The Biggest Summer Nail Trends, According To Hollywood’s Top Nail Artists
After a few seasons of pared-back nails, there’s a notable return to having more fun with your digits – as well as a focus on directional details. Here, MALENA HARBERS asks the pros to share their in-demand manicure designs, flattering new-season nail shades, and the high-shine finishes to try now
Micro-French
If there’s one nail trend to try this summer, it’s a micro-French manicure. “It was a big one during this past awards season and [remains so] now,” says nail artist Betina Goldstein, who counts Margot Robbie, Zoë Kravitz and Suki Waterhouse among her A-list clientele. “It’s the perfect nail for a minimalist who wants a little something extra.” Celebrity nail pro Tom Bachik agrees, adding: “Micro-French nails are here to stay, because they help create an illusion of a longer nail plate, as opposed to a classic French tip, which can sometimes make the length of the nail bed look shorter.” To get the micro look right, color opaqueness is key, says Goldstein. “If the nail is extremely short with not much free edge, I do a more sheer base – usually just one coat of my favorite sheer nude. Then I go in with my Doublemoss Arte 2 nail brush, for maximum control and flex, and drag the polish of my choice (a fun, bright color for the tip is very on-trend) ever so lightly along the very tip of the free edge. The line should be micro-thin. When clients have longer nails and a thicker free edge, I opt for two coats of a semi-sheer base to camouflage and minimize the appearance of the natural free edge. Then I trace gently along the free edge with my brush. Again, keep the line as dainty as possible.”
‘Naked’ nails
Equally ideal for the nail minimalist, the ‘nonicure’ is in for spring. Likewise, Proenza Schouler showed models with clean, healthy-looking nails in a short, natural shape, and the aesthetic was equally in style on this year’s Oscars red carpet – see Jennifer Lawrence, Zendaya, Emily Blunt and Emily Ratajkowski. But while stiletto-length nails haven’t lost their edge this season, a shorter length works best for this look, and nails should always look considered and cared for. Read: immaculate cuticles, a buffed finish and a glossy, sheer, neutral color (if any) that blends seamlessly with your skin tone.
Code red
Red nails are a classic look but, for spring, think bold and cheerful. “Bright red is a big color trend this season,” says Kudo. “I created short, square nails for a few of my celebrity clients recently and it looks really good in red.” Likewise, short, manicured red nails were seen on models at Proenza Schouler and Brandon Maxwell’s spring/summer 2024 shows.
Milky nails 2.0
When it comes to color, nails tend to get brighter in spring. But this season, the emphasis is on a more transparent finish. “Both glossy and sheer polishes are trending more than opaque this season,” says Kudo, who explains that it’s an evolution of the ‘clean-nail’ trend, with colors being muted rather than vibrant and bright. “Milk nails [a milky-white, semi-opaque manicure emulating a traditional milk-bottle finish] is a trend that’s still going strong, but this time around, it comes with more variety of shades,” says Kudo. Think apricot, strawberry, orange or even buttery yellow. “You can apply a sheer ‘milk’ topcoat over any color you want.”
Platinum chrome
“Chrome nails were big for last season – and they’re still very important,” says Goldstein. “I like to use chrome with control. I believe it makes more of an impact that way. It transforms into nail jewelry, and it is less tiring than a full chrome nail.” If you do go full-chrome, opt for platinum – the shade seen everywhere right now. “I always have OPI’s Platinum Eclipse in my kit when I’m traveling,” says Emi Kudo, who counts Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence as clients. “It provides an easy, high-shine silver finish in seconds.”
Animal print
Subtle animal prints, such as leopard, tortoiseshell or cow, are being referenced on nails right now. “This summer, a minimal aesthetic is a popular theme for nail art,” says Juanita Huber-Millet, founder and creative director at the popular Townhouse nail salons in London. “This subtle detail, worn as an accent nail or a micro-French tip with a natural, sheer base polish, are a popular choice.”
A jelly finish
As the nail equivalent of the season’s high-shine lip-gloss trend, the ‘jelly’ manicure features nails painted with a nearly translucent, super-glossy wash of color that looks similar to jelly. Opt for one of the new sheer jelly-polish formulas for all-over gloss, or create your own. “If you want to make a color softer, simply mix it with a few drops of base coat to dilute the color and turn it into a translucent, or ‘jelly’ [shade],” says Goldstein. “This makes any color feel more delicate and fresh; I like to look around at all the flowers that bloom during this season and include those colors in my manicures.”
The cat-eye effect
“Cat-eye nails – one of the biggest summer nail trends – have a dimensional effect that is created by using a magnetic nail polish,” says Kudo. “The iron-powder fragments in the formula are attracted to magnets that you can use to create a subtle diagonal line across the nail. It’s relatively easy nail art for a DIY manicure.” The finished effect references the mirror-like effect of a cat’s eye. If you don’t have a magnetic polish, use a thin nail-art brush to create a subtle thin line from base to tip while your polish is still wet.
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