Over the last few months, odds are you've spotted a wave of fish-themed trends. From tinned fish home décor to fisherman sandals, summer 2026 has fully embraced the tackle box aesthetic. And the latest marine-inspired trend to make a splash in the beauty world is none other than sardine nails.
Kickstarted by summer-inspired designs, tiny sardines have been popping up on fingertips everywhere. "If you're not on vacation or having a Euro summer, this fun nail trend can bring a hint of the Mediterranean closer to home," says Annabelle Taurua, a beauty expert at Fresha, a booking platform for nail salons. According to the app, searches for the term "sardine nails" have increased by 140 percent over the last three months. And from minimalist accents to detailed ocean floor-esque nail art, there are plenty of ways to get the high-in-omegas design.
Ahead, find the best sardine nail ideas to inspire your next summer manicure.
Sardine Nail Inspo
Pearly Fins
I went to the South of France this summer and sported a pearly fish manicure (pictured above) that was truly a work of art in itself. My nail tech started with a milky base before meticulously painting on detailed fish and clam shell motifs (you can choose any of your favorite sea creatures), then she used builder gel on the remaining nails to create an opalescent finish. The final touch was tiny pearls that pulled the entire manicure together for a set that looked as stunning as the Côte d’Azur coastline—it was truly tragic when I had to get them removed.
Euro Summer-Inspired
A Euro summer manicure complete with your favorite summertime produce, beach towel-esque stripes, and Amalfi-inspired patterns is the ultimate way to lean into the sardine trend. “Whimsical nail art combining green olives, lemons, and tomatoes has been popping up all over social media, showing inspiration from coastal cafes and oceanfront restaurants,” explains Taurua.
Silver Swimmers
“Most people jumping on the trend go for a minimalist milky or neutral base manicure with playful silver fish,” explains Taurua. For the true brine lovers, you can add a few tiny olives to your nails for a salty look that pairs perfectly with some tinned fish, a charcuterie board, and dirty martinis by the sea—aka my ideal girl dinner.
Color Bait
Colorful mix-and-match sardine tips look like the kind of coastal souvenir you’d bring home from a beach vacation. Choose your favorite bold and bright color combos to give the tiny fish a faux-bait feel—I especially love the look of a different polish on every single finger.
Meet the Expert
Annabelle Taurua is a beauty expert at Fresha, a top-rated booking platform for nail salons.
Why Trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers everything from the latest polish launches to the nail trends taking over social media.
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.
