At the ripe age of 9 years old, purple, naturally, became my favorite color—partly because I was a Belieber, and partly because I had an older sister. Justin Bieber’s ‘My World’ tour circa 2011 was practically a rite of passage for tween girls. Purple hoodies, purple merch, purple bedroom accessories; if something came in lilac, lavender, or violet, there was a very good chance I wanted it. On the sibling front, color assignment wasn’t really a choice. As I’m sure many can relate, my sister was the decision-maker; she was pink; I was purple. And as far as we were both concerned, this was a non-negotiable.
Now, while the fangirling and forced sibling compliance fizzled, my love for purple remained—and thankfully, it’s one of the most versatile shades on the color spectrum, especially when it comes to summer nails. On one end, you’ve got barely-there lavender, and on the other, ube, blackberry, and plum shades. And beyond shades, don’t forget, your mani can be customized with a variety of designs and finishes. From marble patterns to glossy chrome finishes, there’s a purple nail idea for everyone.
Ahead, you’ll find the chicest purple manicure inspiration to screenshot before your next salon appointment.
Best purple nail inspo
Muted Lilac
Eggplant Purple
Striped French
Lilac Chrome
Purple Marble
Purple Aura
Polka Dots
Lavender Milk
Lilac French
Lavender Shimmer
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
