No matter the time of year, pastel nail ideas provide inspo well beyond spring and summer. With manicure trends like soap nails and milk bath nails taking over the past year—plus colours like lavender milk and butter yellow reigning supreme in recent months with stars like Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber—wearing pastel nails isn’t just chic, it’s a celeb-approved trend.
Pastel nails are a great way to ease into colour. If you aren’t into brighter shades, trying a more muted, milky, pastel version lets you experiment without committing to a neon, highlighter-like manicure.
Whether you want to play around with a pastel floral nail design or an ombré pastel manicure, there are plenty of ways to wear the trend. And the best part? These designs and colours can be worn on short or long nails. Talk about versatile.
What are popular pastel nail colours?
Milky shades like lavender or lilac, baby pink, butter yellow, mint green, baby blue, and peachy coral are popular for Spring 2026 but choose a colour that you love and that complements your skin tone nicely. If you have a cooler skin tone, consider wearing cooler pastel shades like pink and lilac. Warmer skin tones can lean into peach or apricot shades.
How to achieve pastel gradient nails
Good news: Creating ombré or gradient nails can be done either professionally or at home. If you’re heading to the salon, your nail artist will likely create the ombré design using an airbrush machine, gently spraying and blending the darker colour atop the lighter one. DIY fans, a beginner-friendly way to create this look is by painting the gradient of colours onto a nail sponge, then turning it over and gently stamping it onto your nail. No matter what, make sure to finish with a glossy or matte topcoat to keep the mani looking sharp longer.
How to mix pastel nail polish colours
If you have a bright nail polish colour that you want to turn into a pastel at home, simply paint some of the colour onto a metal mixing palette or silicone mat, add some white polish to that, and mix it together for a more muted, milkier shade.
Pastel nail inspiration
Ahead, our 14 favourite pastel nail ideas to give you some major inspo for your next nail appointment:
Pastel tips
A modern twist on the classic French manicure, pastel tips add just a touch of colour on the tips of each nail, keeping things simple and versatile.
