden Hour Swirls: The Warmth of Summer Sunshine

When the sun sets and casts a golden glow, that’s the moment captured by this nail design. The swirls of cream and gold on a backdrop of deep skin tones is reminiscent of the last rays of sunlight dancing on the water. It’s a manicure that honors summer nail colors for dark skin, with a playful twist on the classic French tip, replacing the traditional white with a molten gold that’s sure to complement summer nail colors toes just as beautifully.

Photo credit by: @karisnailart

• Materials Needed:
  • Cream nail polish for the base (e.g., DND’s “Milky White”)
  • Metallic gold polish for the swirls (e.g., Essie’s “Good as Gold”)
  • A thin nail art brush to achieve the intricate swirls
  • A glossy topcoat to seal in the design (e.g., Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat)

Begin with a base coat, then apply the cream polish as the foundation of this art piece. With a steady hand, draw the swirls using the gold polish and your nail art brush. Allow the design to dry before applying a glossy topcoat for a finish that catches the light just right.

Festive Fruits: A Celebration of Summer’s Bounty

This nail design is a jubilant homage to summer’s vibrant produce. The bold red polish interspersed with accent nails of strawberry designs and glittering garnet invokes the spirit of a summer festival. It’s a manicure that’s both playful and trending, a true representation of the summer nail colors 2024 palette. It takes the concept of summer nail colors almond shape to a festive new level, proving that Ideas and Designs can be both whimsical and chic.

Photo credit by: @d.cs_nails

• Materials Needed:
  • Bright red nail polish (e.g., OPI’s “Big Apple Red”)
  • Strawberry nail stickers or hand-painted with acrylic paint
  • Glitter nail polish in a matching red hue (e.g., China Glaze’s “Ruby Pumps”)
  • A fine-tipped brush for detail work if painting strawberries by hand

Paint the majority of your nails with the bright red polish to serve as the base for this joyful look. On the accent nails, either apply strawberry stickers or hand-paint the berries and leaves using your fine brush. For a touch of glamour, add a nail or two of the glitter polish. This design is sure to be a conversation starter at any summer gathering.

Citrus Swirls: Summer in Your Hands

Welcoming the zest of summer, this manicure blends warm tones with playful artistry. The melange of pink, yellow, and soft beige swirls paints a picture of citrus slices in a cool drink, ideal for summer nail colors 2024 gel. This is a Design that says ‘summer’ with each nail differing in art but united in theme—a real testament to the eclectic Ideas of the season.

Photo credit by: @lupaenails

• Materials Needed:
  • Gel polishes in hot pink, sunny yellow, and neutral beige (e.g., Gelish’s “Pink Smoothie,” “Sunrise and the City,” and “Taupe Model”)
  • A fine nail art brush
  • Gel topcoat for a lasting finish (e.g., Gelish’s “Top It Off”)

Apply the neutral beige as your base. Once cured, take your art brush and with yellow and pink, draw freehand swirls for a marbled effect. Cure again, then seal with a topcoat. It’s a look that’ll surely complement those summer vibes.

Lemon Zest French Tips: A Twist on the Classic

This design puts a tangy twist on the classic French manicure, infusing it with a splash of summer nail colors. The bright lemon tips against a natural base are reminiscent of summer nail colors for pale skin, but truly, it’s a universal design that pops with any skin tone. The zest of lemon yellow offers a bold yet understated statement, perfectly aligning with the minimalist summer nail colors blue trend.

Photo credit by: @nailart__by__sandra

• Materials Needed:
  • Sheer pink polish for the base (e.g., Essie’s “Ballet Slippers”)
  • Bright yellow polish for the tips (e.g., OPI’s “Exotic Birds Do Not Tweet”)
  • Topcoat for shine and durability (e.g., INM’s “Out the Door”)

Start with the sheer pink base, and once dry, carefully paint the tips with your vibrant yellow. It’s a modern take on a timeless style that screams summer without saying a word.

