Lilac and lime, we’ve missed you. While we were off flirting with winter neutrals, we almost forgot how much we love spring nails. Pastels and florals may not be groundbreaking, but they offer a refreshing step-change into spring. The season sees us drop the serious act and get more playful again with lightweight shades and upbeat designs that can help lift our mood.

Already we’re looking to zesty colours like mint, lilac, lemon and peach to help manifest brighter days. But alongside bringing the sunshine, our nails can add a finishing touch to our aesthetic. We love matching our manis to our spring makeup vibe.

If you’re going for barefaced makeup, sheer textures and a little lip balm then natural-looking oat milk nails might be more your bag. Or for a glam 2023 twist, lipgloss nails are about to be massive. If you’re a minimalist, check out our top 10 nail designs on a clear base. If you want to hit peak spring mode, florals are a given, and we have all of our fave floral designs rounded-up for you here. For something a little bolder, gem and crystal nails have been taking off. And if you simply can’t decide, your nail horoscope can take care of the decision for you.

If you fancy having a go at doing some nail art yourself, luckily we have inspo at every skill level. For beginners, we have simple dots, courtesy of an old bobby pin, or gradient manis that see a different shade painted on each finger – no nail art required. For the creatives, you could go full Van Gogh with some sunflowers. You could play up spring vibes with speckled mini egg designs, or switch things up with fried eggs. Or, you could go for accent nails with swipes of spring-friendly butter yellow, sky blue and pastel pink.

As for what’s already trending, Pinterest is on hand to steer us in the right direction…

Floral nails are up 740%

 

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“This classic nail trend comes back year after year and it’s easy to see why. Pastel shades for floral nails are on trend, so opt for lemons, pastel blues, pinks and purples. All you need is a dotting tool to create the look,” says Ryan Notman-Watt from Cult Beauty Concierge.

Pink and red nails are up 645%

 

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“Summer has come early with the pink and red sangria tones. Bright red and pink nails have been going viral on TikTok as well as Pinterest. Why not merge two trends together and try a French tip in a red or pink polish next,” says Ryan. We also love alternating colour block gradients of the shades, one on each nail, or these adorable squiggles.

Pastel French tips are up 455%

 

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“This pastel rainbow nail trend is a spring twist on a traditional French tip. Nail enthusiasts are opting for pastel shades in yellow, pink, blue and green, painting each tip in a different shade but keeping the rest of the nail in a nude colour,” says Ryan.

Lipgloss nails are up 185%

 

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The trend mimics the plush, sheeny finish of lipgloss applied on lips. It takes your bare nail base and adds a sheer layer of gloss (complete with a hint of pretty pink tint) to create a yummy, fresh finish. “Lip gloss nails are a twist on the natural manicure that gives an extra oomph and looks great on all nail lengths,” says Ryan.

And green was the most searched-for nail polish shade last month

 

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Google searches for green nails increased by 60% over last month and the shade’s popularity is set to keep rising and rising. From bright limes to muted sage, pastel pistachio and awkward avocado, green in every different shade is set to be spring and summer’s favourite hue and we’re very much on board.

And, in case you need any extra inspo, here’s some more of our favourite spring nails ideas to get you going…

Lilac trim

 

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Wendy house florals

 

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Remixed squiggle Frenchie

 

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Pastel swirl spring nails

 

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Olive green

 

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Tennis tips

 

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Cheery emojis

 

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Tangerine dream

 

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Mint and emojis

 

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Half moon Frenchies

 

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Peach reverse French

 

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