Spring is arguably the most stressful season sartorially. With crisp mornings and unbearably humid afternoons, it’s stressful putting together an outfit. Inevitably, you’re going to be shivering or sweating at some point – it just depends on whether you over- or under-layered that given day. However, your manicure is one seasonal accessory you can be confident about wearing regardless of the confusing weather forecast. With trendy hand-painted designs and vibrant hues, the top May nail ideas are an easy way to embrace spring motifs even when Mother Nature says otherwise.
Nail art novices can easily master a multicolored solid manicure inspired by seasonal fruits or add abstract hot pink orbs to an otherwise bare base. For those with more experience DIY-ing their nails, lean into the coquette aesthetic with dainty bows or a bold aura design.
Map out your manicures for the month with the following 10 bright and cheery May nail ideas.
Splash Of Pink
An abstract half-moon manicure is a conversation-starter and incredibly easy to do if you’re new to DIY nail art. While you can use virtually any shade for this design, hot pink is a standout (and seasonal) choice.
Neon Aura Nails
Update this trending design for May’s sunny mid-spring days by swapping a pastel color palette for bold shades. Use contrasting colors on each nail for a truly mesmerizing look.
May Flowers
The old adage “April showers bring May flowers” is applicable to your manicure, too. Embrace the season’s gorgeous florals with cute daisies. The beauty of this design by nail artist Elizabeth M. is that you don’t need fancy tools to recreate it. You can simply dab a Q-tip into your polish then dot it on your nail to get the cool stamped effect of the petals.
Pearlcore
Pearls aren’t just for the holidays. Case in point: Nail artist Gina Edwards’ sparkly manicure featuring delicate decals.
Rainbow Micro French
If you’re someone who prefers subtle, neutral manicures, micro French tips done in vibrant color-blocked shades are one way to step out of your comfort zone without veering too far from your typical aesthetic.
Leopard Print
Depending on who you ask, leopard print is a neutral. If you’re struggling to incorporate the pattern into your wardrobe, why not lean into the fashion trend with your manicure? Celebrity nail artist Betina Goldstein breaks down how to do a delicate design in her IG tutorial.
Mellow Yellow
This cheery yellow negative space manicure with shimmery blue and gold accent dots is a nod to the colors of the water, sand, and sun on a balmy afternoon at the beach.
Fruit Salad
TBA on which fruit inspires this summer’s TikTok fashion trend, but you can get ahead of the crowd by wearing all of the potential options on your nails. Bonus: this look is perfect if you’re bad at doing hand-painted nail art.
Sky Blue
After a year of Barbiecore pink cool shades of blue are popping up in fashion and makeup looks this season. If the thought of wearing blue eyeshadow is a little too extreme for you, opt for a cool monochromatic manicure, like this one by nail artist Hang Nguyen.
Coquette Tips
Dress up your favorite base shade with a tiny coquette bow and negative space French tips. Here, nail artist Sigourney Nuñez chose a shimmery Tiffany blue polish for a bit of spring sparkle.
