Truthfully, couldn’t be more thrilled that summer is in its way—more specifically we’re excited for our spring/summer nails plans.
Even for the most nail-art (opens in new tab) apprehensive, spring and summer is the perfect time to experiment with brighter shades (opens in new tab) and entertaining art. For summer 2023, the classic Hailey Bieber glazed nails have been reinvented with a neon twist (opens in new tab), the popular airbrush design has been turned into a juicy watermelon, and the creative glittered powders are being transformed into gummy bears on our fingertips.
Read on to see some of the top nail trends for this summer, according to the pros.
1. Airbrushed watermelons
We’re seeing plenty more airbrush designs popping up on our feeds, but we particularly can’t get enough of the watermelon-themed airbrush manicures. Nothing makes us more excited for fruity drinks and warmer weather than this joyful design. You can try this at home using your favourite blush or eyeshadow colour (opens in new tab) with a fluffy brush and locking in with a high shine top coat.
2. Micro blues
The French manicure (opens in new tab) isn’t going anywhere but this spring/summer we’ll be seeing more micro versions that incorporate pastel hues. “Pastels are such an uplifting and versatile option; there’s a perfect shade to suit every skin tone,” says 14 Day Mani (opens in new tab)’s expert Dian Mitchell (opens in new tab). She predicts “barely-there blues and soft lavenders are going to lead the way.”
3. Neon chrome
We’re taking the glazed doughnut nail and Ibiza-fying it. Enter: neon chrome nails. Take any of your favourite neon shades — be it orange, yellow, blue, green, or pink — and add a chrome powder over the top and you’ve created something brand new and perfect for the warmer weather. Manicurist Iram Shelton (opens in new tab) says Hailey Bieber has been playing around with neon chromes for a while now, so they’re definitely here to stay.
4. Sugared nails
(Image credit: image source / @memnails)
Nail artist Mutsa (opens in new tab) thinks sugared nail art is going to keep getting more popular this summer and we couldn’t agree more. This technique uses “acrylic powder, which is poured on top of uncured gel and then cured to achieve a flocked-like texture,” explains Mutsa. “I’m a big fan of sugared designs as I take a lot of inspiration from textiles and fashion, and there’s a lot you can achieve with the technique.”
5. Pink n mix
Gone are the days of wearing the same design on every nail, in 2023 we’re celebrating pink n mix nails. A different design on each nail, often vibrant with negative space to make each drawing stand out. Pick a loose theme and let you and your nail tech run with it.
6. Toe nail art
We’ll admit that this is going to be a marmite trend — you’re either going to love or hate it. We’re in camp love it because the creativity and joy here is unmatched. Nail artist Jaz Moger (opens in new tab) predicts we’ll be seeing a rise in toe nail art this year. She likes to choose shades and designs that complement fingernails and toes for a cohesive, summery-themed look.
7. Gummy nails
Taking our love of chrome and 3D shapes and combining the two is gummy nails—they’re fun, creative and a little bit silly. The idea is making little characters, like gummy bears and jelly snakes, using iridescent and holographic powders and hard gel. The creativity is endless using this technique that @bugnails (opens in new tab) does.
8. Jellies
Jelly nails are back and they’re better than ever. TikTok calls them lipgloss nails but we’re feeling nostalgic for jellies. The premise of these being ultra shiny, glossy talons that have a slightly transparent and, you guessed it, jelly look to them. With celebrity influences staying strong, Iram thinks Selena Gomez trying out jelly nails will have us seeing “different versions of these” over the summer.
9. Vibrant illusions
We first saw the optical illusion nail with a French tip and now it’s taking on so many impressive variations like this striped one, which Mutsa particularly loves. If you see your fingertips as tiny canvases and like to challenge your nail artist, try and give this design a go.