Prepare for the Compliments to Roll In With These Fashion-Forward Summer Nail Colors (2025)

I always switch up my beauty routine with the season. In the summer, I prioritize lightweight formulas and lots of SPF, but it's also the time I change up my nail color rotation. I prefer my summer nail colors to match the mood of the season: light, bright, and happy. Plus, I like to take stock of the summer's nail trends for added inspiration.

Now that summer is properly here, I've secured my lineup of go-to nail polishes for the season. Fruit nail art à la Hailey Bieber's farmer's market manicure is on the rise, however, there's nothing like a simple solid shade to get the job done. My summer color palette is still full of food-inspired nails—think: trendy butter yellow and shiny jellies. I also can't forget the bubble bath trend (it's a celebrity-favorite nail polish color), and I'll be giving my classic red nails a summery update.

Those are but a taste of all the summer nail colors I'm planning for my at-home manicures. For a full breakdown on all of my favorite nail polishes of the season, keep scrolling. Whether you opt for short nails or a dramatic coffin shape, the nail colors ahead are sure to provide fresh ways to kick off the warm weather.

Butter Yellow

Fashion's current obsession with butter yellow has crossed into the beauty world, and I'm not mad about it one bit. It's soft, fun, and can essentially be described as "sunshine in a bottle." My favorite polishes look good enough to eat.

Baby Blue

The only kind of blues I want in the summer are the ones on my nails. While there's a time and place for bright cobalt nails, my preferred summer manicure shade is more subdued—baby blue. When my nails match the sky on a sunny day, I can't help but be happy.

Fiery Red

Red nails will always be a classic. When the temperatures start to rise, I like to choose a hotter, orange-toned red for a fiery look. The shade is bold and makes me feel like a total smoke show, no matter what I'm wearing—hence why I've requested it on my last two manicure appointments.

Coral

Anytime I head out on a beach vacation, I book a manicure with a bright, poppy coral shade beforehand. It pops against my tan from a mile away, so it never fails to earn a compliment or two. Plus, these shades are perfect to tackle the watermelon nail art I've seen all over my Instagram feed.

Bubble Bath Pink

The bubble bath nail trend has cemented itself as a hall-of-fame nail polish shade. What other color is as well-received by celebs like Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Charli XCX, and Kate Middleton? The princess-approved nail color, marked by a cloudy, pinky white mixture, is pure elegance and one I regularly turn to in the summer.

Shades of Jelly

In case you haven't noticed, nails have taken on a semi-sheer, glossy finish. These jelly-like colors have a somewhat transparent look to let the natural nail peek through. In turn, the effect is nothing short of playful—I want to try a jelly shade in every color of the rainbow this summer.

Classic White

Whenever I'm overwhelmed with choice at the salon, I pick out a sheer, opaque, or pearlescent white. I can rely on the shade to look clean and elegant, plus they're versatile enough to pair perfectly with anything I'm wearing.

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