The 8 Biggest Nail Art Trends of Spring 2020

Let me paint the scene: It’s been three weeks since your last manicure and your nails are starting to look sad. So, you take off whatever polish is still kicking on your nails, but now you have no idea what color to choose for your next manicure. Even the shades in your ridiculously large nail polish stash seem boring.

Well, why don’t you scroll through Instagram? In-between the selfies, memes, and pet photos, there’s still tons of manicure inspiration on your feed, thanks to nail artists and nail salons across the world. Yes, I’m suggesting you spend more time on your phone — but only for the sake of your manicure.

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But manicure ideas don’t just stop at nail polish colors. Whether or not it feels like it, spring is coming and there’s no better way to get ready for the warmer days ahead than with some seasonal nail art. Luckily, there’s a ton of spring nail designs on Instagram, too.

From multicolor polka dots to classic pastels, these popular spring nail designs cover every manicure vibe. While I’ve rounded up the eight biggest nail art trends of spring 2020 below, the actual manicures are up to you.

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1. Smiley Faces

You know how Annie sang, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile?” Well, I say your manicure isn’t done without a smiley face. This nail art from LA salon Color Camp is super fun, and extremely easy to do. Paint your nails with OPI’s Exotic Birds Do Not Tweet, a banana yellow shade. Then, dip a nail art brush in Black Onyx to add the black eyes and lips.

It’s impossible not to smile when you’re looking at these rainbow happy faces by manicurist Shirely Truong of Toronto's Tips Nail Bar. If you love pastel polishes during the spring, this nail art is a fresh spin on your favorite colors.

2. Spring Flowers

OK, floral nail art isn’t exactly easy to do. That’s where this manicure from Vanity Projects comes in. The petal tips are a remix on the classic French manicure, and less precious to paint than complete flowers.

Warning: these flowers by celebrity nail artist Mel Shengaris look so pretty, you would think they have an amazing scent. However, if you try to stop and smell them, you’re going to be disappointed.

3. Milky Marble

These rainbow marble nails by celebrity nail artist Michelle Humphrey scream spring. Another reason to love this colorful manicure? It’s completely customizable because you can mix and match whatever shades you damn well please.

Frame a photo of this soft watercolor nail art and hang it up in the Louvre. Manicurist Katie Masters used a while polish as a base and added sheer pink and blue swirls.

4. Pastel Party

When you can’t pick one pastel shade, why not use all of them? This Olive & June multicolor manicure is like a handful of sweet jellybeans.

The best part of Park Eunkung’s pastel manicure? These abstract swirls are impossible to mess up.

5. Mismatched Polka Dots

Polka dots aren’t basic, and the proof is in this monochromatic manicure Essie global lead manicurist Rita Remark created for Rixo’s Fall 2020 presentation at London Fashion Week. She played with the size of the dots, plus alternated the colors on every other nail. Bonus: Remark used Essie’s Licorice and Blanc, two super affordable shades you can grab at the drugstore.

Leave it to Betina Goldstein (the most popular manicurist on the internet) to reinvent polka dots. Not only is red and golden yellow a color combo that will work from spring into summer, it’s also easy to re-create. Use a nail art brush and draw two overlapping dots. Just don’t be too precious about it — the dots aren’t supposed to be the exact same size and shape.

6. Geometry Class

These stain glass-inspired nails are so cool, it should be illegal. If your taste in nail art leans subtle, nail artist Sierra Unsicker has made just the manicure for you.

So, your personal style is minimalist, but you still love color. No problem. Use your favorite shades and paint clean, thin lines on bare nails. Don’t be scared to mix up the directions like nail artist Julie Kandalec.

7. Half Moons

It’s true: some nail art designs are low maintenance. A half moon manicure looks amazing even as your nails grow out, and even when you use two shades for a color block effect like this manicure from Paintbox. If you’re feeling the blue color scheme, try the Like Rain and Like Wonder shades from the New York City salon’s in-house nail polish line.

Half moons are a design that always works — no matter your nail shape. Adding an accent metallic silver dot at the matrix of the nail is an easy way to refresh this classic nail art design.

8. Brushstrokes

Just like finger painting, anything goes when you’re doing a brushstroke manicure. Nail artist Nina Park played with textures by using a mix of matte and metallic nail polish shades to create this eye-catching design.

This manicure is the everything bagel of nail art. Naild By Alyssa combined thick swirls, thin lines, and dots, plus a handful of nail polish shades. Select your color scheme, grab a couple different nail art brushes, and go wild because there’s no right or wrong way of doing it.