While we have been loving lavender nails and even blue mani trends lately, there’s a special place in our hearts for lemony, yellow nail designs—especially for summer.
Now, we know yellow can be something of a controversial color but we’re officially taking a stand against any yellow fashion and manicure slander—because this zesty pastel shade is not only adorable but it’s creeping up the list of 2023 nail trends.
Don’t believe us? You need only cast your eyes over Hailey Bieber’s recent passionfruit-inspired mani or perhaps Vanessa Hudgens’ neon yellow aura nails to see that we’re all gearing up to enter our ‘Lemon Girl’ era. So, if you want to be fast on this trend, here are six manicure ideas to incorporate the golden hue into your everyday look…
Best yellow nail designs
Here are some of our favorite yellow nail polishes to recreate all of this season’s zingy designs!
OPI Summer Make the Rules Nail Lacquer in “Stay Out All Bright”
RRP: $11.49
Essie Nail Polish in shade “29: All Fun & Games”
Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish in shade “29: Busy Beeline”
You might as well get on board with yellow now because we reckon this delicate shade is about to have a renaissance in the last lingering months of summer.
And while it is a statement color, it’s also surprisingly versatile as we’re about to demonstrate—so prep your nails with our fave cuticle oil and let’s peruse these dreamy, lemon manicures…
1. Literal lemon yellow nails
@iramshelton
♬ original sound – harley
Of course, a simple, all-yellow nail look is the perfect way to show off your love for this happy color! Lemon yellow is the perfect shade for spring and summer, especially if you want to add a pop of brightness to your outfits.
2. Lemon glazed nails
Hailey Bieber herself repped a passionfruit ‘glazed donut’ nail look earlier this summer and we’re loving the juicy look!
To recreate this pearly mani, simply apply a coat of your chosen lemony shade—if you want a sheer, ‘barely-there’ nail look, mix your block shade with a clear top coat. Then apply your chrome dust or an opalescent top coat and finish with another clear coat, to lock in all that gleam.
And if you wanted to make your nails look even more summery, you could also add a cherry detail. For these teeny berries through, you might need some thin nail art brushes (available at Amazon).
@tiffanyabbigailebeauty
♬ More Than A Woman – SG’s Paradise Edit – Bee Gees & SG Lewis
3. Yellow French tips
A minimalist French tip look is a great option for those wanting just a subtle, hint of yellow.
To recreate this chic mani, apply a nude or pastel pink to your nails first, before then coating just the tip of your nails in your chosen shade of yellow. If you’re new to the French tip, you can either use a detailing nail brush or try the hack of applying a blob of your polish to a nail stamper (available at Amazon) and pushing the tips of your nails into it.
4. Abstract yellow mani
We’re also loving these abstract yellow nails! They’re the perfect way to rep a hint of this summery hue without committing to a full, block color, while also adding a hint of interest to your day-to-day look.
Again, your nail brushes will come in handy here, but we’d suggest leaving these intricate swirls in the hands of a professional!
5. Yellow daisy nails
Can you get more summery than a yellow and white daisy manicure? The correct answer is no.
If you’re loving the trend of sheer, lip gloss nails, these floral decals are the perfect way to change up your natural mani, while still looking minimalist. To recreate, apply a sheer nude or clear top coat (for a ‘your nail but better’ look) before adorning your fingertips with white and yell flowers. Then, seal them in with a super glossy top coat.
6. Pastel block yellow nails
Like with the block lemon yellow nails, another way to add a hint of yellow into your style can be with a soft, buttery pastel shade.
This one from OPI especially, is very subtle and perfect even for fall and the winter months!
