The Prettiest Nail Art You’ll See This Spring 

It’s never too early to start thinking about spring nail art. Let’s just call it manifesting warmer, sunnier weather (even when it might be gloomy outside). Using trendy spring nail colors like misty blue, lilac, and bright orange is key to a pretty manicure that’s not only going to be the envy of your friends, but give you a boost of serotonin.

Not to be cliché, but florals, naturally, are a major inspiration—so are gingham prints and French tips. But you can expect lots of psychedelic and retro-inspired designs as well as the ultracool Japanese blooming gel, jelly textures à la Selena Gomez, and the cool-girl micro French.

All of our favorites, below.

Polka Party

Last spring’s polka-dot nail trend is still going with a fun, reverse-color upgrade.

Groovy Baby

The color combinations on this retro stripe, which curves at the will of the nail artist, are endless.

Pattern Play

Spots, stripes, and different shades—oh my! Each nail in this fun spring manicure has a completely custom pattern, but the way to keep it from looking too chaotic is to stick with an edited collectsion of colors.

Flower Power

Pick a flower, any flower! When painted in bold, saturated shades, it gives the manicure a whole new energy.

Fruit Salad

To keep things chic and simple, opt for a neutral base and ask for cherry, strawberry, orange, and blueberry designs in muted shades, with pale green stems to keep the look fun but not too outré.

Picnic Party

Mix and match different patterned nail designs—akin to tablecloth and picnic blanket patterns. A fun way to usher in the new season.

Lilac Cat-eye

For those looking for a little shimmer, try a classic cat-eye manicure in a sweet and springy shade.

Baby Blue Blooms

Elevate your baby blue manicure with dainty daisy designs. Use a clear base for your index finger to add a fun edge to the look, finishing with a chic pale blue French tip.

Ladylike Florals

Hand-painted dainty florals create a watercolor effect on nude nails (we love a nude like the Hermès Les Nail Polish in Rose Coquille). It’s still springy and festive but in a subtler way.

Bright Blooms

Groovy, baby! These retro daisies are easy to DIY (you really just need a dotting tool), and the neon yellow center adds a fun pop.

Colorful Aura

Your aura can be whatever color you want it to be this spring (we’re letting the Emilie Heathe Aurora Nail Artist Polish be our guide)—or every color all at once.

Chrome and Pastels

Sweet shades of pastel get an edge when combined with chrome. Opt for a shade like the Aprés Nails Caribbean Sunset for that soft shade.

Artsy Nail Art

Hailey Bieber’s nail artist re-created one of her (many, many) viral manicures on herself. The results are colorful and artistic. To do these designs yourself, you just need the right tools, like a set of nail art brushes.

Faint French

When in doubt, one can always go the French-mani route. Celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik opts for two pink shades (we love something like Chanel’s Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Ballerina for the perfect base) that just barely contrast each other to give Selena Gomez’s mani a subtle coquette touch.

Crystal Clear

Glitter isn’t the only way to show some serious shine. Throwing it back to J.Lo’s appearance at the Super Bowl, Bachik used Swarovski crystals over clear nails that are just super pretty to look at. You can re-create the look with more wallet-friendly options like costume jewels.

Alien Metal

We’re always looking for unique ways to elevate classic French tips. For Camila Cabello, Bachik used chrome finishes against a bare base in Aprés Nails Spring Sigh and Swarovski crystals for added texture.

Holy Ground

Dress up a bubblegum pink nail with gothic cross decals to give your spring nails some edge. Celebrity nail artist Brittney Boyce uses CND’s Kiss From a Rose for the base and tacks on a cross at the center of each nail.

Neon Aura

Call upon happy and good vibes by channeling those aura nails. This mix of orange, neon pink, and lime green (we love the Aprés Nails in Lime Pop) will make anyone smile.

Candy Coded

Chrome nails are striking on their own, but one of the easiest ways to level up is with some 3D nail art. These candy-like shapes in bright neon colors contrast quite nicely against a silver base. We love Zoya’s Nail Lacquer in Trixie if you want to add some shimmer to the look.

Art Inspo

Nail artist Hang Nguyen took inspo from one of the greats: Yayoi Kusama. Replicate Kusama’s iconic polka dots in bright colors, like Chanel’s Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Activiste, for the ultimate spring mani.

