33 Summer Nail Art Ideas–From Sunset Ombré to Dreamy Clouds

Groovy, colorful 70s nails against a white background — @pop_polished

When it comes to summer nail designs, the bolder the better. And while bright colors are gorgeous on their own, we're shameless suckers for seriously good nail art. Whether it's an emoji-centric mani, a mermaid-inspired masterpiece, or a different color on each nail, we're here for it.

Ahead, we rounded up our favorite nail designs for summer. There is a mix of eye-catching nail art to bring to your manicurist and simpler—yet still visually impressive—DIY manis that won't take away from your precious beach time. Whatever you decide to go with, you're sure to find something among these 30 summery nail designs.

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Barbiecore

Hot pink summer nails — @imarninails / Instagram

Sometimes all it takes is a simple, albeit attention-grabbing color to satisfy our summer nail needs. This bright pink mani is Barbiecore beauty done right.

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Neon Mismatch Nails

Neon mismatched summer nail art — @nuka.nails

Mismatched nails, neon nails, and spritz nails are all wildly popular—not to mention, super summery. Consider this bright nail art one for the books.

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Summer Frenchies

Sunset-colored French manicure — @heluviee / Instagram

Summer-ify your French manicure by swapping out traditional white tips for bold, colorful shades that evoke a sunset. While this design looks stunning on long nails, it can also be adapted for shorter nails (read: baby French manis).

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Colorful Croc-Inspired

Animal print nails are very in this year, as are bright colors. Suffice it to say, this abstract, croc-inspired nail art instantly captured our attention.

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Psychedelic Tie-Dye

close up of orange, blue, and green tie dye nail art — @lolo.nailedit / Instagram

If you want to get in on the fun, summery vibes of tie-dye in a more minimal way, an accent nail (or two) is a great approach.

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Scooby Doo Vibes

Scooby Doo-inspired summer nail art design — @pop_polished

These colorful iridescent nails are giving us pastel Scooby Doo vibes. One word: Groovy.

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Spritz-Inspired French Tips

Can't you just imagine sipping on an aperol spritz with these sunny, '70s-inspired nails wrapped around the stem? To recreate the look, you'll need the Cirque Colors Vice 2023 Collection Set ($77).

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Candy Confection

Colorful swirl summer nails — @saruhnails / Instagram

Candy-colored swirls coupled with negative space make for one summer-centric manicure. Wear them poolside, at the beach, and everywhere in between.

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Peach Emoji

Negative space peach design nails — @betina_goldstein

There's nothing like a juicy peach in the summertime, especially in the form of beautifully stylized nail art.

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Ombré Flame Nails

Ombre flame summer nail art designs — @nuka.nails

Show off your love of the hottest season of the year with a head-turning ombré flame manicure.

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Metallic Butterfly Nails

Metallic butterfly summer nail art designs — @pop_polished

Metallic nail polish is trending hard, as are butterfly accents. Needless to say, this reimagined French manicure is a must for the months ahead.

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Pastel Gradient

woman's hand with different pastel shade on each nail — @lolo.nailedit / Instagram

A pastel gradient is a gorgeous, low-maintenance way to get the multi-coloured, rainbow effect without the hassle of painting a full ombre on each individual nail. Instead, there's a gradient effect from the pinky nail to the thumb.

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Pastel Ombré Dewdrop Nails

Pastel ombre dewdrop nails — @nuka.nails

Dewdrop nails are having a moment, which means these colorful ombré nails (topped off with clear builder gel swirls) are bound to turn heads.

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Matte Neon Squiggles

Blurred nude nails with matte neon orange squiggles — @imarninails

Sometimes all you need is a few simple squiggles to make a seriously eye-catching nail look. Copy the matte orange design here or consider switching colors for each nail.

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Squiggle French Tips

Cream and shimmer polishes, abstract shapes, and squiggle accents—all within a French mani? We're here for it.

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Neon Aura Nails

Hot pink and tangerine orange are two of the hottest colors of the season, making this gem-accented aura mani a shoo-in for your next summer nail sesh.

