21 Beautiful Nail Ideas to Try This Summer

This post is all about Nail Ideas For Summer

Whether you love your nails long, short, almond or square shaped, one thing that we all have in common is that we anticipate summer nails all year long. Perhaps it is because of the bright colours or maybe it’s because we look forward to stepping out of our comfort zone with vibrant summer shades. In other words, summer nails just hit different!

As soon as the warmer weather arrives, the first thing I find myself doing is searching Pinterest for the best summer nail ideas. And in general, I find myself looking forward to my next nail appointment.

Summer nails are all about thinking outside of the box. In the fall and winter we tend to stick to safer colours such as neutrals and reds. And although I look forward to those types of shades when fall rolls around, by the time summer hit, I’m ready to ditch those vampy shades for something a little fresher and vibrant.

As much as we all look forward to the bright, fresh shades of summer, why do we have such a hard time deciding what nail design to sport?

In this post, I will help you make a decision on what type of summer nail design you should choose this season. Furthermore, I will categorize these beautiful nail ideas in 4 categories. This will basically make it easier for you to know where your style fits in. For example, are you a short or long nail girly? Almond or square shape? As you will see in this post, there a something for everyone because in 2024, anything goes!

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Nail Ideas For Summer

Nail Ideas For Summer: Short Nail

The last few year, very long nails, whatever shape you wore them, were really in style. Actually, the longer, the better. As of recently, short nails have really taken the spotlight. I’m not quite sure if it is because of the “clean girl aesthetic” trend or simply because everyone got tired of long nails. Whatever the reason, short nails have become a trend and I’m loving it.

Shorter nails give such a delicate, clean look. It doesn’t matter if you sport them squared off or almond shaped because there are no rules. As a matter of fact, they both look beautiful. There are many option if you are looking to sport this style. I see many girls wearing them short and natural. Giving the ultimate clean-girl look. Others go for bright and bold colours. I have also seen beautiful and creative designs. Really, anything goes.

In the next few pictures, you will see just that. Short summer nails have really taken over in 2024 and I don’t think this trend is going anywhere. My personal favourite short nails to sport for the summer are bold colours such as orange and coral because I love flashy shades. Those types of nails are my personal go-to summer nails because I’m obsessed with bold colours.

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Nail Ideas For Summer: Long Nails

Although shorter nails have made a comeback for 2024, don’t think long nails are going anywhere. What I love about nail trends is that even though new trends come into play, the older trends don’t seem to go out of style. So if you just can’t seem to get into the short nail trend, no need to worry. You can just stick with your long talons that you know and love.

Again, you can choose any shape you like whether it’s stiletto, coffin or almond. The next few picture are some great ideas you can copy for your summer manicure. Most of them are bright and bold as all summer nails should be!

Some of my favourite long nail ideas for summer are the ombre effect. You can choose a natural or milky white base, and add a pop of colour to the tips of your nails. That way you are getting the best of both worlds. I also think that this style suits long nails the best. So if you sport very long nails, this look would be a great option for you.

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Nail Ideas For Summer: Almond Shape Nails

Almond shaped nails, in my opinion are the most feminine nails to sport out of all the nail shapes. In general, there’s just something about almond nails that give our hand a delicate look.

What I also love about almond nails is that they look good at any length you choose to wear them. Whether you love really long or short nails, almond shape nails look classy and beautiful.

A trend that I keep seeing regardless of what season, is the French design. Many artists are using a bright or pastel shade for French tips .This is probably because you get the best of both worlds just like the ombre trend. A French manicure is simple and classy but by adding a pop of colour, it makes it feel a little different and daring. Especially for summer!

In the next few examples, you will see just that. Different lengths and designs for almond shaped nails.

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Nail Ideas For Summer: Square Shape Nails

The classic squared shape nail will never go out of style. For me personally, I love almond nails but every once in a while I go back to squared nails because I miss them! They are simple yet beautiful and every colour or design matches this type of shape.

Some squared nails can be slightly rounded off on the edges and others are super squared off. Either way is pretty, it just depends on your preference.

In the next few examples, you will see pretty and colourful shades with the squared off look. You can go with something simple like one colour or go a little more daring and opt for swirls or floral designs. Don’t be scared to step outside of your comfort zone and choose something you usually don’t wear. Summer is the time to experiment with bold colours and designs!

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Nail Care Essentials

I never really understood how important nail care was in between your nail appointments. I always used to complain to my nail tech that after only two weeks after my nail appointment, my nails looked terrible and were already in need of a refill.

It was then that my nail tech gave me some tips and tricks on how to take care of my nails. She informed me that if I took a few easy steps after my nail appointment that my refill would actually last longer.

In this section, I will give you the recommendations that my nail technician gave to me. This really helped push my nail refill to three weeks instead of two. After all, getting your nails done is not cheap. A nail appointment costs you at least $50 if you’re not doing any designs. So why not try to save some money at the end of the day?

If you only purchase one item from this list, let this be the one. Cuticle oil is an absolute game changer. I apply cuticle oil every morning and every night and it has made a huge difference in my nail care routine. The oil prevents your cuticles from getting dry, so that on your next appointment your cuticles are not out of control. Using cuticle oil has a really helped my manicure last a lot longer. Hand cream alone is not enough to moisturize your nails. Once you add cuticle oil to your nail care routine, I promise you will never look back.

This is kind of an obvious one. Using handcream daily is a necessity. This is not only for your nails, but for your overall hand and nail care. By using hand cream daily, it really helps moisturize your hands and nail area. The more we take care of our hands, the younger they will look later on when we get older. Therefore, make sure that hand cream is always in your daily routine. Keep a bottle in your purse, one in the kitchen and one next to your nightstand so you don’t forget to apply daily. The product I have linked below is a great hand cream for dry skin, and it also is great for overall nail health.

It has recently been proven that the UV rays from the lamp that our nail technicians use are really not good for our skin. If this is something that is concerning to you, then you should really consider purchasing a pair of anti-UV gloves. This is a great way to protect your hands from any type of skin cancers that this light may be causing us. Just bring them to every nail appointment and protect your hands. This is something I have recently purchased and I will keep using during all my nail appointments.

This may seem like a no-brainer for some people, but for me, it’s something that I never really thought of. After complaining to my nail tech that my nails weren’t lasting me two weeks, she asked me if I used gloves when I washed my dishes. I said no, and she mentioned that may be one of the reasons why. Using gloves to wash your dishes, will be such a huge help in keeping your hands looking young. Along with using the products I mentioned above, this will also be a huge help in keeping your hands and nails moisturized and young looking for years to come.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Summer nails are something to be excited about! It’s the only time of year where we get to be super creating and bright with our monthly manicures!

My personal favourite thing about summer nails are the bright colours on our tanned skin. For some reason those bold oranges, fuchsia pinks and lime greens really match tanned and glowy skin.

Which one from this list is your favourite? My favourite is the Starfish nails. It is so creative and I have never seem them before. I would love to try these nails for my summer vacation. I think it would be the perfect time to sport this type of manicure.

Let me know in the comments what manicure you will be getting this summer.