11 Fresh Spring Nail Designs and Shades to Request During Your Next Manicure

Bookmark these stylish designs before your next nail appointment.

Nail salon regulars will know the panic that comes with choosing a shade or style for your digits.

With endless options or designs to choose from, flipping through key rings and color charts makes manicures more stressful.
that they are serene.

To combat decision fatigue the next time you’re in the chair, we’ve put together a list of nail trends that are expected to be popular this spring.

According to beauty and wellness platform Fresha, the search for “spring nails” has increased by 70% on Pinterest in Australasia, with the most searched nail trends including pastel ombre, butterfly wings and metallic accents.

Whether you’re ready to embrace a lighter color palette in keeping with longer evenings, or get creative with pretty accents (think garlands and butterfly wings), we list the shades and designs which will definitely appear everywhere this season.

Pastel shades will always be fresh for spring. Shades of pale pink, lavender, mint green, butter yellow and ice blue are all in, as seen on the runways of brands like Fendi and Prada during fashion month.

As seen above, ombre nails require the colors to blend into each other – a transition of two or more shades that is simpler to execute than it seems.

Recreate this seasonal style with blending sponges or an ombre brush to make application even easier.

This intricate design mimics the detailed pattern of the monarch butterfly’s wings, requiring thin black lines to help create the different sections of the wing.

While it’s striking over an opaque color, it’s even more impactful when layered with spring hues or iridescent shades that dance in the sun.

Commitment phobia? Consider a butterfly wing accent nail instead.

Molten metal studs and metallic accents aren’t going anywhere this season.

Opt for shades of gold, silver, rose gold, copper and chrome, or try your hand at applying foil, studs or metallic strips to add depth and dimension.

Gelous offers a suite of floral-inspired metallic gold designs available as stick-on sheets, taking the guesswork (and mess) out of mastering a metallic manicure. Long live love the white and gold floral nail stickers, $7.

While florals aren’t exactly groundbreaking for spring, embrace ’70s-inspired designs this year created using the “stitch and drag” technique.

A drop of paint is dotted then slid into the center, repeated in a circular shape to form petals. A final stamp of bright color in the middle forms the heart of the flower.

Whether painted all over the nails (again, a time-consuming process) or used as a feature nail, try this trend with delicate dahlias or blooming daisies in a variety of vibrant shades to match your manicure.

Freeform elements and organic shapes shine in this ultra-creative trend, which sees all sorts of abstract shapes, patterns and brushstrokes swirling across nails.

If 10 little canvases of swirling lines make your head spin, then take inspiration from popular nail artists like Aimee Link (pictured above) who created a set with three out of five highly decorated nails.

The “anything goes” trend encompasses just about every silhouette you can think of: polka dots, squiggles, and splashes.

French tips will always be in style, but for a more modern approach, consider replacing classic white with vibrant neon hues instead.

A French manicure pairs beautifully with almond or coffin shaped nails, as the length and shape provide more room for polish.

The brighter the better here – think Barbie pink, neon green, traffic light orange or highlighter yellow.

The antithesis of the high-impact hues included elsewhere on this list, the minimalist greenery trend relies on a calming color palette.

Think nature-inspired patterns, including leaves and vines, against an earthy background of beige, nude or soft pink.

This pastoral approach to nail design is subtle and calming, save for a few mini-floral accents if the mood strikes you.

Take inspiration from Mother Nature with delicate garland designs, linked together on the same nail or fingertips.

Expect to see many traditional colorways pop strongly with this theme (white daisies with yellow centers), however, more vibrant versions of the trend help make it your own.

Organic and earthy tones don’t tend to fall out of favor and prove popular regardless of the weather outside.

Take inspiration from natural elements like sand, earth and trees to inspire your color palette. Think olive green, rich brown, burnt orange, khaki green and warm beige.

A clean palette suits a wide variety of nail lengths and shapes, including short and blunt styles.

For the uninitiated, “brat green” sits on the border between lime green and chartreuse, a hue that has become synonymous with the album cover of Kid by pop singer Charli XCX.

This divisive nuance has since permeated everything from pop culture to presidential campaigns, and has been described as both “loud and abrasive” but also “affectionate and fun” by Architectural compendium.

It has proven popular with the Gen-Z set, with the slightly yellowed lime hue proving a much-demanded choice in the living room chair. For maximum impact, opt for a universal color and almond-shaped tips to cement your “kid” energy.

It would be remiss of us not to include the suite of milky neutrals that make up “balletcore” – think milky whites and ballet slipper pinks.

Loved by brides and fashionistas, the balletcore aesthetic is neutral without being nude, accentuating the natural pink of nails.

The shade family suits a multitude of nail shapes and lengths, from short, square tips to elongated coffin styles.

Not to mention, balletcore nails provide the perfect canvas for equally flirty designs like long tail bows or daisies, or a dusting of glitter.

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