Whenever it’s time for me to get my nails done, I’m reminded that settling on a color and design is probably the most difficult part of the process. Between the bubble bath nail trend and the Italian summer manicure trend, there’s endless polish and design inspiration to choose from. This season, though—with the weather heating up—I’m doubling down on all the pastel nail ideas. My new go-to shades are light, fresh, and allow me to play with color without being too dramatic.
“Pastel nails are perfect for summer because they help make your golden summer tan pop,” says celebrity manicurist and imPress Beauty ambassador Gina Edwards. “Lighter shades feel right for the warm, long days of summer.” Celebrity manicurist and KISS ambassador Julie Kandalec agrees, saying that pastel colors—especially butter yellow—offer a vibe that’s softer and fresher than their brighter counterparts. “They can instantly make you feel like you’re on vacation no matter where you live,” she says. “The soft tones pop on tan or darker skin tones, yet they still flatter lighter skin tones as well.”
The good news is that there’s no shortage of options when it comes to playing with pastel nail colors. “You can wear pastels as a French manicure, an ombre manicure with two colors—like coral pink into yellow—or even a muted color blocking mani,” Kandalec says. “As a bonus, you can put chrome over it to give it a multidimensional effect.”
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To give you a bit of inspiration, I’ve rounded up 20 stunning pastel manicures for you to bring to your next nail appointment.
Butter Yellow
(Image credit: Instagram / @byjessicarolfe)
Hailey Bieber may have recently declared that the butter yellow trend is played out but this’ll have to be one of the only times I’ll disagree with her. It’s the perfect kind of shade to wear if you want to add a bit of brightness to your nails without overdoing it.
Lights Lacquer
Banana Split
Essie
Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish – Atelier at the Bay
Rainbow Pastel
(Image credit: Instagram / @thenaileditions)
Not only is this such an easy design to replicate at home, it’s also perfect to try out on those days when you just can’t decide on one color.
Rainbow Pastel Tips
(Image credit: Instagram / @craftedbyaprince)
Add some flair to your traditional French manicure by playing with color. If DIY-ing the tips is too tricky, a press-on manicure set will be your best friend.
Glamnetic
Press-On Nail Kit
TOGZOM
French Tips Press on Nails Almond Medium Fake Nails
Butter Yellow Tips
(Image credit: Instagram / @craftedbyaprince)
Again, butter yellow appears to be one of the more popular colors of the season, but if you want to get in on the trend without going yellow all over, just add a tip. You can choose a bright base color, add a chrome topper, or stay traditional with a classic nude.
GJZEZ
Yellow French Tip Press on Nails
LONDONTOWN
Londontown Lakur Nail Polish – Chrome Glaze
OPI
Infinite Shine Long-Wear Nail Polish – This Chic Is Bananas
Chrome Pastels
(Image credit: Instagram / @charlotteellennails)
Pastel chrome nails have been trending since earlier this spring; they’re almost like glazed donut nails, except these include bright colors as the base instead of pales or nudes. Throwing a bit of chrome powder on top of your color can make your nails look a little more funky and add a slightly futuristic vibe.
Olive & June
Bubblegum Chrome Press-On Nails
Essie
Nail Art Studio Special Effects Nail Polish – Gilded Galaxy
Soft Lilac
(Image credit: Instagram / @bombshellnailslondon)
Soft lilac is a trending summer color that even Selena Gomez approves of. Just throw on a few coats and you’ll have the pale purple manicure of your dreams.
Sally Hansen
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri – Lavish Lilac
ILNP Cosmetics, Inc.
Ilnp Dreamscape – Pastel Lilac Shimmer Nail Polish
Floral Rainbow Pastels
(Image credit: Instagram / @nailsbypaular)
Adding florals to a pastel manicure isn’t as hard as you think it is—just grab some nail decals and pop them on each finger to accentuate your colorful French tips even more.
Olive & June
Mod Floral Stickers
ITPOYOL
6 Sheets Flower Nail Art Stickers
SPLOCUDU
30 Sheets Flower Nail Art Stickers
Strawberry Lemon Sherbet
(Image credit: Instagram / @craftedbyaprince)
I can’t think of a better color combination than pink and yellow, especially for summer. This pretty manicure blends both of the colors into a gradient design to mimic the appearance of sherbet.
