Summer ombré nails are among the easiest DIY manicures. Here, find 20 summer ombré nail ideas to experiment with in the weeks and months to come.

Summer is the season of bright colors and endless fun. Once upon a time, it was also the season of transition from one life stage to the next—and in a way, it still is. To pay homage to the special season, consider getting crafty with your nail art. Sure, you can never go wrong with bright colors and nail stickers but another option is to rock an ombré.

Meet the expert

• Erica Hipp is a Brooklyn-based nail artist represented by Nailing Hollywood.
• Rachel Joseph is a celebrity manicurist represented by Nailing Hollywood.

The color-changing nature of the manicure makes for a creative ode to the season, and believe it or not, it's a surprisingly simple nail look to recreate. To prove it, we rounded up 20 summer ombré nail looks you'll most definitely want to add to your summer bucket list. Check them out below.

Bubblegum Pink

Manicurist Erica Hipp reveals the trick to perfect a summer ombré nail look at home. “To achieve a seamless ombré look with regular polish, it’s best to use a sheer color such as Essie Gel Couture ($13) in the shade Fairy Tailor or Sheer Fantasy, a more opaque color, and a makeup sponge,” she shares. “After applying a layer of sheer base, paint the sheer and the opaque color onto the sponge, blot on a piece of paper, and then sponge onto the nail.” Depending on how opaque you want your ombré to be, you can work in layers to build up the coverage. “It’s best to work in layers, and it’s easier to blend lighter colors,” Hipp explains. “If the result is a bit patchy, paint another layer of sheer or shimmer on top to blend.”

Sunshine

Create a bright and sunny mani by fading a creamy yellow base into an orange tip. Start by painting the bottom half of the nail yellow and the tip orange. Then, apply the orange to a makeup sponge and pat it on the line of demarcation to buff out the line and create the gradient effect.

Sheer Peach

If you find the ombré nail technique a bit too difficult, try using jelly nail polishes. “An easier way to achieve the ombré effect without a sponge is to use jelly colors,” Hipp says. “For this method, you paint a lighter sheer or jelly near the cuticle and while it’s wet, blend another jelly color into it and paint the tip of the nail.” For this nail look, Hipp used Cirque Colors Nail Polish ($13) in the shades Saffron Jelly and Odette.

Checker Sunset

Ombré manicures tend to be in a horizontal striped format but here’s proof that the shade-shifting effect works in cloudier applications, too. It was created using Jessie Monroe Nailcare’s Bubble Gum, Sharing Locations, and Sweet Tart ($11 each).

Mint Nude

We love the look of this zesty summer ombré nail look. It’s the perfect subtle statement for folks who prefer neutral manis but want to get in on the fun seasonal shades. The exact polishes used to create this nail look are CND’s Keep an Opal Mind and Mint & Meditation ($16 each).

Coquette Glitter

An even easier way to create ombré manicures at home is with colored glitter nail polish or loose glitter. “The easiest way to create an ombré effect is to dab glitter on top of a sheer,” Hipp says. “This look is great for beginners and has a very beautiful result.” She created this short ombré mani using essie Gel Couture in the shades Sheer Fantasy and A Cut Above ($10).

Ombré Pigment Nails

Meanwhile, if you’ve really honed your DIY mani skills, you can always take a more professional, involved ombré approach. “My favorite way to do ombré nails is using pigments,” says celebrity manicurist Rachel Joseph, noting that she specifically prefers pigments from Function of Vex—and that she advises against airbrushing. “They are so easy to use, and most importantly, they are safe for your health. To apply to pigments, you need first to paint a coat of matte gel polish and cure. The pigments stick really well to the matte polish, so this is necessary. Then, apply using a fluffy or flat pigment nail brush.”

Lime Smiley

For an electric summer mani, try this two-tone lime number. You can DIY it with Cirque Colors Nail Polish in the shades Electric Daisy and Kushy ($13 each), topped off with the Deco Beauty gold smiley stickers, found in the Sunny Side Up pack ($10).

Blue-and-Green French Tips

Shades of blue and green are a cool-toned hit for summer. For this look, you’ll need Cirque Colors Nail Polish ($13) in the shade Sky High, plus a lime polish of your choosing.

Coastal Cornflower

Craving a subtle summery shift? Opt for an ultra-pale blue shift with white nail art. It's a color combo that makes for a pretty coastal-coded mani.

Hot Pink

It might not be the summer of Barbie but we do now know that there's an Elle Woods series coming to Amazon Prime sometime in the future, so a hot pink ombré mani is a no-brainer. This one was created with a discontinued thermal polish from Cirque Colors but it can easily be DIYed with a light and hot pink polish.

Super Subtle Lavender Shift

Ombré nails don’t have to be super bright and bold. Sometimes even a super subtle shift can be gorgeous. Just look at this lavender fade with lime negative space French tips.

Mango Fade

Meanwhile, if you prefer to go bold, take a peek at this vivid tri-color fade. It was created using OPI Nail Lacquer ($9) in the shades Flex on the Beach, Stay Out All Bright, Summer Monday-Friday, and I’m Yacht Leaving.

Rose Shimmer

As if a pink ombré isn’t pretty enough on its own, consider adding a little shimmer to the mix. You can DIY this pretty-in-pink summer ombré using the Cirque Colors Nail Polish ($15) in the shades Hot Gossip and Pinky’s Up.

Matte Coral Fade

Ombré nail looks are gorgeous in all finishes, matte included. You can see that coral and nude polish blend pretty seamlessly together, too.

Berry Ombré

Is it just us or do these rich berry-tinted ombré nails resemble summer fun in more ways than one. We're seeing cherry pie, blackberry cobbler, and Fourth of July fun in manicure format.

Opalescent Ombré

Excuse us while we fawn over these gorgeous pearlescent nails. They were created using Gelcare UV Gel Nail Polish ($20) in the shades South Sea Pearl, Kasumi Pearl, Lavender Pearl, and Primrose Pearl.

Brown Tips

These creamy brown ombré nails remind us of summery toasted s’mores and toasted coconut treats. Bring them to life with neutral nail polish, like the Lights Lacquer YNBB 3 Sheers Bundle ($60).

Head-Turning Tie-Dye

Another way to create an ombré nail look is to simply swirl colors together at the fold. (Dotting tools help with this but a toothpick works, too.) The manicurist did just that here, using the Orly Melting Point Summer 2024 Collection ($66).

Fire Ombré Fade

Red and orange? A classic hot summer combo. DIY the look using Cirque Colors Nail Polish in the shades Pele and Bird of Paradise ($15 each). And remember: No matter your nail art, the easiest way to make your mani look picture-perfect is with proper nail and hand care. To give your fingers and hands the TLC they deserve, stock up on the Paume Hand Care Essentials Bundle ($150). It comes with the brand’s Moisturizing Antibacterial Hand Gel, Probiotic Hand Balm, All-in-One Cuticle & Nail Cream, Exfoliating Hand Wash, Overnight Hand Hydration Mask, Organic Cotton Overnight Restoration Gloves, and a Hand & Nail Brush. Trust us, it’s a hand care set you’ll quickly fall in love with.