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Dreamy Clouds

close up of woman's hand with bright blue cloud nail art — @melanated.mani / Instagram

Cloud nails are the dreamy way to bring the big, blue skies of summer to your manicure. Any shade of blue (or pink and orange for sunset vibes) will do, and you can easily DIY the clouds on your own using the edge of a makeup sponge dipped in white polish.

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Pretty Little Cherries

French acrylic manicure with cherry designs — @paragonnails

How delicious are these cherry nails? This fruity negative space nail art is definitely more advanced, so either tap into your patience or ask a pro for help.

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Miami Pink Plants

Neon pink nails with plant designs — @paragonnails

We don't know about you, but these bubblegum pink nails with plant accents remind us of tropical vacations in art deco Miami.

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Ombré Airbrush Nails

Pointy ombre airbrush nails — @digitzbydev

From the colorful palette to the pointy shape, these glossy nails are statement-making. The holographic gemstones only add to the head-turning appeal.

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Peach Ombré Nails

Peach ombré nails are gaining traction on social media—and with a look this sweet, we can see why. Consider pairing it with peach makeup for the ultimate monochromatic beauty look.

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Chillhouse Aura Nails

Chillhouse aura summer nails — @chillhouse

How fun are these vibrant aura nails? Thanks to the Chillhouse Moon Ring Chill Tips ($16), this nail look can be yours for much less than a professional nail art mani, and in a fraction of the time, too—they're press-on.

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White Croc

Craving a cute summer nail design but not looking to douse on the color? This white croc mani will make you swoon.

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Wavy Baby

Colorful wavy French tip nails — @digitzbydev

Summer is the perfect time to show off your love of color, but it doesn't mean you have to douse your entire nail in every shade of the rainbow. Instead, consider a wavy French manicure like the one above.

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Reverse Ombré Mermaid Nails

Reverse Ombre Mermaid Nails — @nuka.nails

If you like mermaid hair and makeup, why not try mermaid nails? This reverse ombré mermaid manicure is too spot-on to ignore.

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Neon Tips

Take your love of vibrant '90s nostalgia and recreate the vibe on your nails. Instead of going full neon, opt for a French tip moment.

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Lovely in Lime

Negative space nails with lime green diagonal tip and horizontal base stripe — @paintboxnails

We don't know about you, but we're in love with all things lime green, and these nails are no exception. This nail design is all about adding pops of color without covering the whole nail. To achieve the ultra-crisp lines, use nail tape and keep a clean-up brush nearby.

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'80s Squiggles

Manicure with purple, white, and blue abstract design — @oliveandjune

Old school movie theater vibes, anyone? These pastel squiggle nails are both nostalgic and modern, making them a great choice for your summer nail art.

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Negative Space Rainbow Nails

Negative space rainbow summer nail design — @betina_goldstein

If you love rainbow manis, you'll love these gradient tips. Each nail features two different shades of the same family for an intricate take on the Insta-famous nail trend.

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Sunset Tips

Neon pink and orange oval manicure with negative space base — @paintboxnails

We're in love with these sunny tips. The pink and orange combo reminds us of two of our summer faves: Aperol spritzes and sunsets.

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Gilded Ocean

Cobalt blue manicure with white stripe accents and gold foil detail — @paragonnails

These cobalt-blue digits are a great choice for summer and beyond. If you love the look and want to extend it into fall and winter, consider going a shade darker each month.

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Green and Eggs (No Ham)

Fried eggs and matte green summer nails — @imarninails / Instagram

Have fun with your summer nail art by trying out a whimsical design on one hand and bright color on the other. We suggest DIY-ing this look. And if you mess up, who cares? Fried eggs don't need to look perfect.

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Colorful Minimalist

Colorful negative space summer nails — @imarninails / Instagram

On a scale of over-the-top to overly simple, this summer nail art strikes the perfect balance. When a minimalist design meets a multicolored palette, the result is utter perfection.

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