As much as it physically pains me to admit, we've officially hit the latter half of summer. Last week I saw someone hanging up their fall decorations, and it sent a genuine shiver down my spine. While scarecrows in August might be excessive, there's a particular kind of panic that sets in once you know the days of warm weather are numbered—and it feels especially panicked when it comes to your summer beauty regimen.
Come September, we all drift towards the routine of neutral manicures and moody polishes. So, the final stretch of summer is exactly the time to squeeze in those bright and playful shades before they start to feel out of season. If you’re in need of inspiration for your last couple of August appointments, I tapped three nail artists for all their professional insight on their favorite end-of-summer manicure trends.
Keep reading for the best nail colors to try in late August through September.
Jelly Everything
“Honestly, any color in a jelly finish is my favorite thing right now for end-of-summer nails,” celebrity nail artist John Avery tells me. “Jelly is the best way to do a pop of color—it makes even a bright shade feel grown-up because you get the boldness without it looking like a kid’s manicure.” Eunice Park, brand director at Aprés Nail, adds that “everyone loves a juicy, wet look, so we’ve really been leaning into jellies.”
Glossy Turquoise
“The color of the summer has easily been that Tiffany blue teal shade,” says Park. “It’s had such a long lifespan over the last few months, and I’ve seen this trend continuing well into August.” I even have a turquoise manicure as I type this very sentence, and it’s been such an uplifting and playful shade (not to mention, I’ve garnered tons of compliments on my nails over the last week).
Coca-Cola Red
Peak summer was all about tomato hues (à la Kylie Jenner’s viral mani-pedi). Now, as we move into that transitional phase, try opting for a Coca-Cola red. “This shade is the one color that never has a bad season,” Avery explains. “It’s the little black dress of nail color—glossy, classic, chic.”
Coconut Milk
Anne Hathaway was spotted wearing coconut jelly nails this past weekend, and it’s been a trending manicure since the moment she stepped out with it. Her nail artist Tom Bachik told Cosmo that the semi-opaque finish is “Fresh, clean, and interesting for summer.” The exact shade he used on the actress is Essie’s Arctic Jelly.
Warm Amber
“Much richer colors have been coming through this summer,” says Park. And “for clients who prefer a neutral nail, I’m pushing them further into warm tones like warm amber and caramel,” explains Avery. “Rather than a flat opaque color, I love this in a sheer, jelly-like finish.”
Meet the Experts
- John Avery is a Miami-based celebrity nail artist. His clients include Alix Earle, Camila Cabello, Paige DeSorbo, and more.
- Tom Bachik is a celebrity nail artist. His clients include Anne Hathaway, Selena Gomez, and more.
- Eunice Park is a nail artist and the Brand Director at Aprés Nails.
Why Trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmo who covers all things nails—from the biggest manicure trends to new polish launches. For this story, she tapped three nail experts for all their insight on late summer polishes.
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.