Color Splatter

You can’t go wrong with a muted lilac and soft pink (we especially love the Dior Vernis 108 Muget) nail, but the bright red splatter shapes painted on top make a lovely spring mani just a little bit more fun.

Dainty Florals

You don’t need a whole bouquet drawn on your hands to make a statement. Dress up a simple mani with minimal floral designs that will still stand out. Nguyen uses Nails Inc.’s Cobalt Blue from its Summer Street collectsion.

Delicate Daisies

This is the ideal spring nail art for minimalists at heart. Simply grab an acrylic pen like Olive & June’s HD Nail Art Pen (Nguyen writes in her caption that it’s easier to do it this way than using a dotting tool) and draw tiny daisies across each finger. Set against a bare nail and you’ve got a chic flower nail that anyone can replicate on their own.

Mismatched

A mixed bag of designs and colors can make for a magical look. Celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt uses celestial shapes in silver, neon orange, electric blue, and turquoise against a bare nail to give actress Madelyn Cline an out-of-this-world mani that’s simply stunning to look at. Look for a vibrant and fun neon like Mooncat’s Sinking Feeling so it really pops.

Snakeskin

Even if Taylor Swift has yet to drop this particular re-record, it’s never too early to start living out your Reputation era. Ganzorigt gives actress Jenna Dewan a textured mani with this snakeskin design. Top an intricate design with something like Zoya’s Naked Manicure Glossy Seal Top Coat to prolong your manicure and keep it chip-free.

Milk Bath Chrome

Give your pearly chrome manicure a creamy texture and opt for a milky base. Celebrity nail artist Kim Truong mixes a light pink chrome polish from Toy’s x Inity and polishes from PLA’s Fashionably Light collectsion to get that ethereal vibe going.

Pucci French

Springtime calls for the idyllic, colorful print that is Pucci. Truong keeps the signature kaleidoscope of colors on a white tip for a dynamic spin on the French mani. The base is kept bare, which makes for the perfect contrast for the artful tip. We’d use a good base coat like the Nails Inc. Superfood Base Coat to strengthen and nourish your nails, and then buff the natural nail.

Romantic Lace

Lace works for all seasons, but it just feels right at home during spring. For Kerry Washington’s nail look, Truong paints on intricate white lace lines against a neutral-colored base (we love Gucci’s Ellen Blush) before topping it off with floral details.

Cutting Corners

Dare we say, bring back the square tips? Truong makes a strong case for it and goes minimal with thin French tips and daisies peeking out on the corners of each nail for singer Ella Mai. (The baby blue is super pretty; you can use something like Sunday’s N. 17). It also makes for an easy short nail look if you’re not looking to invest in acrylic nails.

Black & White

Not a fan of loud colors for spring? No problem. Take a cue from Truong as she paints on tiny black-and-white floral decals to match the black-and-white French tips for a super-cute nail look. To get those perfect circular petals, use a tool like Manicurist’s Dotting Tool for foolproof application.

Fairy Dust

Bring on the shine. Celebrity nail artist Coca Michelle dresses up French chrome tips with loads of silver shimmer to give nails a cool velvet finish. To get that vibrant glitter, we like something like Essie’s Set in Stone.

Abstract Tips

Using one of spring’s hottest nail colors, Michelle creates a curved striped ombré look that slowly fades into a soft pale pink at the base. Our pick is the Aprés Nails in Sweet Cheeks; it’s so pretty to look at.

Groovy Flowers

These ’70s-inspired flower designs are just so much fun. Go with an eclectic mix of orange flowers with neon pink, electric blue, and light green outlines against a bare nail, which will help you get your groove on this spring. And for all your nail-art needs, use a nail brush like the Doublemoss Arte 2 Detailer Brush to get those intricate petals to really pop.

Geometric Dots

As far as nail art designs go, spring is just calling for us to go all out on dots. Mix and match shades of mustard, turquoise, maroon, green, and yellow to lighten up a neutral nail. (We love a fun deep mustard shade like the Hermès Les Nail Polish in Jaune Imperial.) Plus they’re super easy to DIY, which is always a welcome bonus.

