Summer nails require certain patterns which are specific to the warm season; they are created with joyful colors and fresh elements. Whether you prefer the pastel shades or vibrant colors, you have plenty of options to choose from and we invite you to get inspired by our ideas!
Table of Contents
Summer nail designs are taking control in the warm season! Get the latest nail trends for summer and try them out. Modern girls use various patterns and different motifs as inspiration, and this season brings out a lot of elements as a source of inspiration, which can be implemented fashionably.
As soon as summer comes in full force, it sets off an entire frenzy among those who accustomed to spending most of their time outside. There are so many things that people usually worry about, such as their summer body, their summer outfit, their summer adventures, and, last but not least, their summer nails!
Nail art is a never-ending trend, it is present throughout the whole year, through every season, reinventing itself with each chance. It is not as simple as it sounds, because doing nail art is not just a process that concentrates on applying some nail polish and decoration; it is more than that.
It is also about how well you preserve your nails, how each substance that comes into contact with your nails affects them, and how the environment can influence them more than you think. Summer nails have been a hot topic for quite some time already and not only because they resist temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). Summer nails prove to be one of the most fancy, creative, and colorful sets of nails. Let’s take a peek at what exactly summer nails embody!
Summer nail designs must catch the eye. Either they are simple or complex, the summer nails need to have that unique element that draws the attention. The innovative style is very trendy, so you can make use of your imagination and creativity and practice your skills, and you will obtain the most beautiful patterns very fast on your nails. Play with the colors, use multiple prints and add stickers, rhinestones, glitters, and anything that crosses your mind that you think will match very well on your nails – you will be admired because of them. Check out the examples below, and feel free to try them on your nails!
Is it Harmful to Your Nails to Wear Nail Polish During Summer?
Well, we already know that there are a lot of dangers when it comes to applying artificial nails, and it is strenuous to take constant care of the natural ones. There are bacterial/ fungal infections, wrongfully applied nails, low-quality polishes, and so many more. However, during summer, nails have to receive extra attention and care than usually because they are exposed to high temperatures for long amounts of time.
Firstly, wearing nail polish under the sun daily can dry out the nails and make them weaker, which facilitates the access of bacteria, fungus, and other infections. Secondly, people accustomed to include black in as many manicures as possible, whether they use it as a base or as a decoration tone.
However, what everyone lose from sight is that wearing black on your nails repetitively, the substance might penetrate the actual nail and produce yellowing and permanent stains. Also, summer nails spend more time in the sun, in the water, which contains salt and in chlorine.
All these can be quite harmful to your nails, so it is important to be careful even during the holiday. Summer nails should also be given a break from time to time to recover.
Read also: Rarity Nails! Best Rarity Nails Designs
How to Minimize Nail Damages During Summer?
There are a couple of things that can truly help your summer nails get through the summer season without much damage.
- Moisturizer – UV rays can seriously damage and dehydrate your summer nails, so it is extremely important to keep your hands and nails healthy and moisturized by applying hand lotion and nutritious cuticle oil. Creams that contain salicylic acid and urea, coconut oils, and almond oils are perfect for your hands and nails as they help you have soft and healthy skin. At the same time, avoid as much as possible acetone or harsh nail polish removers as they damage your summer nails greatly.
- Protection – It might prove to be quite difficult to protect your hands and summer nails, because hands are used all the time in all tasks. However, if you do not pay attention to those small details, your hands and nails might be severely damaged. When you wash dishes, it is recommended to wear protective gloves to not come into contact with chemicals. Also, there are so many kinds of topcoats that can be applied after the nail polish; most of them do contain UV filters that stop the sun from damaging your nails.
- Take some breaks in between – Especially during the summer, nail polishes can be truly harmful because they are exposed to so many noxious things. Taking some breaks from time to time and letting your skin and nails “breath” is the best thing that you can do for them during summer. This does not mean that you cannot paint them at all, but there are so many non-toxic polishes that are waiting to be used and do not harm you in any shape or form.
- Reduce the length – There is a small detail that not everyone knows regarding nails and how they grow. Nails are used to grow way quicker during hot weather than during cold weather. Hot weather is also a nest for bacteria and infections, so pay attention to keep your nails’ length on the shorter side during summer because they are neither safe nor practical as they can break so easily, especially if you are swimming all day long.
How Long Do Nails Last During Summer?
