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10 Gorgeous Summer Nail Art Designs to Try This Season

Brittany Leitner DefaultBrittany Leitner Default
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Published on May 16, 2025 • 5 min read
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Everyone’s favorite season is finally here! Summer marks the start of backyard grilling season, outdoor picnic park chillin’, and beachside vacations. But even if you don’t have any flights booked, you can still escape via some gorgeous summer nail art. Whether you dream of vacationing in the French Riviera, or you’re spending the day tanning in your backyard instead of hitting the Maldives, your bright, fun nail art will make you feel like you’re on a beach with crystal blue waters and pina colada in-hand no matter where you actually are.

If you need some inspo, we’ve rounded up 10 gorgeous summer nail art looks that you can either recreate from home, or take to your favorite local nail artist. Either way, summer is about having fun, so get ready to showcase your creative side through your manicure, and you’ll have an automatic talking point wherever you go.

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1. Ripe for the Picking Summer Nail Design

Strawberries are in season in the summer, and it’s the perfect opportunity to showcase a juicy and fruity manicure. Recreating strawberries is easier than you think from home. Just make sure you choose a bright red shade, like the PRETTY WOMAN Nail Polish, and let each different color coat completely dry before adding a new one. 

2. Let’s Go to the Beach Nails

Summer is about bright colors, outdoor activities, and lots of sunshine, and each of those things are represented in this dopamine-boosting mani. Adding a different design on each finger only amps up the spontaneity of this coveted, summer-ready design.

3. Lava Lamp Island Nails for Summer

If you want to do something a bit funky for summer, but don’t want to go with the obvious fruit-inspired or beach-inspired mani, try out this lava lamp look. Start with a pale, pastel color like baby pink or baby blue, and then create liquid “splat” lines and shapes with a contrasting color. Bonus points for adding a shade with shimmer. 

4. Pretty French Summer Nail Design

Step up your usual French mani by making each tip a different spring and summer pastel color. This look is perfectly polished with a touch of edge, thanks to the alternating tip colors. We love that The COLOR CLUB Polish & Chill Set will get you started on two perfect shades. 

5. Dash of Sparkle Summer Nails

Another fun way to liven up your “clean girl” mani is to do an all nude base shade and glue on small rhinestones in different colors. The finished look is polished and will absolutely standout in all of that summer sunlight you’re soaking up this month. 

6. Gone Fishing Nails for Summer

It’s about to be a fisherman aesthetic summer, so get ahead of the trend by sporting this floral and sardine-inspired mani. This look absolutely shines, thanks to the varying pink base shades. The art here is a bit more complicated, so it’s a great picture to take to your local artist to have them recreate if you’re up for splurging on your next mani.

7. Chromed Out Summer Nail Design

Brat summer is never ending, so show a bit of your wild, party girl side with this all chrome mani. The best part? You can choose a chrome shade in any color and it’ll look fabulous. If you really want to step it up, go for an oil slick chrome. We love that you can easily recreate the look at home with the ADESSE NEW YORK’s Liquid Chrome Organic Infused Nail Lacquer. Just a few swipes of this polish, and you’re ready to dance the night away at your favorite club. 

8. I’m a Cowgirl, Baby

Country is cool again! Stagecoach came and went, so keep the country vibes going with this cow print mani that’s actually easy to recreate at home (trust us!). All you need for a cow print mani is two shades. First, get your white base shade. Then, grab a black or brown shade, like KASCA Nail Polish in Velvet Black Matte. Lastly, make messy “circles” with haphazard edges to mimic a cow spot.

9. In Bloom Nails for Summer

Celebrate the fact that flowers are in full bloom and it’s officially summer with this mani. The park is lush, the grass is green, and your mani will look fresher than a flower shop if you take this to your nail artist for inspo.

10. Italian Spritz Summer Nail Art

If you can’t make it to Italy this year, you can at least escape through your nail art. This fun take on Italian vibes swaps out lemons for oranges for a brighter contrast against the blue and white shades. The fun gingham motif only adds to the whimsy of the set.

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