This Underrated Color Just Might Be Summer's Most Flattering Nail Trend
Mint green, slime green, Crayola yellow, juicy peach, red, pink, black, white… There has never been any shortage of trendy color schemes when it comes to our nail aesthetic. It seems as though every season, one color reigns supreme before being replaced by something newer and fresher the following year. However, one nail color that still has yet to really have its moment is blue. Sure, pastel blue and turquoise are always in the mix come spring and summer, while indigo and navy come into play once the weather cools, but we're here to say we'd like the year to be all about blue and every iteration of the shade imaginable.
Not only do blue nail colors look great all year round, but they're also incredibly flattering and can even serve as a great alternative to other beloved natural hues like white, gray, and black. So with head-turning blue nail colors swimming top-of-mind for our next at-home manicure, we're sharing 15 of our favorite blue nail polishes in every finish and hue imaginable. Keep scrolling to find your next favorite!
Light Blues
Almost-White Blue
White nail polish stans, take note—this barely blue nail color is the ultimate way to upgrade your go-to shade.
Icy Blue
Long-wearing and high-gloss, Olive & June's best-selling shade BP is an icy light blue that's magical on every skin tone. According to my fellow Who What Wear beauty editor, Courtney Higgs, it's one of the few blue nail colors that "doesn't make [her] feel like a preteen who broke into [her] mom's nail polish stash."
Sky Blue
This cult-classic shade from Chanel is the quintessential sky blue every nail polish lover needs in their collection.
Medium Blues
Electric Blue
Not only is this pretty shade of electric-blue nail polish extremely on point for the season, but Deborah Lippmann's gel-inspired formula is also fortified with nourishing agents like evening primrose, keratin, biotin, green tea extract, aucoumea, and rice protein.
Denim Blue
Dior's Vernis collection definitely represents the ultimate nail splurge, but the high-shine finish and beautiful pops of colors can't be beaten. This edgy denim shade is one of our favorites.
Ocean Blue
Aptly named, this oceanic shade of blue is the perfect refreshing color to take to your nails. Plus, Sally Hansen's durable gel formula resists chips and remains glossy for eons.
Dark Blues
Midnight Blue
If you're looking for a striking shade of inky blue that's not too dark, consider this nontoxic and cruelty-free shade from J.Hannah. According to the brand, it's inspired by Matisse's palette.
Classic Navy Blue
This is your classic, true navy-blue nail color, and since it's from Smith & Cult, you know you'll get exceptional wear and shine.
Shimmering Indigo Blue
Does a more iconic blue nail color even exist? We'd be remiss not to include one of OPI's all-time best-selling shades. This moody, slightly shimmering bottle is among the most striking shades.
Flashy Blues
Blue Pearl
This mother of pearl–inspired shade is pretty enough to make us buy it immediately, and the fact that this beloved color from Base Coat is also long-wearing, vegan, cruelty-free, and 8-free offers even more incentive.
Prismatic Sapphire
In addition to being one of the most prismatic and drool-inducing blue nail colors on our radar, there are other reasons to love this nail polish from Static Nails. A) It promises three times longer wear, and B) it has seriously luxurious ingredients like real amethyst crystal for energy healing (casual, we know), balm mint (for restoration and shine), and black currant (for strength and nourishment).
Frosted Cobalt
Yes—even shimmering blue nail polish can still look sophisticated! Opting for a deeper hue and a subtler glitter effect is the key here.
Hybrid Blues
Blue Meets Purple
Is it blue, or is it purple? Even the goddesses at Jinsoon won't reveal the final verdict, but we're obsessed with this moodier take on a classic blue nail color.
Blue Meets Green
Meet the perfect shade of turquoise nail polish: a little bit blue, a little bit green. The sleek brush also makes for the most precise, streak-free finish.
Blue Meets Rainbow
Well, we've officially found the antidote for any color quandary. When in doubt, choose a Rainbow Brite shade like this one, which instantly transforms from royal blue to every other color imaginable.
Up next: And Now, the 20 Best-Selling OPI Nail Colors of All Time—That You Can Still Buy
This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated.
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.
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