Sunshine Nails: The Trend Brightening Your Next Manicure

There's no better feeling than a fresh manicure. And this summer, you can match the sweet summer sun with yellow-inspired sunshine nails. That's right: Yellow pastels, lemon, French yellow tips, and essentially anything yellow is the "it girl" manicure of summer 2023, and we suspect it will be a fan-favorite all year round.

We've all heard of Hailey Bieber's famous glazed donut nails. Now, according to Hello! Magazine, after Bieber was seen sporting yellow nails on her Instagram in March, those who were mesmerized by such beauty (who wouldn't be?) took to Google, with the search "yellow gel nails" spiking over 120% in the days that followed. The trend seems to be carrying over from spring to summer 2023 due to its colorful nature and symbolism for the happiness we get from that sunshiny Vitamin D. 

So, it's only fitting that we sport different hues of yellow nail polish all summer long to keep up the cheerful mood. Even if bold nail colors are not your thing, there's a variation of this trend for everyone ranging from barely there pastels to subtle abstract lines. Get yourself and your nails ready to soak up the sun this summer.

Nothing gives off a fresh summer vibe quite like some zesty lemons on your fresh manicure. If you want something subtle yet playful, then nail art featuring some tiny lemons is the way to go for your next nail look. You can add them against a white or nude nail polish base or play around with different shades of yellow. Add a little green in there for the leaves, and you're good to go.

Chrome nails have been trending for quite some time now, and we have the latest scoop on them — yellow chrome is totally in! You can now take your sun-inspired manicure to the next level by dipping your yellow nails in shimmery white or silver chrome. This frosted lemonade look perfectly balances cool and warm colors that will complement your nails.

Celebrate the bright sunny days of summer with neon French nails that will bring warmth wherever you go. This modern version of a classic French manicure is eye-catching and vibrant and looks stunning on oval or coffin-shaped nails. For a glamorous look, start off with a pinkish nude base color and then paint the tips with neon yellow polish.

It's impossible not to smile each time you look at smiley faces on your nails this summer. After applying your nude base, you can use a thin brush to dip into black polish to create dots for the eyes and a thin smile. Then, outline this smile with a yellow circle, and your smiley face is all done. If you want to make things easier, reach for some smiley face nail stickers and stick them on your nails to give them an instant makeover.

What better way to showcase the beauty of summer than embracing the sunny spirit of sunflowers with this bright and cheerful nail design? Whether you are attending a garden party, enjoying a scenic walk in the park, or on vacation, these sunflower nails will undoubtedly blossom your style and add a touch of cheer to your day. You can even add green leaves to the mixture or paint alternate nails that don't have the sunflower design a green color for balance and cohesion. 

Ombré nails are an intricate design that is typically created by mixing a lighter shade near the cuticle of the nail and a darker shade towards the top (or vice versa). This look can give the illusion of longer nails, and adding yellow to the mixture only makes things more fun. A yellow ombré nail design is the perfect balance between natural and bold nails that gives you a hint of summer playfulness. Of course, you can add rhinestones or glitter to the look to make them stand out.

If you've ever seen a summer sunset, you know that they are truly magical. This summer, you can match the picturesque sunsets by coordinating your nail colors with them. This means a pretty mix of lots of pinks and oranges — and of course, yellow — to complement the sky. You can even add some nail art, like a golden sun design, into the mix to take the manicure to the next level.

If you're attending a summer wedding or just need an excuse to break out a glamorous nail look, then elevate that yellow with a touch of gold for a glittery gold look. With gold being a hot commodity this summer, you can take golden hour to the next level with a gold French mani. The good news is that this nail look also looks perfect on both short and long nails. Whichever way you decide to go, just pair it with a nude or soft peach base so that the gold color on your tips can truly shine.

Your nails typically have a crescent-shaped area near the start of your nail bed that resembles a half-moon. The half-moon manicure trend is the "first nail design ever created," according to Beyond Polish, with the trend dating back to its origins in the 1920s when going "glove-less" and sporting this natural nail design became a hit. You can add a modern edge to this vintage look by having bright colors like yellow as the half-moon against an otherwise nude or white nail color.

There's a reason abstract lines are a big hit — they're fresh and clean and have a little extra edge to elevate your basic French manicure. Plus, trippy bright colors like yellow, red, or orange can really liven up your nail look. You can go for some curved lines or attempt a neat manicure with a straight line down the middle of your nails to help color-block different nail polish shades.

If you're looking for an alternative yellow color, then look no further than mustard yellow for your next manicure. Mustard yellow has been popular for quite some time now due to the freshness and edge that it brings. This hue could make a sophisticated addition to your French manicure this summer and is even perfect for transitioning to the fall and winter seasons.

Flamin' hot nails are the ultimate cool-girl nails that you can rock this summer. Simply add some yellow flame nail art to make your nails pop. You can go with a neon yellow to make the flames stand out or even outline the flames in a complementary color like orange to make them extra fiery. Typically, a white or nude base will help the flames shine on their own.

Get groovy with some wavy nail art! Pick your favorite two or three shades of yellow and swirl them around your nails for a fun look. You can have the waves only in yellow or combine the design with other pops of color to create a unique design.

Name a better way to tap into your inner child than sporting some cute bumble bees on your nails. If you're too afraid to display the creatures in full size, try a microscopic version of bumble bees that features tiny bees surrounded by flowers. You can also alternate your base nail color to feature both black and yellow in addition to the bumble bee nail art or paint the tiny insects against a nude base.

Why limit yourself to a single shade of yellow when mixing two different nail colors is an option? Two-toned nails are all the hype this year, and we can see why. The unique nail look differs from the traditional ombré style in that it defies the gradual dark-to-light concept and instead utilizes two nail colors that are in the same color spectrum. This is a great option if you can't seem to pick between two shades at the salon. This way, you can feature a funky color combination like yellow and orange that glistens under the summer sun.