Experts Agree: Your Nail Appointment This May Should Include These Indulgent, In-Demand Shades

To people who experience all four seasons, May is the first breath of fresh air. In New York City, the Central Park trees are finally in full bloom, and green grass has replaced the dry thatch. Nature has come back to life, and our style choices from head to toenails reflect that. So when I tapped three professional manicurists for advice on which color to get at my May nail appointment, they came back with a flurry of trend-forward recommendations that vary from soft and subtle to edgy and alternative.

There’s a lot that happens in May, as celebrity nail artist Pattie Yankee points out. This month officially kicks off wedding season (“Expect to see a lot of blushy pinks and milky nudes,” she notes), and we’re currently experiencing the come-down from Coachella and Stagecoach, where the style-minded kicked off many of the hottest spring manicure trends. “May is that beautiful in-between moment where spring is fully blooming, but summer is right around the corner, and we're seeing nail trends reflect that softness and optimism,” says Rebecca Isa, creative director at Zoya. It’s this flurry of rebirth—the blooming flowers, the sweet spring warmth, and the refilled social calendars—that inspired this month’s trendiest colors, and that much is evident from the experts’ recommendations below.

From soft pastels to shimmery topcoats (plus a handful of à la mode color combos), see May’s top mani contenders below.

8 May Nail Color Trends

Refined Pastels

Pastels for spring? Groundbreaking. Though these lighter iterations of classic colors are spring manicure staples, Isa predicts a sweeter yet more sophisticated take—shades she calls “dessert-inspired pastels,” which feel “sweet and indulgent but in a refined, grown-up way.” The result is a smattering of dreamy pinks, raspberry tints, and milky lilacs (like the above), finished with a glossy, hard-candy finish. “These aren't the chalky pastels of seasons past; they're richer, more saturated, and read as polished rather than playful,” Isa concludes.

Inky Alternatives

This next trend looks anti-spring at first glance but is one of the chicest choices you can make at the salon right now. Not only did Hailey Bieber don inky, flowered nails at the first weekend of Bieberchella (painted by go-to celeb manicurist Zola Ganzorigt, who consistently sets the nail trends for music festival season), but going against the seasonal grain with any style choice is a fast track for looking cool. However, Yankee says that black polish isn’t mandatory to partake in this trend. “For those who like the darker nails but still want some color, cobalt blue or emerald green (the May birthstone!) are looking like some popular choices,” she adds.

Natural Glow

Healthy nails are always en vogue, and Isa says that the recent resurgence in attention to nail health is translating into spring trends. “We're continuing to see a strong shift toward luminous, enhanced naturals—finishes that don't mask the nail but instead diffuse light to make it look healthier and brighter,” she explains. Take, for example, the coral wash of color on manicurist Mateja Novakovic’s nails, made possible by the tinted Manucurist nail strengthener in Cranberry. Isa explains that these polishes with built-in benefits give your nails a "your nails but better" sheen, which “feels especially right for May when we're transitioning into bare-skin season and want our hands to look effortless.”

Subtle Shimmer

“Subtle sparkle is back but not in a maximalist way,” declares Isa. “We're seeing fine, rose-gold-toned glitters and pearlescent shimmers being used as accent shades or topcoats over creams to add dimension without overwhelming the look,” she adds. Take, for example, this subtly shimmery gel manicure crafted by London-based expert manicurist Karolina Zuk, who made fine flecks of glitter look oh so chic.

Soft Pink

“Pink is the shade of the summer!” exclaims Olivia Van Iderstine, trend expert at Olive and June. “There are so many ways to get into this trend, with nearly neon hot pink to low-key neutrals,” she adds. However, softer iterations of the bubblegum hue, like the milky pink above, have been undeniably dominating the trend cycle for quite some time. If you’re looking for a non-boring neutral that goes with everything this month, soft pink is your new best friend.

Orange Creamsicle

There's nothing like a soft citrus shade to celebrate the transition between spring and summer. Not only does this milky clementine hue look stunning on all skin types, but it has a sweet hint of summertime nostalgia that doesn't feel childish or kitschy. "Orange Creamsicle is one of our favorite flavors—equal parts sweet and bold," Van Iderstine says of this saccharine trend. Kick up the saturation with a bolder orange hue for a bit more flair, or go for a softer peach iteration like the photo above for something chicer.

Butter Yellow

Butter yellow certainly had its moment last summer, but Yankee doesn’t see this trend losing steam just yet. “With the warmer weather, a lot of people want a pop of color in their nails,” she explains. The nail artist goes on to explain that she also expects coral shades to pop up throughout the month. “They are good colors for the transition between spring and summer,” she elaborated. Whether you're adding a bit of sunshine to your fingertips or toes, this shade is a sure compliment earner.

Light-Wash Denim

The pros are taking inspiration from seasonal fashion when it comes to May manicures. While sky blue sounds like the perfect spring shade to me, Van Iderstine says this trend is a bit more intentional than that. "[It's] your favorite pair of summer denim cutoffs in nail form," she states. "They pair with everything (just like denim does) and strike that perfect balance between neutral and statement [nails]," she explains.

Color Combos Trending in May

Berry + Blue

Isa says that the mixed berry nail trend is the "unexpected pairing" she's seeing pop up everywhere. "A rich raspberry on most nails with one accent in a soft powder blue feels fresh, a little playful, and very of-the-moment. It nods to the color-blocking trend without feeling try-hard."

Tonal Pastels

Isa also noticed that alternating nail polish mashups—especially when each shade is from the same color family—has been a popular request these days. "Like a soft lilac next to a creamy pink, or a powder blue next to an icy mint," she explains. "[It] feels modern and a little unexpected without being loud. It's the perfect way to wear a manicure that reads cohesive but has more personality than a single shade."