Summer is one of the busiest seasons of the year. Suddenly, everyone is on the rush, and each person has a different task to do.
Depending on what kind of duties you have, nails can resist for longer or shorter periods. Summer nails are usually the most tested type of nails because they come into contact almost daily with water, chemicals, UV rays, oils, and soaps that prove to be more harmful than you think.
There is also a secret regarding the actual application of polish onto the nails. It is recommended to apply only 2 or 3 layers of polish on the nails, to keep it as subtle as possible to resist much more. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a standard amount of time for how long summer nails can resist, but their durability can be extended to more than ten days if they are handled with great care.
How Much Do Summer Nails Cost?
The average price people pay for a standard manicure is somewhere between $35 and $45, which means around €31.5 or €40.6. However, it could be cheaper, only $10 (€7.78), or $20 (€15.57) for a manicure is a price truly accessible.
Some top-notch salons and spas offer services that could go up to $60 (€54.1) or $120 (€108.2). As we can see, prices for summer nails can vary greatly one from the other in terms of quality and place.
The cost also depends on the environment. For instance, summer nails require much more attention because they are so exposed to high temperatures and UV rays that they might need to be redone more often than usual. Even so, the total cost for your summer nails during the entire summer season should not go over $100 (€90.2), which is quite a reasonable price if we take into consideration that quality precedes price.
Summer Nails Step-by-Step Tutorial:
From the very beginning, it is important to highlight that nails should be kept as natural as possible during summer because UV rays and incredibly high temperatures already test them, so it is much more beneficial for both the nail and the skin around it to stay as it is.
However, if you choose to get a manicure, a good set of summer nails can be done at a salon or spa and home, by yourself, or helped by others. What is essential to keep in mind is that nails require much more attention during the summer season because of so many factors, so a natural light manicure is the best choice when it comes to this!
- Instruments that need to be used for summer nails:
- Cotton pads;
- Tweezers/ clipper;
- Glue/ gel/ acrylics;
- Synthetic brush;
- Cuticle balm;
- Nutritious oil;
- Acetone-free nail polish remover;
- Nail buffer;
- Paper towel;
How Are Summer Nails Applied?
Step 1 – Pre-process preparation:
The first step before going to the actual procedure is to make sure that your summer nails are as healthy and strong as possible, especially during summer. This is why it is important to clean them thoroughly, to buff them if necessary, to handle your cuticles carefully and apply nutritious oils and hand moisturizer beforehand.
Step 2 – On-going procedure:
After taking care of your natural summer nails, you can choose to continue painting your nails, or you can apply artificial nails. If you choose to go with the first option, then they’re less preparation to do than the second option. If you choose to apply artificial nails, then you have also to choose the nail shape, form, resistance, and last but not least, what kind of substance you would like your nails to be made of: acrylics, gel, etc.
Step 3 – Crafting the summer nails:
The third step is to apply the nails finally. This is the most extensive step. If you decide to continue to build on your natural summer nails, then you only have to choose the design, the polish, the decoration, the style, and how to craft them. However, regarding the artificial nails, there is much more to do, because you will have to build the nails from scratch before choosing the style, the design, the polish, and so on. This might take some time, but the result sounds promising!
Step 4 – Taking care of the nails:
Summer nails are expected to be as light and healthy as possible to let the nails and the skin around it breathe and receive the benefic substances. This is why designs made on natural nails are on great demand during this period. Even so, if you opt for artificial nails or strong polishes, remember to apply two or three layers to give them consistency but also to keep them aired.
Step 5 – The end of the procedure:
The last step after applying the nails, the polish, and the decoration is to take care of them properly. Summer nails do not need only extra attention but also a good moisturizer and a good nutritious oil for them, not to mention a hand cream for skin softness and the final clear top coat to keep the nail polish intact and shiny.
