FYI, These Are the Nail Polish Colors That’ll Be Trending This Summer

Heads up that summer is quickly approaching, and the weather is finally warming up!! So you know what that means: It's officially time to say bye to your moody winter nail polish colors and pull out your brightest and boldest shades for your summer mani. These colors are instant mood-lifters—like, you can't look at a neon pink mani and not crack a smile—and they're basically guaranteed to look great in all your IG stories. So instead of swiping on the same nail color shade that you've been wearing for years, try out a hue that'll grab the attention of anyone swiping through their feed.

Meet the experts:

• Julie K. is a nail artist, owner of Julie K Nail Artelier, and CEO of Masterclass Nail Academy in New York, NY.
• Syreeta Aaron is an educator and brand ambassador at LeChat Nails in Montgomery, AL.
• Thuy Nguyen is a celebrity manicurist and lash stylist in Los Angeles, CA.

What are popular nail colors for 2022?

Two words: '90s pastels. Think shimmery lilac, aqua blues, and opalescent white, Julie says. "Mid-'90s colors à la Hard Candy nail colors give us a much-needed sense of nostalgia," she explains. "It’s set in between pastels and bolds this spring—think a Euphoria-like eyeshadow palette." For Aaron, it's more about the vibrant colors: blue, pink, yellow, orange, and purple. She explains that we'll also see deeper colors like maroon or navy blue, "which are a little more unexpected for summer but still a departure from the deeper tones we see in the winter."

The best colors for summer pedicures, you ask? *Neon*. "It’s the pigmentation and burst of color that puts people in that summertime feeling every time they look down at their nails," says Nguyen.

The best summer nail colors of 2022

• Pastel blue: Olive & June in Yes Please
• Light yellow: Jinsoon in Tweety
• Opalescent white: KBShimmer in Frequent Flyer
• Pastel orange: OPI in Trading Paint
• Light lavender: Olive & June in You're Invited
• Rich aqua: CND Vinylux in Oceanside
• Neon pink: Dare to Wear in Go Girl
• Bright plum: Entity Clean in March To My Own Plum
• Light mint: Essie in Mint Candy Apple

How to choose the best summer nail color

Pick one that's right for your skin

Julie says the rule of thumb for darker skin is to either go significantly lighter or deeper depending on complexion. Nguyen adds that choosing the opacity or translucence of a color "is relative [more] to their nail condition more than it has to do with skin color." As in, if your nails are feeling thin and brittle, opt for a thicker, more opaque polish—we've got some picks on here that are also free of abrasive chemicals if you're working on strengthening your nails.

Select the right color for the right length

What look are you going for? "Short, active length nails can get away with any color for any events," explains Aaron. "It’s when you get into having long nails that it's important to choose colors that won’t be so bold that the nails are the first thing you see at an event (such as a wedding)."

Experiment in a low-stakes way

"First, wear it somewhere short-term and non-committal, like the grocery store for a trial run. How does it feel?" sez Julie. "If the color or mood doesn't feel right, you're not stuck with it on all night—and donate it to the nearest women's shelter." She says she's seeing a lot of literal art styles as nail decor: eyeballs, lace, strawberries, designer logos, monograms. Aaron adds that abstract art will be everywhere. So if you wanna add stickers to your look, that's a perf add-on.

Nguyen says trying ombré/gradient nail art is also a nice way to switch it up if you're more of a neutrals person because "you can control how much color is exposed and how far up it goes on the nail bed."

From bright pastels to vibrant iridescent shades, here are 30 gorgeous summer nail polish colors that are going to be everywhere this season.