8 Manicures That Prove That Pastel Nails Aren't Just for Spring

Summer is usually associated with bright colors, whether it be in the nature outside or the clothing that’s in trend during the season. So when you think of a summer nail, your mind might jump to vivid reds, oranges, or yellows. But, have you ever considered wearing pastel nail colors in the summer? 

You might be thinking that pastels are more for spring, but you definitely can rock a fun pastel nail design in the summer (or any season really). Check out these pastel manicure ideas that are perfect for the summer to give you a little inspiration for your next salon visit. 

Heart Colored Tips

Adding a design and a pastel shade to your usual colored tip will give your nails a cute summer twist. We love this mini heart with multicolored pastel tips, but you can add any little symbol — such as a flower or star — to liven up your look. 

Supplemental Pastels

If you like a simpler manicure or prefer doing your nails at home, this look is the perfect pastel pick. Just choose two of your favorite pastel shades that complement each other (such as green and purple) and apply the colors one after the other for each nail. 

Strawberry Kiwi 

You can channel one of our favorite summer flavors — strawberry kiwi — into your manicure for a fun seasonal look. Just take pastel pink and green shades and apply to your nails, or you can create a fun design — like this abstract nail art — to create a fruit-inspired manicure. 

Pastel Swirl Nail

Having a nude nail with a pop of pastel color is a great way to ease into this trend. Use a base color that’s similar to your skin tone, and add your favorite pastel colors as a statement nail or as a swirl design over the nude shade. 

Pastel Ombré

If you’re tired of your regular French tip, try an ombré  blended colorful nail look. Pick your three favorite pastel shades, applying to the nail in individual sections. Then, take a nail brush to swirl the colors, creating a multicolor blend. Set it with a top coat. 

Pastel Statement Nail

If light, muted colors are your thing, this look may work for you if you want to just dip your toe into the pastel waters. Paint your nails a  bright color of your choice, then accent the mani with one pastel nail on each hand for a subtle but on-trend look. 

3D Pastel Nails

Decals with 3D nail art have been all over our social media feeds this year, so this look is spot-on for a trendy summer manicure. You can ask your nail tech for fun 3D pastel designs of your choice — we’re partial to butterflies and sparkly hearts. 

Marble Nails

A pastel marble design is perfect if you’re looking for something classy and understated. You can choose from different pastel colors as the base, or use a non-white nail polish for the marble design to make it more summery. 

Next: 30 Gorgeous Nail Designs and Colors For Short Nails

Written by: Shannon Stubbs, Photo Credit: Bryony Howell @gelsbybry, Designed by: Crystal Simone