Emoji Emotions: Expressive and Playful

Nothing says Best of summer like expressing yourself with a splash of creativity, and this design is all about playful expression. Set against a backdrop of vibrant pink and adorned with emoji stickers, these nails are a conversation starter. Whether you’re flaunting these summer nail colors for dark skin or any other tone, it’s a way to wear your heart on your nails, expressing a range of summer emotions.

Photo credit by: @samanthakatew

• Materials Needed:
  • Vibrant pink polish (e.g., DND’s “Hot Pink”)
  • Emoji nail art stickers or decals
  • Clear topcoat to seal the design (e.g., Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat)

Paint your nails with the vibrant pink shade, apply your chosen emoji decals, and seal with a clear topcoat. It’s a fun, expressive look that’s perfect for summer festivals or just bringing smiles on sunny days.

Olive Elegance: A Touch of Nature

Imagine the whisper of leaves and the quiet sophistication of the forest—this is the inspiration behind our olive elegance design. A fresh take on summer nail colors, the muted green swirls create an organic feel on the nails. The design is a nod to the summer nail colors dnd, a dungeon deep green that’s been elevated to daylight with its glossy finish and artful marbling.

Photo credit by: @lupaenails

• Materials Needed:
  • Olive green nail polish (e.g., OPI’s “Suzi – The First Lady of Nails”)
  • White nail polish for the marbling effect (e.g., Essie’s “Blanc”)
  • A pointed tool or toothpick to create the swirls
  • Glossy topcoat for a lush finish (e.g., Sally Hansen’s “Insta-Dri Top Coat”)

Apply the olive polish as your base. While still wet, add a few dots of white and swirl gently with your tool to create a marbled effect. Once dry, seal with a glossy topcoat. This manicure brings the understated beauty of nature right to your fingertips.

Confetti Celebration: Summer’s Festive Sparkle

Here’s to the sparklers and fireworks of summer! This design is a celebration on your nails, perfect for summer nail colors 2024 dip with its playful glitter and vibrant color gradient. It’s a look that captures the essence of Best times under the summer sky, made for both day and night revelries.

Photo credit by: @dipnails_bytaylor

• Materials Needed:
  • Clear nail polish as your adhesive base (e.g., China Glaze’s “Strong Adhesion Base Coat”)
  • A selection of glitter polishes in various sizes and colors (e.g., Deborah Lippmann’s “Happy Birthday”)
  • Sponge for gradient effect
  • Topcoat to seal the sparkles (e.g., Glisten & Glow’s “Top Coat”)

Layer your base coat, then sponge on the glitter polish from the nail bed to tip, creating a gradient effect. Apply a final layer of clear polish to set the glitter. Finish with a topcoat to keep your nails shining bright like a summer celebration.

Sunny Delight: Bold and Beautiful

Bold and unapologetically bright, this design is a true representation of summer nail colors for pale skin and every skin tone in between. The solid sunny yellow speaks of long days under the sun and happiness in every moment. This color is striking and is sure to be a favorite when discussing summer nail colors opi, known for their rich pigments and lasting formula.

Photo credit by: @jaelynnlockwood

• Materials Needed:
  • Sunny yellow nail polish (e.g., OPI’s “Sun, Sea, and Sand in My Pants”)
  • Base coat to prevent staining (e.g., ORLY’s “Bonder Rubberized Basecoat”)
  • Fast-drying topcoat for a sleek finish (e.g., Seche Vite “Dry Fast Top Coat”)

After applying your base coat, brush on two coats of the sunny yellow polish, letting each coat dry completely. Seal your nails with a topcoat for a glossy, enduring finish. This sunny delight is a cheerful nod to the quintessential summer experience.

Sunset Marbling: A Canvas of Warmth

Embrace the soft glow of a setting sun with these stunning sunset marble nails. They encapsulate the warmth of a summer’s eve with a blend of peach and warm pink tones. It’s a design that’s both soothing and invigorating, perfect for those balmy nights.