Nailberry
L’oxygéné Oxygenated Nail Lacquer
Daisies with Negative Space
(Image credit: Instagram / @bycheznails)
Giving your nails the rainbow treatment already makes for a fun manicure, but adding a floral design gives it even more of an upbeat vibe, especially for summer. Place the stickers at the base of your nail for a half-moon vibe or at the top for a nail crown.
StickerRay
White Daisy Nail Art Stickers
Olive & June
Super Stick Mani Press-On Nails
Glamnetic
Press on Nails – Pretty Bloom
Rainbow Squiggles
(Image credit: Instagram / @thenaillologist)
Have you ever wanted your nails to look like a watercolor painting? That’s the exact energy this manicure has, with two accent nails featuring a twisted rainbow design. Choose pastel shades for a softer finish.
Beetles
Pink Gel Nail Polish
GAOY
Pastel Gel Nail Polish
Beetles
Baby Blue Gel Polish
All-Over Mint
(Image credit: Instagram / @dndgel)
When you think of pastels (especially in regards to nail colors), shades like baby pink and light blue might be the first to come to mind, but don’t forget about mint green. It’s an underrated in-between shade, and you can easily nail the look by simply painting your nails a solid mint color all over.
OPI
Gelement – Mint to Be
Nails Inc
It’s Topless Gel-Like Nail Polish
Abstract Shapes
(Image credit: Instagram / @chatlotteellennails)
This design gets creative by combining a handful of pastel colors painted in abstract shapes. It uses just the right amount of shades (I recommend at least three) to make the manicure look out-of-the-box without being overwhelming.
Londontown
Lakur – Paloma
Blank Beauty
Pistachio-M-G
Pastel Flames
(Image credit: Instagram / @nailsbyjanine.x)
Remember: French manicures don’t have to be boring. Colorful tips can already liven things up, but if you really want to get fancy, turn your French tips into flames with fruit stickers. This one is a little trickier to DIY, so screenshot and bring it to your next salon appointment.
Le Mini Macaron
Mini Nail Stickers
TOROKOM
9 Sheets Flame Nail Stickers Decals
Dornail
6 Sheets Aurora Nail Stickers Holographic Laser Flame Nail Decals
Squiggly Tips
(Image credit: Instagram / @thenaillologist)
This fun design features pastel colors painted in squiggly shapes at the tip of the nail before being outlined in 3D gel and gold chrome powder.
Blue and White Daisies
(Image credit: Instagram / @charlotteellennails)
You can never go wrong with a baby blue pastel look, but adding daisies to an accent nail or two makes the look feel extra summery. While nail stickers are a solid options, daisies are actually pretty easy to DIY with a dotting tool.
Le Mini Macaron
Fleur Bleue
Le Mini Macaron
Wildflower Mini Nail Stickers
Color Block French Manicure
(Image credit: Instagram / @bycheznails)
Another unique take on the French manicure? This look takes pastel shades and juxtaposes them with their bolder counterparts in a geometric design.
KISS
Voguish Fantasy Press-On Nails
Miss Forever
7 Sheets Nail Striping Tape – Metallic Lines
Vonrui
Nail Art Striping Tape – Mermaid Candy
Soft Pink
(Image credit: Instagram / @bombshellnailslondon)
If nail designs aren’t your thing and a solid shade is what you’re after, soft pink is always a reliable option. Cooler undertones should opt for pinks with a whiter base, while warmer undertones can choose something with a hint of yellow or red.
Hermès
Les Mains Hermès – Rose Porcelaine
Strawberry and Orange Sorbet
(Image credit: Instagram / @charlotteellennails)
This is another abstract design that leans into different shapes. The pink and orange shades compliment each other pretty well here, but something like this could also work with other pastel colors.
Lilac Chrome
(Image credit: Instagram / @thenaillologist)
Lilac is another great all-over shade, but this design takes it to the next level with chrome powder added on top and an actual lilac outline on each nail.
Pink and White Squiggles
(Image credit: Instagram / @thenaillologist)
Pink pastel polish is pretty gentle, but this squiggle design helps to add a bit of edge to an otherwise plain manicure.
Dior
Vernis – 007 Jasmine
Manucurist
Active Glow – Blueberry
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Meet the Experts
Julie Kandalec
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Celebrity Manicurist
Julie Kandalec is a celebrity manicurist based in New York, NY. Her clients include celebrities like P!nk, Selena Gomez, Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt, and more.
Gina Edwards
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Celebrity Manicurist
Gina Edwards is a celebrity nail artist based in New York, NY. Her celebrity clients include Venus, Williams, Taraji P. Henson, Priyanka Chopra, and more.
