When it comes to nail colours, there are two types of people in this world. There are those who walk into a nail salon and know exactly what nail colour they want (I can hazard a guess that 1) you're committed to your usual neutral or red nail polish colours, 2), you know the exact shade name to request as you walk into the salon pre-mani, and 3) your nail technician knows your nail colour choice before you've even sat down in the chair). Then, there are those who lay their eyes on a wall of nail polish bottles in the salon and immediately feel indecision take hold. Should you go for a bright nail colour? Or opt for the "clean girl" neutrals? And what about nail art, or tapping into nail trends such as blushing nails or milky nails? Choosing your manicure colour is tricky business.
I tend to fall into the latter camp of indecisive nail colour choosers. When it comes to summer nail colours, however, I favour experimentation. This is the time of year to throw caution to the wind and try something new. While I'm usually a neutrals kind of gal when it comes to my nails (Chanel's Le Vernis Ballerina is my current milky-pink obsession), I've seen so many fun nail designs lately on my social feeds that I just had to share them with you. Don't worry, there are plenty of timeless nail colours in the mix too, just in case you're not ready to venture too far from your nail colour comfort zone. And if you're DIY-ing your manicure at home this summer, you're in luck. All of the top nail techs have been experimenting with nail polish on their feeds lately, so we know the exact shades that can give you the same results at home. Scroll on to see the summer nail colours dominating in 2024.
8 Summer Nail Colours That Will Be Popular in 2024
1. Chambray Blue
While we saw the rise of deep cobalt blue last summer, for 2024, it's all about those softer sky blues. Like your favourite pair of jeans, chambray blue can be surprisingly wearable while bringing a summer refresh to your fingertips. Rather than vibrancy, you're looking for a hint of grey in the nail polish shade to add a coolness to your manicure.
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2. Peach Melba
With Peach Fuzz named Pantone's colour of 2024, it's not surprising that this warm, fuzzy orange will be big news for summer. I'm seeing more and more nail techs experiment with chrome powder in citrus hues of peach and orange, and it's the perfect summer update for the glazed doughnut nail trend.
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3. Verdant Green
Trust me—2024 will be the year that green nails reign supreme. And while there's a place for candied mint pastels and dark forest greens, the nail colour of the summer is more like a vibrant jade that feels lush and fresh. It looks great as a French tip detail or applied all-over the nails too.
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4. Butter Yellow
Every nail technician I speak to says that butter yellow nails are about to take off for summer. And I'm not at all surprised. When celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik shared a photo of Selena Gomez's soft yellow manicure it went straight to the top of our most-wanted list for our next visit to the salon. Keep your eyes peeled as it's going to be everywhere.
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5. Baby Pink
Pastels of every variation are dominating my feed right now, it's hard to choose just one hue, but baby pink seems to be particularly popular. After the huge influence that Barbie had on everyone's nails last year, it seems natural that pink manicures will remain a trend for summer 2024—but this softer, more pared-back pink manages to feel both elevated yet still fun.
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6. Chrome Jelly
I'm seeing more and more jelly nails polishes landing on the beauty desk, and they provide a sheer, three-dimensional effect to your fingertips that works particularly well in summer. When they're combined with a chrome finish, the way the sun hits these polishes is next-level.
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7. Lavender Haze
Purple is another huge trend for 2024, but for summer in particular it's lavenders that will dominate the season's manicure looks rather than deeper violets or aubergines. While they look particularly impactful worn as a block colour, a dainty French tip would also look amazing for summer.
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8. Cherry Red
If there's a summer nail colour that is forever timeless, it's a bright red nail polish. I know friends who are loyalists to their red nail polishes and could probably spot their favourite from a mile off. OPI's Big Apple Red is a well-loved classic that is hard to beat, and Chanel's Incendiaire is the perfect bright red that looks chic on fingertips and as a pedicure colour too.
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This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
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