Crystal Energy

Spring cleaning calls for all sorts of cleansing, so why not sweep away the bad vibes with some crystal-inspired nails? Mix pink and white in a marble-like design so that when you hold your actual rose quartz crystal, you’ll feel double the good energy. Use a top coat like the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat to make sure your mani doesn’t chip and sports a glossy finish.

Chrome Texture

You can’t go wrong with colorful chrome shades, and we especially love a bright purple (like Londtown’s BRILL-Ant), green, gold, and silver mix. Celebrity nail artist Eri Ishizu opts for raised shapes and curves for a unique twist.

Preppy Gingham

Spring is pretty synonymous with gingham—and we’re here for it. Go classic with a mix of white and cherry red, like Chanel’s Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour Incendaire.

Spring Garden

You’ll always have us at Saltburn inspired. Celebrity nail artist and Euphoria nail lead Natalie Minerva mixes dreamy pastel nail colors from OPI’s Your Way collectsion and tops each nail with a floral sticker and jewels for added romance.

’60s Mod Half Moons

What Minerva calls “cuffed half moons” is giving us the ultimate ’60s mod nail. Stick to a classic black-and-white combo (we love using Deborah Lippmann’s Fade to Black and Amazing Grace together) on these geometric shapes for something especially striking.

California Dreams

This sunset ombré nail, which mixes orange and purple from OPI’s Big Zodiac Energy collectsion, has a lovely shimmer finish, which can make for a stunning spring nail on its own. But Minerva’s palm tree details just give such a nice added touch, and it’s something that can easily turn into a summer nail if you want it to.

Subtle Accents

Another chic and simple design for minimalists: We love these floral petals peeking out of the corners against a nude nail. It gives the mani a cool, negative-space feel without doing too much in the floral nail department. Be sure to use a good top coat, like Olive & June’s Super Glossy Top Coat, to lock in the designs and add some shine.

Little Cherry Blossom

One can never go wrong with a cherry design. We especially love it against a milk white base (like Orly’s Sea Spray) so that it really pops.

Mocha Mousse Details

Taking inspo from the 2025 Pantone color of the year (which celebrity nail artist Queenie Nguyen predicts will be a huge nail color for 2026), opt to use the mocha mousse shade in fun geometric designs for your spring nail art. Mix in metal decals and French manicure designs for a really unique look. And if you’re looking for a perfect creamy caramel brown, use something like OPI’s Espresso Your Inner Self.

Pink Punk

We’d wear metallic pink all year round. But as another spring nail color to be on the lookout for, it’s the perfect base (we especially love ILNP’s Showstopper) for some nail art for when the weather gets warmer. Add designs like these tiny black hearts for that minimal aesthetic.

Iced Chai Velvet

Bachik’s velvet manicure for J.Lo is just so creamy and smooth. He used his own Tom Bachik Iced Chai Magnetic Gel Pen to get that lovely mix of white and chai with a mesmerizing shimmer finish.

Platinum Shine

This cool texture also doubles as stunning spring nail art. Shiny and striking on its own, a platinum chrome nail makes for a bold statement. Use something like Sally Hansen’s Color Foil in Steal a Kiss to get that metallic finish.

Cloud Nine

Dreamy and whimsical, these cloud nails by Ganzorigt mix the prettiest pastel shades of lavender, pink, and baby blues with a slight chrome finish for a nice added touch. To get the cloud designs, she uses the classic white OPI Alpine Snow.

Hearted Tips

We’re always looking for ways to elevate a French mani. Ganzorigt opts for heart decals made with OPI’s Big Apple Red to line the tip of the nail for the top arch and a glazed doughnut base.

Lunar New Year

These Lunar New Year–inspired nails are true pieces of art. Nguyen uses a bright red polish (our pick is JINSoon’s Ardor) to draw these pretty floral designs all over the nail. She then outlines the outer edges of the nail to really make them pop.

Floating Florals

We love nail stickers to dress up any nail. Nail artist San Sung Kim uses these romantic floral designs from Powpop on top of a deep lavender velvet shade.

Have a beauty or wellness trend you’re curious about? We want to know! Send Vogue’s senior beauty and wellness editor an email at beauty@vogue.com.