As a manicure-obsessed beauty editor, there’s no better feeling than getting that last moody, cold-weather nail color removed and swapping it out for a fresh spring polish or floral design. And as the gloomy March weather begins to turn and the warm weather approaches, it’s finally that time of year.
And lucky for us, there are so many chic and playful spring nail trends to try out for your upcoming manicures. From elevated French tips to techniques like watercolor nails, there’s no shortage of April inspiration. And, as I do at the start of every month, I rounded up all the best spring nail ideas from the top celebrity manicurists and top-tier salons to help my fellow nail-loving Cosmo readers for their next appointment.
Keep scrolling for all the best April nail ideas to welcome the warm months ahead.
Floral Decal Nails
Okay, insert Devil Wears Prada florals for spring quote, but florals truly never go out of style! And this version (beloved by my nail muse Dua Lipa, might I add) is a modern take on a botanical nail, with bubbly flowers dotting each finger.
Watercolor Nails
Dubbed watercolor nails by manicurists, this colorful trend takes a spring-ready polishes and creates a stained finish by blending them all together on a sponge, then applying them to the nail.
Striped Nails
Striped nails were a major nail trend during the fall months, and now we’re translating the design into some bright and playful colors for April. There’s no wrong way to recreate this trend, but I especially love the milky base topped off with various-sized stripes.
Pastel Plaid Nails
Match your April manicure to your pretty spring wardrobe with a pastel plaid pattern. You can even combine it with nail trends like chrome finishes or alternating French designs to spice it up.
Detailed Floral Nails
I wish I had the skills for nail art that’s fit for a museum, but I’ll have to leave it to the professional manicurists for this trend. The detailed design is ideal for florals, and I love seeing every petal and stem beautifully painted.
Invisible French Nails
Zoë Kravitz rocked these naked French nails recently, and they create a gorgeous, clean look. It leaves behind the defined French tip and let’s your natural nail shine (literally, thanks to a glassy top coat).
Multicolor French Nails
A deep French tip and a colorful polish make such a cute combo for spring. Just choose your fave shades, you can even go for ten different hues—one for each finger.
Animal Print French Tips
Another elevated take on classic French, there’s something so cool about an animal print topping off a nude base. Whether you go for zebra, leopard, snakeskin, or whatever your animal of choice may be, this creates a bold and unique take on both nail trends.
Airbrush Nail Art
Every year, airbrush nails come back around to create floral and animal print nails that are perfectly fit for spring. Whether you want tortoise French tips or a single-finger design, there are endless ways to go about the Airbrush technique.
Two-Toned French Tips
If you want something a bit more funky than a typical pink and white French nail, a two-toned pattern is a fun alternative. Just pick two contrasting hues to achieve this bright and non-basic manicure (that’s still really simple to DIY).
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.