Photo credit by: @errikas_nails_

• Materials Needed:
  • Peach and pink gel polishes for the base (e.g., Gelish’s “Mango Tango” and “Pink Smoothie”)
  • A dotting tool or toothpick to marble the design
  • Gel topcoat for a glossy, protective finish (e.g., CND’s “Shellac Top Coat”)

Begin by applying a base coat and a layer of the lighter peach gel polish. While still tacky, dot on the pink gel polish and use the tool to swirl the colors together gently. Cure under a UV lamp and seal with a topcoat for a lasting summer look.

Holographic Sunset: Twilight Mystique

As the sun dips below the horizon, these nails come to life with a mystical play of light. The purple base with a holographic yellow stripe captures the last ray of sunlight piercing through a twilight sky. This design is for those who want to carry the magic of summer sunsets with them.

Photo credit by: @lupaenails

• Materials Needed:
  • Purple gel polish for the base (e.g., Gelish’s “You Glare, I Glow”)
  • Holographic yellow nail tape
  • Gel topcoat for a smooth, reflective finish (e.g., Orly’s “Gel FX Top Coat”)

Apply the purple gel polish as your base and let it cure. Carefully place the holographic tape in a vertical stripe down the center of each nail, trimming any excess. Finish with a layer of topcoat for a seamless blend between the tape and polish.

Tangerine Dream: Summer Citrus Bliss

This nail design is like dipping your fingers into a fresh, juicy tangerine. With vibrant orange tones and a pop of sparkly accents, it’s a citrus dream that’s perfect for any summer outing, from beach days to night parties.

Photo credit by: @naglarmolnlycke

• Materials Needed:
  • Tangerine orange gel polish (e.g., LeChat’s “Perfect Match in Mango Tango”)
  • Glitter polish for the accent (e.g., China Glaze’s “Orange Knockout”)
  • Small rhinestones or studs for an extra touch
  • Gel topcoat for a lasting, shiny finish (e.g., Gellen’s “No Wipe Top Coat”)

Start by applying a base coat, followed by two coats of the tangerine gel polish. Add a touch of glitter polish to the tips or as a full accent nail. While the accent nail is still tacky, place a few rhinestones or studs to add sparkle. Cure and finish with a topcoat.

Neon Noir: A Vivid Statement

Unleash the drama of summer nights with this neon noir nail design. The brilliant pink exudes confidence, while the black accents with golden embellishments tell a story of glamour and intrigue. It’s perfect for those who crave a little edge with their summer nail colors.

Photo credit by: @glamournailsny

• Materials Needed:
  • Neon pink nail polish (e.g., China Glaze’s “Shocking Pink”)
  • Black nail art pen for detailed designs (e.g., Sally Hansen’s “I Heart Nail Art Pen”)
  • Gold studs or decals to accessorize
  • A glossy topcoat for a high-shine finish (e.g., Nails Inc’s “2-in-1 Base and Top Coat”)

Paint your nails with the neon pink polish for a bold base. Once dry, use the nail art pen to create abstract or floral designs. Adorn with gold studs on the accent nails for a luxe touch, and finish with a topcoat to seal the deal.

Ombre Whisper: A Subtle Dawn

For those who love a gentle nod to summer’s warmth, this ombre design transitions from a muted pink to a soft white, reminiscent of the first light of dawn. It’s subtle, yet undoubtedly trending for the summer nail colors 2024 season.

Photo credit by: @polishedintherockies

• Materials Needed:
  • Pink and white gel polishes for the ombre (e.g., Gelish’s “Light Pink” and “Arctic Freeze”)
  • A makeup sponge for the ombre effect
  • Gel topcoat for a smooth, lasting finish (e.g., Orly’s “Gel FX Top Coat”)

Start with a base coat, then paint the pink polish halfway up the nail. Dab the makeup sponge with white gel polish and gently press onto the tip, blending into the pink to create the ombre effect. Cure and seal with a topcoat for a serene summer look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the best summer nail colors 2024? A: This summer, we’re seeing a beautiful range from holographic hues and vivid pastels to deep, saturated colors. Think about what compliments your style and skin tone, whether you’re leaning towards the summer nail colors 2024 gel variety or prefer a classic polish.