You’ve probably seen a lot of seasonal color analyses if you’ve recently been to Instagram or TikTok. Finding the ideal hair color for your skin tone and which colors go well with your clothes are the main topics of many of these popular films. We couldn’t help but ask, though, because we enjoy manicures: What about our nails?
To find the most beautiful nail designs in the summer color palette, we consulted two seasonal color experts with summer 2025 in mind, and wow, they were spot on.
Why Is Seasonal Color Analysis Trending?
First, though, why are people first using their color palettes when they dress and accessorize? “When you dress and accessorize with your personal color palette in mind, you save time, energy, and money, but most importantly, you feel more confident and more yourself,” Lucia Wang, a stylist at House of Color, explains. “Color analysis is so empowering because it’s not a fashion trend pushing you to be like someone else; it works with your natural features.”
Lindsey Myers, CEO of Created Colorful and a color analyst, concurs. “People may assume that ‘wearing your palette’ is all about the colors, when in fact, your best colors will make you the main attraction,” she says. “Wearing colors that harmonize with your skin’s undertones is like matching a treasured painting to the perfect frame: The colors will draw out the nuances of your unique features—the yellow sunburst in your eye, the subtle caramel hint to your hair—and give them space to shine.”
How Do I Know If I’m a Summer?
Wang claims that persons with summer palettes typically have reduced contrast, cool undertones, and a soft, muted appearance by nature. She advises looking to the sea and its environs to find the colors that create such beauty. “When I look at summer colors, I think of coastal landscapes, watercolors, and the gentle light at dusk,” she says. “The most flattering colors for summers are delicate, cool-toned, and often have a touch of gray or softness to them.”
However, that is only the beginning. Discover the 14 nail polish hues that experts say complement people with summery color schemes.
1. Sultry Reds
For summers, sultry red polish might seem unexpected, but bear with us. As Myers acknowledges, “Reds can be tricky for summers,” “Reds can stand out in a way that some could characterize as ‘clownish’ if they are warm or brilliant. Summertime reds that are sensuous and raspberry-adjacent are the greatest.
Dark cherry colors also work. “Cherry is the red that all summers stun in,” Wang explains. “In the summer, cherry red creates a stunning contrast. It’s chilly, blue-based, and not overly bright or deep.”
2. Mauve
If you prefer lighter, more neutral nail looks, mauve works beautifully for summers. “A summer has never met a mauve that didn’t look good on them,” Myers exclaims. “While any mauve will do, [OPI’s] Simply Radishing is a great summer palette option that’s cozy enough for fall.”
3. Rose Brown
Even more neutral, we offer rose brown nail paint. “Brown is often seen as a warm color, but cool browns do exist, and they are so flattering on summers,” according to Wang. “Rose brown is cool, dusty, and almost a little pink, which harmonizes nicely with the naturally grayish pink tones in the skin.”
While Wang believes rose brown is a fantastic summer color, Myers prefers it for summers in the fall. “When fall rolls around, many summers crave the coziness of a brown, yet many browns lean too warm and make their hands go a bit orange,” she tells me. “Olive & June Patron of the Arts is a plum-brown hybrid that gives all the cozy of autumn while still looking amazing on summers.”
4. Pastel Rose
Pastel rose has joined the conversation, taking a lighter and more demure tone. “Summers get all the softest, most elegant hues of pink, and pastel rose is a standout,” Wang tells me. “It’s like a shy blush or ballerina slippers, bringing out the natural flush in summers.”
5. Hot Magenta
A pleasant summer manicure color for the summer? Hot magenta! “For the summer who craves a hot pink, I’d recommend Olive & June Wild Orchid,” according to Myers. “Although it’s technically a winter [palette] color, its medium depth and cool undertones make it a great branch-out color for summers who don’t love a dusty finish.”
6. Light Yellow
Moving straight along in rainbow order, the following color is pale yellow nail paint. “The elusive summer yellow calls to mind a faded highlighter; it’s citrusy, light, and has no golden hue,” adds Myers. “Le Mini Macaron Chamomile is a fresh, light yellow that fits the bill and is begging to be paired with a sundress.”
7. Cool Greens
As fashionable as grass green and matcha nail colors are right now, Myers and Wang believe that cool, cucumber, and sea green tints are ideal for the summer. “It can be hard for summers to find a lighter ‘happy’ green shade for the warm weather that doesn’t fall into the pastel, warm, or neon categories,” Myers tells me. “Olive & June Cucumber Sandwich is a refreshing cool green that feels pool party ready.”
Overall, Wang says to look for cool-toned greens with “a soft, misty quality.”
8. Powder Blue
If you like the notion of a faint wash of color on your nails but prefer blues over pinks and yellows, powder blue is the way to go this summer. “Powder blue is the softest, most gentle whisper of blue, like the peaceful feeling of an overcast sky giving way to sunshine and the blue sky,” according to Wang. “Unlike brighter blues, powder blue complements rather than overpowers characteristics. “It’s subtle and ethereal.”
9. Cornflower Blue
Going a little brighter, cornflower blue will pop in the summer. “A little more vibrant than powder blue, but still soft around the edges, cornflower blue adds liveliness while still staying true to the soft and dreamy colors of summer,” according to Wang.
10. Denim Blue
When it comes to dustier colors, Myers recommends denim blue for the summer. “It’s bold without becoming the star of the show,” she says, praising Olive & June CNH along the way. However, she agrees that summer palettes can incorporate a variety of blues, ranging from baby blue and dusty to navy.
