This Summer’s Best Nail Art Trends Scream “The Beach Is That Way”

Maybe your favorite summer song is a classic tune by the Beach Boys or Jimmy Buffett, a Y2K throwback from Nelly or Mariah Carey, or a more recent track from Charli XCX. Whichever song it is, it probably brings up memories of long days at the beach and balmy late nights hanging with friends—and we bet it also makes you smile. The season’s top nail trends are the cosmetic equivalent of this. We can’t remember a time when the most popular nail designs felt so quintessentially summery, whether dreamy 3D seashells, tropical-flower decals, animal prints, or rainbow-bright French tips.

Many of the season’s coolest designs are reflective of 2025’s overarching nail art trends, but with a warm-weather twist: Cat-eye polish in shades of beige and pink sand twinkle beautifully in the sun; 3D embellishments in the form of miniature hibiscus flowers and abstract chrome accents; and aura nails that feel less zen and more beach party-appropriate when done in vibrant neon tones.

The trends also extend beyond the design aspect of nail art. This summer, people are obsessed with press-ons, which let them update their manicures easily and often. The phrase “press-on nails” currently receives an average 82 million views on TikTok and 605.3K monthly searches on Google per week, according to Spate. Fortunately, there have never been more (or better) options to choose from, which means you can tap into summer’s biggest nail art trends without needing to book a salon appointment or even to reach for the polish remover.

That said, if you love nothing more than a date with your nail artist or a little at-home DIY, we ’ve asked the experts how to achieve the season’s trendiest designs, no matter your preferred method. So sit back, throw on your go-to summer Spotify playlist, and keep reading.

Pop-Up Tropical Flowers

Courtesy of @lucky__pool and @vanityprojects

Courtesy of @kellykoutur and @vanityprojects

Courtesy of @slayedbylexali

Courtesy of @fleuryrosenails

Courtesy of @aurakanails

Courtesy of @aurakanails

Three-dimensional flowers of all genus and species will be trending this summer, says Rita Pinto, founder of Vanity Projects nail salons in New York City and Miami, although “orchids have been a client favorite.” Nail artist Fleury Rose agrees that 3D tropical flowers, primarily meaning orchid and hibiscus shapes, also popular last summer, will have another moment in 2025. “This look is stunning,” says Rose, “and goes great with the St. Barts and boho fashion trends that I see being huge this summer.”

These dainty orchidaceae are created using a clay-like builder gel, Rose explains (giving a shout-out to F-Vex Supersculpt 3D Gel), and rubber nail-art tools (she recommends the Sliverdew silicone nail pens and brushes you can get on Amazon). Unless you’re super skilled at sculpting teeny-tiny floral masterpieces on your own fingernails, your best bet is to schedule a salon appointment. You can also purchase press-ons adorned with florals. (Etsy has a wide variety of press-on nails that showcase orchids and hibiscus flowers in various colors.)

Pink and Neutral Cat-Eye Polish

Courtesy of @vanityprojects

Courtesy of @glam.by.ems and @vanityprojectsmia

Salon owners we spoke with say everyone is still obsessed with cat-eye nails, something our collective browsing habits seem to confirm. The term “cat-eye nails” has had a 217% increase in searches in the last year, according to Spate. For this summer, though, people are specifically loving cat-eye manicures in pink and sandy neutral tones, which offer a more summery version of a classic subtle mani.

Says Rose, “This trend is affordable and very DIY-able, which makes it accessible to everyone.” Depending on your at-home skill level, she recommends Kiss’s Gel Fantasy Magnetic press-on range, which comes in a wide variety of shades (SunChic and Drama are two elevated neutral options), or Mooncat’s Magnetic polishes (Quicksand’s Embrace is an elegant subtle-pink hue and Neptune’s Sand is a romantic rose-gold tone).

Mismatched Manicures

Courtesy of @glam.by.ems and @vanityprojectsmia

Courtesy of @slayedbylexali

Courtesy of @slayedbylexali

Courtesy of @makoartz:@vanityprojects

Can’t choose between aura nails, gemstones, chrome, or cat eye? Then don’t, and ask your manicurist to create a set that includes all these looks. “I don’t see many manicures with the same design on every nail at the moment,” says Rose. People are opting to be a lot more playful right now, she adds, sprinkling different designs throughout their manicure. “It’s more creative and expressive, which is supercool.”