The temperatures are rising, spring is finally here and that means spring beauty is about to be in full bloom! A great way to celebrate the new season is by decorating your hands with some spring nail designs. And since any time of the year warrants playful shades and designs, it’s always the perfect time to try out some eye-catching nail art.
From twists on classic French tips to pastels and floral accented nails, there’s sure to be a look that will fit your personality. So grab your manicure tools and get inspired by these 10 pretty spring manicure designs that will take you through the entire season.
Florals
Nothing says spring like soft floral nails. And instead of having to paint on mini flowers, try using floral nail stickers and gems instead. The end result will leave you with a stunning spring manicure that is sure to garner plenty of compliments.
Editor’s tip: Stick with a nude base and dress it up with floral designs in shades like lilac, yellow, and white. Apply the stickers directly to the center of the nail from the base to the tip for a clean and chic look.
Holographic
Holographic nails are back on trend and we love to see it. The shimmery manicure is a year-round win that looks gorgeous in bright colors, deep shades and everything in between. It’s also the perfect manicure if you love short nails since even the subtlest of designs will still have a big impact on your look.
Remixed French Tips
French nails are a classic style we continue to reinvent each season. And our current obsession with the style is with the chevron French manicure, which requires creating a deep triangular dip at the center of the tip. This may be best suited for longer and medium-length nails in order for the look to have the payoff you want.
Editor’s tip: You can stick with a nude or light pink base, finished off with the classic white tip, or go for brighter hues and colorful chevron tips.
Pastel Houndstooth
Certain prints are just so classic that it doesn’t matter the color you or season you wear them in — they look stunning. Houndstooth is one of those patterns and when done in a fresh springtime pastel it pops against any skin tone. Try an all over manicure in the print or just as an accent nail.
Negative Space
Negative space manicures offer fun ways to spruce up your natural nails since the style only requires the use of shapes, patterns, and nail polish on certain areas of the nail. You can use a negative space design to incorporate two hues (a lighter and darker shade of the same color) and create cool abstract shapes for a chic and trendy manicure.
Spring-Inspired Indie Designs
Mismatched nails are one of the most popular trends right now. If you’re looking for a chic way to stand out, try alternating colors and designs during your next manicure. If you love the concept of indie nails but still want to keep your look subtle, try using hues within the same color family. For example, find a few lighter and deeper variations of a solid color for a gradient look or try different patterns on each nail but all in a black and white color scheme.
Abstract Art
Create your own mini-masterpiece by experimenting with bold spring nail colors (like yellow and emerald green) and shapes during your next manicure. You can also use nail stencils to get crisp and even lines.
Smiley Faces
Smiley face nails might have you singing the tune “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” all day long, and it’s a style we absolutely love. Try painting a few nails with a solid yellow polish and play up your other nails by keeping them bare and adding a few smiley face stickers to deck out your mani.
Fruit-Inspired Art
Spring is a time to get excited about all the fruits that just don’t hit your palate the same way during the cold weather months. If you’re anything like us, you may get so excited that you want to rock them on your nails. Take a trip to the farmer’s market to get inspired or check out this set of gel tips that make us want an agua fresca, stat.
Paint Splatter
One of the easiest designs to try on your own, especially if you’re not a pro at nail art, is a paint splatter manicure. Since it has that perfectly, imperfect look you don’t need to worry about being precise. Try some fun, bright colors like neon pink, yellow and chartreuse or soft shades like baby pink, powder blue and violet. Just remember to finish any design with a top coat.
Next: 8 Desert Nail Designs to Feed Your Inner Cowgirl
Written by: Shalwah Evans, Photo Credit: Melanie, @overglowedit