Ideas of Designs for Summer Nails:
Sunny Florals – a yellow-toned base with flowery patterns (@thehangedit)
Neon Negative Space – a bright-colored base with reverse French tip (@nailsbymei)
Nostalgia Nails – a bright-colored base with cartoon characters’ stickers (@oi_nail)
Green Gradient – green gradient effect on each nail, preferably matte (@nailsinc)
Rainbow French Tips – a clear base with French rainbow tips (@amirahkassem)
Fun and Fruity – a clear base with French fruity tips (@megtannahill)
Peachy Keen Florals – a toned pastel base with flowery patterns (@gypsytan)
Summer Camo – a clear base with pastel-toned camo colors (@chillhouse)
Pink and Blue Beats – a toned pastel base with pastel-toned accents (@chillhouse)
Cosmic Creations – a neutral sparkly toned base with cosmic details (@joymanicure)
Peach Emoji – a clear base with peach emojis (@betina_goldstein)
Checkerboard Manicure – checkerboard patterned manicure (@aliciatnails)
Tie-Dye T-shirt – a clear base with colorful tie-dye patterns (@nailsbymh)
Foiled Mermaid Nail Art – a clear base with glittery forms and shapes (@paintboxnails)
Modern Art Manicure – a clear base with all sorts of colorful forms, shapes, patterns, dots, stripes, etc. (@heymichellelee)
Fruit Punch Nail Art – a colorful see-through base with small fruit stickers (@nailsbymh)
Happy Details – a clear base with smiley faces, rainbows, dots and colorful accents (@joymanicure)
Cow Print Cuties – a toned white base with dark-colored spots/ cow prints (@joymanicure)
Tortoise Shell Halfsies – a clear base on half of the nail with tortoiseshell patterns on the other half of the nail (@betina_goldstein)
In conclusion, summer nails illustrate a trend that revives every summer! They combine the freshness of a new season with the creativity that is translated into designs, styles, decoration, colors, and arrangements. Summer nails might be quite hard to acquire and preserve in good condition, but the results also prove to be truly amazing. A day at the beach, a night out with friends, and a pool party cannot be complete without a fancy manicure!
Fresh Colors
Make a great combination of fresh colors for your summer nails like yellow, green, red as a base coat with interesting patterns or prints, and you will obtain fun summer nail designs that will emanate energy. For example, you can paint flowers, because they are always fashionable, elegant and appropriate for ladies. You can also imitate fruits, like apples, oranges, kiwis, or anything else that crosses your mind.
Unconventional French Style
Make your original French by using inventive patterns like the diagonal French tip nail design. You can start by applying a nude base in pale pink or sweet peach, and add a dark shade in the same tone which must be drawn across on a diagonal and filled up in that spot. Plus, the unconventional French tip patterns are some very elegant summer nail designs. You can also use nail polish in pale or contrasting tones for the unconventional French manicure.
Geometric Shapes and Neon Colours
Use triangles, squares, rounds to create interesting and abstract summer nail designs. For more intensity, you can use contrasting tones or neon colors, which are a big trend in summer: intense orange, sturdy reds, fresh green, and electric blue – these colors will make you stand out for sure. You can also use glitter for a brighter manicure.
Polka Dots and Nautical Prints
Use the simple Polka dots to create fun dotted clouds, storm drops, sun rays, waves, and smiley faces. Use contrasting colors for a greater effect. Other excellent choices for summer nails are the nautical prints like sailor symbols and stripes in blue, dark red, white, and black colors. These make perfect summer nail designs!
Ombre Nails
The cool effect of the ombre style can make you create mysterious summer nail designs. There are plenty of alternatives you can try: a sunset in reds and yellows, ocean waves in blues and greens, stylish ombre in dark purple and black with some silver glitter to imitate the stars from a clear night sky, or you can make a rainbow on your summer nails. Or, you might as well find a cool mix between different colors…
Not every woman has long nails, but if you have short ones, you can also benefit from the cute designs and patterns by wearing them on your manicure. Choose what suits you best, and prepare to have the most beautiful summer nail designs!
Meet the Experts
- Betina Goldstein – Betina Goldstein is a minimalist nail artist who has mastered the art of understated elegance.
- Kim Truong – Kim Truong is a nail artist famous for her polished and creative designs for celebrities.
- Miss Pop – Miss Pop is an editorial nail artist celebrated for her colorful and playful nail art.
- Eri Ishizu – Eri Ishizu is a Japanese nail artist admired for her detailed and innovative designs.
- Sophia Webster – Sophia Webster is a designer who incorporates her love of nail art into her brand is aesthetic.
- Imarni – Imarni is a London-based nail artist celebrated for her creative and chic nail looks.
- Elle Gerstein – Elle Gerstein is a renowned nail artist with a flair for creating red carpet-ready looks.
- Chelsea King – Chelsea King is a social media sensation, admired for her unique and creative nail tutorials.