Halo nails are trending for summer: 9 expensive-looking ideas for an elegant manicure upgrade
Nail art, but make it wearable...
Manicure trends are in endless supply this season – and we’re not mad about it. Glossy corals came first, followed by pearl nails and fifty shades of blue. Now? Sophisticated takes on nail art are leading the pack.
If you’re a minimalist, don’t panic. Modern nail art is giving traditionally intricate designs and bolder-than-bold finishes a softer, more luxurious update; the result is not only extremely wearable but balances ‘polished’ with ‘playful’. Halo nails – first popularised by the It Girl herself, Dua Lipa, last year – are the perfect example, and they’re making a swift comeback for summer 2026.
What are halo nails?
According to Daisy Kalnina, founder of The GelBottle Inc, you can think of ‘halo nails’ as the lovechild of a French manicure and a half-moon or reverse French. “There’s a curved arc of colour following the cuticle at the base, mirrored by a matching tip at the free edge, with a contrasting centre in-between."
As this creates a neat oval frame of colour around the nail, the result is a subtle ‘halo’ effect.
Why are they trending for summer?
Kalnina notes that the halo technique has been a favourite within the nail industry for a while, but it was Lipa’s influence that pushed it back into the spotlight. ‘It’s the sweet spot between minimalist and maximalist,’ she adds. ‘It’s more considered than a block colour, more playful than simple French tips but also less chaotic than full-on nail art.'
Visually, ‘the contrast between a cool, sheer centre and a vivid halo’ is known to naturally elongate the fingers and flatter all skin tones, says Kalnina – as it ‘catches the light in the way that sun-kissed skin does’.
And when holidays and hectic summer schedules make a case for low-maintenance manicures which stretch time between nail appointments, halo nails are even more appealing. By concentrating colour around the outer edges and cuffs of the nails, growth looks almost invisible.
What are some elegant ways to wear them?
Consider nailing two trends in one (pun, slightly intended); Kalnina names coral halos around sheer nude centres, cobalt and soft, sky blues as some of her favourite ways to wear halo nails during summer. Other suggestions include lavender or lemon yellow hues – or a pearlescent, glazed halo over a milky base, if you prefer something simpler, but still luminous and effortlessly polished.“
Summer is about light and contrast, and halo nails deliver both,” says Kalnina. “For a next-level finish, opt for the trending cat-eye halos. The magnetic pigment shifts and catches the light differently at every angle, so the frame around the nail almost glows."
Featuring all of the above, and more, read on for 9 of the chicest halo nail ideas to bookmark now.
Pink aura
Glossy pink nails rarely fail to flatter. For proof? See exhibit A: this diffused hot pink aura gradient, topped with an ultra high-shine top coat.
Chrome accents
If you'd prefer to keep things simpler still, micro chrome accents might be for you. Skimming only the outer edges of the nail, from tip to cuff, this reflective silver design is as wearable as it is edgy.
Blue mood
When an airbrushed halo effect meets a mesmerising sky blue blend, the result is bound to attract compliments, wherever you go.
Futuristic gradients
Do mismatched nails get cooler than this? Seems unlikely. Something about this collage of sunset orange, navy blue and milky off-whites feels like next-level nail inspiration sent back from the future.
Gems on gems
Have we mentioned that halo nails have range? If airbrushed and aura effects aren't to your taste, gems might just be. Take inspiration from these tiny silver pearls.
Cat-eye chrome
'Sophisticated' doesn't have to mean 'simple'! Opt for a magnetic cat-eye finish for dimension, with a statement-making chrome trim.
Blue on brown
If blue and brown colour combos are dominating homeware, the same can be said for manicures. Keep things refined by pairing it with simple, softly rounded shapes.
Pretty pearl
Beach-inspired sets are only too fitting for summer, so I'm bookmarking this gorgeous mix of striking gold chrome and an iridescent cream centre.
Gothic green
Green for summer, but not as you know it. Vampy, gothic-inspired colours which are usually reserved for colder months feel chic and elegant in a grown-up way, as seen here.
Beauty Assistant Urmi works across Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, Red and Prima.
She fell into the world of beauty following a Masters in Magazine Journalism, and has been knee-deep in maximalist makeup, seasonal nail trends, and skincare myth-busting ever since. Both in and outside the office, she is best recognised by her signature red hair and elaborate set of acrylics.
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