Easter is a holiday characterized by a pastel color palette. Whether it’s ruffled dresses, festive table linens, or soft makeup looks, you can expect pastel colors and designs to be at the forefront. The same goes for Easter nail looks. According to manicurist and Nailing Hollywood CEO Mazz Hanna, colors like powder blue, pale orange, pastel yellow, mint green, baby pink, and lavender are your best bet for a beautiful Easter manicure.
To create a blue-based Easter nail look, Hanna suggests reaching for Dazzle Dry’s Lotion, Please! ($22). “It’s a classic Easter shade that pairs beautifully with other pastels and neutrals,” she says. For a mint green mani, she recommends OPI’s That’s Hula-rious! ($12). “It’s the perfect pastel green shade for Easter,” she points out. “It adds a touch of serene, natural essence to your nails, and this understated color choice will complement your Easter look effortlessly.”
If you prefer warmer manicures, she says pastel orange and yellow are the way to go. “Gelcare’s Fuzzy Peach ($20) is a neon pastel orange that’s the perfect Easter shade for welcoming the warmth of springtime,” she says. “It’s fun, it’s playful, and it radiates a joyful energy that will brighten your mood.” Then, for a yellow nail look, she suggests the shade Mimosa ($14) by Manucurist Paris. “Pastel yellow is a classic choice for Easter, and Mimosa by Manucurist is a gentle, cheerful pastel yellow,” she says. “Its subdued brightness adds a touch of warmth and lightness to your nails without overdoing it.”
Meanwhile, if purple is your favorite color, Hanna says you can’t go wrong with Lilac Organza ($32) by Dior. “It offers a refined elegance for your nails,” she adds. “Soft lilac tones are sophisticated without being too bold, which make it a versatile choice for both formal occasions and relaxed gatherings during Easter.”
Meet the expert
Those are just the base Easter shades, though. For more springtime holiday manicure inspiration, keep reading for 20 chic Easter nail designs.
Short Bright Springtime Mani
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“Floral nail art is perfect for Easter since it marks the beginning of spring,” Hanna says, referencing Nailing Hollywood artist Rachel Joseph’s pretty pink short nail look. “Most nail looks that pair well with springtime work really well for Easter—pastels, florals, and dainty nail art all work well for [the holiday].”
Lavender Cream Mani
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For a bright yet Eastery nail look, consider a pastel lavender that borders on neon. This shade is Insomniac ($13) by Mooncat.
Pastel Rainbow Daisy Mani
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We love these oversized pastel daisies by nail artist Dayanna I. Sapiens. Believe it or not, you can recreate the look by starting with a milky nude base and then using various dotting tools (like the ones found in the Lights Lacquer Dotting Tool Kit, $13) to create the flowers.
Matte Baby Blue See-Through Nails
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One of celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec’s favorite baby blue nail polish shades is CND’s Climb to the Top-az ($8). Here, she used the color to craft striking see-through stiletto tips for a Christian Cowan fashion show.
Sheer Lavender BB Cream Mani
Gelcare
Both Hanna and Kandalec agree that a lavender jelly manicure is a pretty, subtle option for Easter. Two delicate and gorgeous polish options are Gelcare’s Lavender BB Cream and Lavender Water ($20 each). “Lavender Water by Gelcare is a stunning buildable milky lavender shade,” Hanna says. “It’s partially sheer, which is a great option for those looking for just a touch of color that aligns beautifully with Easter.”
Daisy-Dotted Pink Ombré Nails
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You can totally DIY this pretty Easter mani. Start by sponging OPI Nail Lacquer ($12) in the shade Racing Pinks onto each nail. Then, press a few Deco Miami flower stickers (the Stay Groovy pack ($10) has a bunch) onto each nail. Encase them with top coat and you’re good to go.
Pastel Floral French Tips
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Sapiens painted this daisy French manicure by hand using Lights Lacquer Nail Polish ($11) in the shades Clueless, Banana Split, 52’ Chevy, Paper Snow, Order Up, Frenchy, Jukebox Baby, Easy as Pie, Friend Bear, and Dear Diary. To perfect your base French tips, use the Orly Half Moon Guides ($6) as a stencil.
Blue and Green Apex French Tips
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These angular, apex French tips remind us of fresh-cut grass and clear blue skies. They were created using Mooncat Nail Lacquer ($13) in the shades Sweet Nightmare and Neverland, topped with Moondust.
Shimmery Dusty Blue Nails
Kandalec also loves the idea of a reflective blue manicure for Easter. To create one, she suggests using Lights Lacquer Nail Polish ($13) in the shade Cancer, which has a built-in shimmer. For added glimmer, you can top it off with the shade Ever After.
Metallic Fuchsia Nails
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There’s no rule that you can’t wear bright colors on Easter. This metallic fuchsia polish—which is the since discontinued shade High Horse Mama by Death Valley Nails—is merely a more vibrant rendition of a pink and purple combo. We say go for it! A similar shade is OPI’s All Your Dreams in Vending Machines ($12).
Mint French Mani
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Switch up your classic white French manicure with a pastel tone. “A pastel French is perfect for Easter because it pairs gentle springtime colors with a classic style, making it a great match for any Easter plans,” Hanna says, referencing another of Joseph’s nail creations. “To recreate this look at home, grab your favorite pastels and a sheer neutral base. Then use a fine liner brush to create the French tips and a cleanup brush to refine your French tips.”
Neutral Ombré Mani
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Looking for a more neutral Easter nail look? Opt for a glossy nude to white ombré.
Mint Marble Nails
Kandalec loved the idea of an aqua, minty marble manicure for Easter. This one that she created features a matte mint-cream swirl with gold chrome accent lines, giving it a soft yet luxe end look.
Pale Pink Nails
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Baby pink is a pretty Easter color that works well on its own and in intricate nail art designs. The shade above is Euphoric ($13) by Mooncat.
Neutral Blush Manicure
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There’s always the option to go super natural for the holiday, too. This milky pink mani was created using two coats of Cirque Colors Nail Polish ($13) in the shade Odette.
Pastel Neon Rainbow Nails
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On the other end of the spectrum, you can embrace all of the Easter colors at once with a pastel neon rainbow skittle mani. This mani was created using the Mooncat Technicolor Dreams Set ($110).
Pastel Mismatch Nails
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We love a mismatched nail look and this pastel one takes the cake for Easter Sunday. Sapiens created it using Lights Lacquer Nail Polish ($11) in the shades Banana Split, Order Up, Frenchy, 52’ Chevy, Jukebox Baby, Clueless, Soulmate, Melancholy, Candy Clouds, Tuxedo Mask, and Paper Snow.
Periwinkle Nails
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A solid, opaque periwinkle blue can look perfect for Easter, too. To recreate this springtime mani, use Peacći Nail Polish ($9) in the shade Double Denim.
Pastel Neon Floral Manicure
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Here’s another way to incorporate pastel neon polishes into your Easter mani. You can either go full Skittle, a hand of rainbow and floral, or all floral. If you opt for the latter, though, you may want to skip the DIY and just bring this image as inspo to your manicurist.
Classic White Swirl Nails
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Hoping for a more classic, less colorful Easter nail look? You can never go wrong with a simple white swirl mani with French tip accents.
