Get all the best bright summer nail ideas here. The list includes a great seasonal hue for every color of the rainbow. They’ll make your nails dazzle on lazy, hazy days, beach reading in the sun, and other fun adventures. Find your perfect shade below!
New customers can use my code OJJULIANNEB20 for 20% off your purchase of any Olive & June system.
7 Bright Summer Nail Ideas That Are Trendy
This year, Olive & June released their nautical-themed “Ahoy, Manis!” summer nail polish collection, and it’s giving me Elin Hilderbrand beach read vibes!
This collection looks straight out of Nantucket, which I love to visit nearly every summer. It matches perfectly with white, navy, and seersucker—the “neutrals” of summer!
Orange and Pinks
- I’ll Take Another Spritz: an iridescent orange that’s extra fun because it sparkles
- Saltwater Taffy: a jelly bubblegum pink that is somehow both soft and bright at the same time
- Maine Character Energy: (my top pick) It’s called a “lobster red” but it wears more like a bold and bright pink. It’s the perfect beach nail color and a great shade for pedicures too.
Green and Blues
- All Manis on Deck: It’s called a “tropical turquoise,” but it pulls a bit green and minty on. (My husband said this was his favorite shade of the whole collection on me!)
- Shades of Seersucker: a very light, yet creamy version of a periwinkle blue
- ACK, a Shark!: a “nautical navy” that truly works as a darker summer nail color
Sparkle Topper
- Gold Drops: These sheer gold sparkles subtly give every shade you top with them a warm, sunkissed tone for summer. I’m not always a fan of toppers, but since I look better in warm tones, I adore this topper, especially to warm up the cooler tones on my skin.
New customers can use my code OJJULIANNEB20 for 20% off your purchase of any Olive & June system, like the one below.
You can get all the above summer nail ideas as part of a set, along with other beach bag essentials, like cuticle serum to stay hydrated.
Olive & June’s summer manicure system contains all the tools you need to achieve a salon-quality look and feel at home, as well as a nautical pouch to tote to the pool or beach.
(Learn more in my Olive & June Mani System review and my Olive & June Pedi System review.)
8 More Cute and Simple Summer Nail Ideas
If you’re looking for even more summer nail colors, I’ve got you covered! As an Olive & June ambassador, I’ve tested 100+ shades over the past several years. I definitely have my favorite summer nail color ideas from summer seasons of the past that still wear well today.
Summer Lifestyle Tips: Take the summer reading challenge and pair them with these summer books or summer romance novels for a fabulous day of summer self-care!
Left Column
- Field Day: The juiciest watermelon red that is perfectly muted and warmed up for the season. It reminds me of Nantucket red.
- Counselor in Training: A peppy cantaloupe orange that is the exact shade of melon.
- Bright and Focused: A beaming yellow that’s beautifully bright, yet also doesn’t give off a neon look
- Grateful and Kind: A “pure pink” that comes off somewhat muted. I think it looks best with the popular Olive & June pink goldfish topper, which makes it shimmer and shine.
Right Column
- Flowerpot: A burnt orange terracotta that is the exact shade of a pot, as well as the late summer sun, for those who want something bold but not too bright.
- Pen Pal: A “bubblegum pink” that pulls a bit more salmon in person. It’s one of my favorite pinks because it can work with cool and warm-toned outfits.
- Bocce Ball: A fresh grassy green that pulls a bit cool yet still perfectly captures fresh-cut grass.
- How Do You Spell Bougainvillea: A hot magenta that offers a very floral shade of purple for summer.
Why You’ll Love Olive & June Nail Polish
Olive & June is known for their SUPER long-lasting nail polish (along with their bestselling top coat). You can achieve a salon-quality manicure at home for a fraction of the cost.
I started using Olive & June’s mani system and Olive & June’s press-on system when COVID hit, and I never went back to the salon again.
Now, I dive into my kits every Friday night at exactly 5 p.m. with an audiobook and a glass of wine.
Olive & June also boasts the following accolades:
- vegan products
- cruelty-free products
- non-toxic products
- Press on nails from 94% post-consumer recycled materials and non-damaging glue
- Allure Best of Beauty winner (cuticle serum and nail polish remover pot)
- woman-owned business
Recap
This refreshing palette of bright summer nail ideas embraces a trendy nautical theme with navy blues and preppy pinks. They also include tried and true fresh oranges, sunny yellows, and more for lazy, hazy days. Celebrate the season of sun and sand with these nail polish choices!
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New customers can save 20% off Olive & June systems with code OJJULIANNEB20.
