Dare I say that this year’s spring nail trends are the best that I’ve seen in a while? I’ve loved the nail trends of seasons past, but none have gotten me quite as excited as this spring’s. If there’s one consistent vein that runs through each of this spring’s nail trends, it’s embracing color and bringing happiness to your fingertips. After a long winter, these nail trends are exactly what we need.
Some things are remaining constant, though. Nearly every nail expert I spoke to said that almond-shaped nails will continue to reign this spring, since this shape looks good on everyone’s hands. “It’s a shape that’s flattering for most nails,” says Brittney Boyce, Celebrity Nail Artist and Founder of Nails of LA. “Some people have nail beds that are too narrow, making coffin or stiletto shapes look too skinny as it tapers up. Others have wider nail beds and the coffin shape just doesn’t look as flattering.”
When it comes to color, metallics will bring a bit of dark glamor, but pastels will be the real star of the show. Pastel nails have always shown up strongly in the springtime, but this year, we’re steering away from Easter egg-esque pastels and leaning into richer, more wearable colors, like matcha green and Monet blue. Keep reading to find out this spring’s best nail trends, so you can be ahead of the curve.
“Whether in gold or chrome, metallic nails are having a big moment,” Boyce says. Whether you want to recreate Megan Fox’s engagement mani with chrome tips or stick to an all-over metallic look, you can’t go wrong with some mixed metals.
Take a cue from Fox and match your makeup with your fingers, or make your nails the star of the show. “A bright orange pairs well with a similar orange graphic eye,” says Boyce.
Like nearly every other aspect of our beauty routines, nail art inspiration is coming from season 2 of Euphoria this year. “Natalie Minerva’s incredible nail art on season 2 of Euphoria has been influencing so many people lately,” says Nina Park, nail artist and CEO of Scratch Nail Wraps. One trend she predicts will keep gaining steam thanks to the show? French manicures, which have already been having a moment for a while. If you haven’t yet gotten in on the trend, now is your chance.
“Spring tends to have more subtle shades, but the pastel colors we’re seeing are nothing like basic easter egg colors,” says Boyce. “They have more warmth and dimension to them. Instead of just mint, we’re seeing pistachio, instead of sky blue, it’s more of a Monet blue.”
Yes, we know—groundbreaking. But this spring, floral bouquets will be trending for nail art, and the designs will look dreamy. “The biggest nail art trend will be florals,” says Lexi Suga, expert nail artist and owner of Notox Nails in Beverly Hills. “Dried flowers in a milky base color, daisies, delicate tiny stem flower prints, multicolor clusters around the top like a French or on the base in a reverse French will peek out as well.”
Mimic the gorgeous colors you’ll see as spring flowers start to bloom by opting for a lillac shade on your nails, which Suga predicts will be one of spring’s “it” colors.
Riyah Martin, editorial nail artist and color mixologist at Orly Color Labs, thinks that match green is going to have a moment this spring. “It’s far from mint green and it’s a nice addition to the green spring shades,” she says. With all the green shades we’ve been seeing in clothes lately, it only makes sense that nail color trend will follow suit.
Ever since 2022’s Pantone color of the year, Very Peri, was released, everyone has been buzzing about it. It’s the perfect shade to incorporate into manicures, since it has an ethereal quality and looks sophisticated. Park and Martin both see this color trending into spring.
It’s official: light pinks will be a big manicure color this spring. Park recommends going for shades that are pretty without being too bright.
“I would like to see dewy drop nails make an appearance,” says Suga. “It gives a really cool, fresh look to a manicure.”
This is another Euphoria-inspired look, and we can’t get enough of it. Diamond decals are a great way to add a hint of bling to any nail color or design—we’d endorse putting them on top of any of the other trends on this list.
Turn that frown upside down, because smiley face nail art is in this season, according to Park and Suga. In fact, anything groovy goes—try checkerboard decals, rainbows, and disco balls, too.
