The past couple of years have seen plenty of incredible nails. In fact, as a huge nail art fan, I’ve felt most inspired.
The best thing about celebrity manicures is the incredible nail artists behind the looks; they are able to showcase some of the coolest, most covetable designs at any given time for us mere mortals to ask for at the salon (or even attempt ourselves).
In 2022, it’s hard to argue that Hailey Bieber wasn’t the queen of nails. From her glazed doughnut nails (which was not only the nail look of last summer, but of the year FYI) to bold glossy red shades, the Biebs was the mani icon of the past 12 months. And she’s continued to dominate in 2023, too.
But that doesn’t mean others’ looks haven’t shone through; from Rihanna and JLo to Kourtney Kardashian Barker and Camila Cabello, there have been some super cute nail designs I’ll be marching right to the salon with this season.
So, if you’re in need of nail art ideas for the warmer weather? I – and, let’s be honest, a host of A-listers – have the answer…
More nail art inspiration:
- 6 Instagram nail trends you are about to see everywhere this summer
- Festival nail ideas for a summer of singing, dancing and basking in the sun
- Summery nail art designs you’ll be seeing on cool girls everywhere this season
- Margot Robbie loves this low-maintenance mani, here’s how to try it yourself
Hailey Bieber’s popsicle nails
By now, everyone should have learnt that whatever Hailey Bieber does to her nails, the rest of us will be copying shortly after. Enter: popsicle nails, created by nail artist to the stars, Zola Ganzorigt. Sheer, bright and super slick, these nails conjure ideas of, well, ice lollies. This is a nail inspiration you can absolutely run with: try out a rainbow of colours, maybe even a different one on each nail. The only rule here, is to keep the colour bright.
Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s milk bath nails
This incredibly simple yet oh-so chic nail design is winning over fans left, right and centre for its – you guessed it – elegant milky white finish. Kourt recently posted about this manicure (created by @nailsbydiem) on her Instagram Stories, but you can catch a glimpse of the design in her recent feed pics, too. The look sees Kourt’s nails kept short, filed into a manageable short squoval shape, and painted with Manicurist’s Milky White nail polish, £14, for a semi-sheer finish that suits all occasions – even A-list baby gender reveal parties, if these photos are anything to go by.
Sabrina Carpenter’s blueberry milk nails
So, you’ve got the gist of milk bath manicures – now, it’s time to add a little colour to the mix. Much like its milky predecessor, the blueberry spin keeps things simple: neatly filed nails with a creamy polish applied over the top. Except, this time, there’s a hint of soft pastel blue. It’s the perfect way to dip your toe into colourful manicures, and the sky-like colour is ultra summery. This one looks great with a golden glow.
Hailey Bieber’s glazed pool nails
Move over glazed doughnut nails, this summer is all about glazed pool nails. Celebrity nail artist @nailsbyzola recreated Hailey Bieber’s Tiffany-blue chrome-effect manicure by using shade ‘I’m Yacht Leaving’ by OPI with a chrome powder buffed in over the top, and the result is making me want to dive right into the cool blue water.
Halle Bailey’s mermaidcore nails
Disney’s live-action remake of ‘The Little Mermaid’ is finally out, and Mermaidcore beauty — pearls, wet look, gloss, glitter, and green and blue shades, you get the gist — is already trending. Halle Bailey (who plays Ariel, if you didn’t already know) wore the most incredible mani for the premiere, and I reckon everyone will be recreating this otherworldly look for summer.
Hailey Bieber’s glow in the dark nails
Hailey Bieber continues to be one of the biggest trendsetters when it comes to manis. We just can’t get enough of her taste in nail art (see above!), and the set she wore to Coachella is the ultimate festival nail inspo. They might look like your average neon mani, but they actually glowed in the dark. As soon as the sun set on the festival, she was definitely giving major ‘main character energy’.
Camila Cabello’s sunshine nails
Camila Cabello wins the award for the most cheerful manicure, that’s for sure. These bright yellow nails are one way to pick up your mood and manifest some hot weather.
J. Lo’s sparkly French mani
Jennifer Lopez is another celeb who is never caught without a killer manicure. This look, created by Tom Bachik, is a glitzy take on the classic French mani.
Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s cherry nails
Kourtney’s flirty cherry nails, carefully painted by celebrity nail artist Kim Truong, are super cute. Cherry nail art seems to be everywhere right now, and I think this sweet trend is here to stay all summer long.
Rihanna’s 3D flower nails
Rihanna always slays the Met Gala, and this year she wore a stunning custom Valentino wedding dress with an ornate cape decorated with 30 giant camellias. While obviously her outfit was the talk of the town, we couldn’t help but notice her nails. The singer showed off a milky white French mani with delicate 3D camellias (in homage to the Chanel camellia motif, since the theme was ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’) sitting pretty on four out of five fingers.
Zendaya’s soft pink mani
Simple, classy, and neutral, Zendaya’s soft pink mani is perfect for every occasion. Also, I’m obsessed with the fact that her ring has her boyfriend Tom Holland’s initials on them.
Selena Gomez’s pastel skittle nails
Pastels for spring? Groundbreaking. Take Selena’s lead and opt for a playful Skittles-inspired mani on your next trip to the nail salon.
Anne Hathaway’s clear stilettos
Anne Hathaway is on fire with her fashion and beauty looks recently, and I’m loving these clear stiletto nails with a chrome finish. If Cinderella’s glass slippers were nails, they’d look like this.
Hailey Bieber’s glazed doughnut nails
The original and still the best, Hailey Bieber said no to gatekeeping this year and shared her now-iconic nail combo that quickly went viral.
Emma Chamberlain’s sculpted mani
Revered nail artist Betina Goldstein hand painted and sculpted 3D Cavetto Molding for this seriously impressive Met Gala look.
Margot Robbie’s simple monochrome
Branded ‘minimal deliberate chic,’ Tom Bachik used Essie for this under-the-radar, cool girl design on Margot.
Shay Mitchell’s Louboutin look
Nude on top and Louboutin red on the underside, these were the nail equivalent to the eponymous shoe.
Camila Cabello’s galactic look
This dazzling design created by Tom Bachik looks set to be huge well into 2023.
Jennifer Lopez’s wedding mani
Wedding nails, JLo style; these had a touch of sparkle but were still neutral and low-key. Bound to be copied by brides all over.
Jenna Ortega’s shiny pink offering
After Netflix’s Wednesday, it’s safe to say that anything Jenna Ortega does, we want in on. So a pic of this sheeny pink mani will be coming with me to my next appt.
Serena Williams’ glittery tips
A party-perfect look, tips got a sparkly upgrade this year. If you prefer wearing gold jewellery, try it in gold!
Hailey Bieber’s candy cane nails
Another Hailey classic, these glossy red nails were showcased toward the end of 2022. They may not be as viral as the doughnut glaze, but they sure are chic.
Kate Hudson’s goldie luxe design
Chrome powders had their moment in 2022, and Kate Hudson’s beautiful hi-shine bronze was the look to copy.
Watch next:
Eliza’s beauty editor ranks her favourite nail looks of the past year in this TikTok below:
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