20 Lavender Nail Ideas for the Perfect Pastel Purple Manicure

The latest take on the milky nail phenomenon calls upon one of today's trendiest coffee orders: the lavender latte. (With oat milk, anyone?) Whether you prefer a milky take on the classic French mani, an iridescent chrome finish, or an abstract design, there's something for everyone within this dreamy, decadent aesthetic. Ahead, we rounded up 20 of the best lavender nail ideas to try this year.

Less Is More

Sometimes, when you have the perfect shade of purple, nothing else is necessary. This dreamy lavender mani features a matte finish to show off the vivid hue.

Abstract Glossy Lavender

This design involves a combination of French tips with abstract designs and allover color to add an extra touch of fun to your lavender latte mani. It's fairly simple to recreate, but the stunning result is one of our favorites.

Cotton Candy Ombré

Name a more iconic color combo than pink and purple—we'll wait. The femme, cotton candy-like pairing gets a fresh makeover thanks to a seamlessly blended ombré effect.

Allover Abstract

Alternatively, you can embrace abstract negative space moments on every nail for a look that balances the lavender latte aesthetic with the barely there styles also trending at the moment. Finish with a glossy top coat to highlight the stunning design.

Color Block Lilac French

We love this gorgeous color block French mani, the design of which stands out even more thanks to the square tips. To recreate this monochrome moment, choose two slightly different shades of lavender, create your abstract design with the help of tools like nail stickers and/or a striping brush, and finish with a glossy top coat.

Pearlescent Lavender Chrome

A solid color manicure never fails, but adding chrome and/or glitter to a classic color adds a more glamorous touch. Either find an iridescent polish—the one used here is Gelcare's Lavender Pearl ($20)—or try a light purple base plus chrome to achieve this subtly shimmery look.

Double Shot

If you find it difficult to stick to a single shade of purple, this lavender double French mani will make you swoon. The contrast of the dark purple border with the lavender tip is dreamy and refreshing, plus the neutral base allows the design to fully shine.

Lavender Latte Gradient

Why choose one shade of purple when you can choose multiple? These gorgeous purple hues make for a stunning gradient look, and we love how the shimmering finish helps everything to seamlessly blend together.

Heart-Shaped Accents

If you prefer a manicure with a little extra something, adding heart-shaped accents and a horizontal ombré is a great way to take lavender latte nails to the next level. Here, we have a gradient of solid nails from lavender to light pink, with the ring and middle fingers featuring heart doodles for a cute and unique look. Nail artist Bryony Howell used the shades Carrie’s Cosmo ($19), Daisy ($10), and V005 ($19) from The Gel Bottle.

Milky Marble

When paired with a sheer pastel like lavender, marble nail art looks ethereal and milky. This particular look also brings to mind fluffy white clouds with the white lines layered horizontally across the nail mimicking a sky during sunset.

Lavender Latte Art

If groovy swirls are your thing, these are the lavender latte nails for you. This unique mani features a lavender and white palette swirled into a design reminiscent of latte art. To achieve this look, opt for a lavender or pastel base and choose a few complementary colors for the swirls. The best thing about this design is that it doesn't rely on precision, so if you mess up, no one will be able to tell.

Ultra-Shiny Chrome

The beauty of lavender is that the color is so gorgeous on its own that it can be worn solo and still make a statement, especially with a mesmerizing chrome finish. This mani uses IceGel's Sunset Chrome Powder in Maldives ($48 for a set)—while it's currently sold out, you can create a similar effect with an iridescent top coat or eyeshadow.

Purple Flames

Who knew that lilac had an edgy side? Obviously, the artist of this flame design, who paired sweet lavender with a peachy outline for multiple levels of contrast. Bonus: the set is in the of-the-moment square manicure shape.

Lavender Latte Hearts

If you love both heart designs and the idea of creating latte swirls on your nails, this monochrome mani is the best of both worlds. Double French tips come together with heart accent nails, one of which features a trippy layered design.

Lavender Chrome French

No time to paint your nails? Don't worry—Chillhouse has you covered. The brand's AI Supernova Press-Ons ($16) take on lavender latte nails is a groovy curved French that got the glazed donut treatment

Optical Illusion French

This mani toes the line between lavender latte and blueberry milk with this ombré design, which flips the direction on the French tips for the coolest optical illusion. The exact colors featured here are The Gel Bottle's Boutique and Signature (both $19).

Classic French

This look is a prime example of the "your nails, but better" trend. The traditional pale pink base is swapped out for a soft lilac, creating a stunningly subtle effect.

Metallic Accents

A glittering gold trim elevates this milk-purple, iridescent abstract art, reminding us of a precious crystal cut open.

Purple Daisies

Spring, summer, fall, or winter, floral nail designs never fail to put a smile on our faces, no matter the season. Daisy art is especially one of our favorites, as the flower design is super easy to DIY with the use of a dotting tool like Le Mini Macaron's Le Dottie ($5).

Half and Half

We've been seeing many takes on the two-toned nail trend and couldn't be more obsessed. To get the exact look above, use LUXAPOLISH's Bae-Cation ($17) for a light grape escape.

Read the original article on Byrdie.