Spring Nails: 15 Spring Nail Ideas and Colours, from Lilac to Coral

Spring nails swap the burgundies and plums of winter for pastels, fresh greens and milky neutrals, then warm up to coral and peach by May. Pale shades streak more easily than deep ones, but thin coats, with a white base under the palest, give them an even finish.

The 15 spring nail ideas below go from single shades to French tips, flowers, aura, chrome, cat eye and ombre, followed by tips for streak-free pastels and short nails.

Spring nail colours: 6 shades to wear on all ten nails

Powder blue, lavender and bluish lilacs flatter cool undertones and go with silver jewellery. Peach and coral flatter golden and olive skin, butter yellow suits golden skin best, and all three pair with gold. On deep skin, the chalkiest pastels can leave an ashy cast, so choose well-pigmented shades and build them to full coverage.

1. Short lilac nails

Lilac is a good first pastel for nails kept short for work, as wear at the free edge barely shows on a pale shade. Paint 022 Lilac, a lavender-toned pastel, to within a hairline of the cuticle: on a short nail, a gap at the base takes away length you can't spare. Our purple nails guide explains how lilac differs from lavender and which one matches your undertone.

2. Butter yellow nails

Butter yellow, a pale, creamy pastel, is the gentlest way to wear yellow, but it can still make fair hands appear sallow. Test it on a plastic tip held against your fingers, and expect three thin coats, as pale yellows streak easily. If pastel yellow washes you out, go deeper with 033 Honey, a golden yellow that leans towards mustard and glows on tanned and deep skin. For Easter, add Lilac on the ring fingers: opposite on the colour wheel, yellow and purple make each other seem brighter.

3. Powder blue nails

Powder blue goes with denim, white shirts and navy. Build 109 Sky, an airy light blue, in two or three thin coats. It flatters fair skin with cool undertones and makes a crisp contrast against tanned or deep skin. For a spring bride, Sky on one accent nail or on the toes is a discreet 'something blue'.

4. Sage green nails

Sage suits anyone who finds pastels too sugary, and it's especially flattering on warm and olive skin. Like most deeper shades, 188 Sage usually covers in two thin coats, and it sits easily with camel, cream and gold jewellery at the office. Olive and darker greens are in our green nails guide.

5. Peach nude nails

If you usually wear beige, a peach nude is a small step towards colour. Choose 186 Peach, a pink-leaning peach, for fair and medium skin with warm or neutral undertones. Because it's close to the natural colour of the nail bed, regrowth at the cuticle shows less, which makes it a good choice before a holiday.

6. Coral nails for late spring

By May, with sandals and the first hint of a tan, coral starts to replace pastels. Pick 004 Coral Pink, a vivid coral with a pink lean that's easier on fair skin than a true orange. Bright shades show every wobble at the cuticle, so start just short of it, ease the gel up without touching the skin, then pull down to the tip. If coral feels too bright for work, wear it on your toes with Peach on your fingers.

Spring French tip nails

7. Mint French tip nails

Mint tips suit most skin tones, since the colour stays at the free edge. On the nail, 100 Mint can read as a mid green, so it stands out clearly against a sheer pink base. Once the base is cured, draw the smile line with a fine liner brush from each corner to the centre, fill the tip and cap the free edge. Tidy the curve with a flat brush dipped in cleanser, then cure, adding a second coat just inside the first if the tip is patchy.

Beginners may find a silicone French stamper simpler: brush a thin layer of Mint onto it, press the nail tip in at an angle and clean any gel off the skin before curing.

8. Pastel French tip nails

V-shaped tips are easier to paint than a curve, because each side is a single straight stroke, and the point makes short nails seem longer. Mark the point with a tiny dot a few millimetres in from the tip, then pull a straight line to it from each corner. Fill the V, cap the free edge and cure; most pastels need a second coat. Use one pastel on every nail, or alternate two neighbouring shades such as Lilac and Sky.

Spring nail art: mismatched pastels and flowers

9. Mismatched pastel nails

A different pastel on each finger needs no nail art skills, since every nail is a single colour. Choose four or five shades of similar lightness, such as Lilac, Sky and Peach, and paint them in the same order on both hands. Leave out deeper greens such as Sage and Mint, which would break the run of colour. Pastels cover differently, so give the sheerer ones an extra coat until every nail is equally opaque.

10. Milky pink nails with tiny daisies

Tiny daisies on milky pink are a spring design quiet enough for work. Build the base in B009 Rose Ballerine, a ballerina pink builder gel: cure a thin slip layer, then a second layer with a slight apex. Dot five petals in a ring with the smallest ball of a dotting tool, re-dipping in a drop of opaque white gel polish on foil for each.

Dots spread before curing, so start small. Cure the petals, add a Honey centre with a toothpick, cure again and seal with top coat. Two or three daisies per hand are enough; our simple nail designs for beginners show the dot method.

11. Floral accent nails

A single painted flower on each ring finger is a gentle way into freehand nail art. For a lavender sprig, draw a thin, slanting stem in Sage over Rose Ballerine with a liner brush, and cure. Add pairs of small dots in 107 Lavender along its top half, smaller towards the tip, then cure, re-dotting any sheer ones. Cherry blossom starts from dots: place five Peach petals in a ring over Sky, drag each inwards with a fine brush, then cure and add a Coral Pink centre.

Spring nail designs with aura, chrome, cat eye and ombre

12. Pink aura nails

Aura nails have a glow of colour in the centre that fades towards the edges, and oval or almond nails give it the most room. Over a cured Rose Ballerine base, dab Coral Pink into the middle with a piece of make-up sponge blotted on foil, pressing more lightly as you work outwards. Soften the edge with a clean piece of sponge, clean any colour off the skin and cure that nail before starting the next.

One layer gives a hint of colour for work; for weekends, add a second, slightly smaller one. Our aura nails guide also covers the brush method.

13. Pastel chrome nails

A translucent white pearl powder rubbed over a pastel gives a glazed sheen for weddings and parties. Chrome shows every bump, so start from two smooth, cured coats of Lilac, Sky or Peach. Cure a thin layer of Diamond Top Coat, a no-wipe top coat, and while it's still warm, rub in the powder with a silicone applicator until the surface turns pearly. Brush off every loose speck, wipe the edges with cleanser and seal with a second layer of top coat, capping the free edge, before curing.

14. Lavender cat eye nails

Cat eye gel over lavender gives a shimmer that moves with the light, subtle enough for the office and well suited to cool undertones. Mix a sheer or silver magnetic gel polish well, as the particles sink, then apply a thin coat over two cured coats of Lavender. Working one nail at a time, hold a magnet just above the wet gel for a few seconds and cure straight away, before the shimmer drifts. For a diffused, velvety effect, sweep the magnet slowly over the nail instead; either way, seal with top coat.

15. Spring ombre nails

On medium or long nails, fade Sky at the cuticle into Lilac at the tip, two neighbouring pastels that blend into periwinkle. Over one cured coat of Sky, paint Sky on the cuticle half and Lilac on the tip half, using a little less gel than usual. Blend the join with a clean flat brush in short strokes, wiping it each time, then cure and repeat once for a smoother fade. Avoid opposites such as pink and green, which turn muddy where they overlap.

How to paint pastel spring nails without streaks

Pastels contain a lot of white pigment, so any difference in thickness shows as a lighter or darker stripe. A thick coat won't hide the streaks: it can wrinkle under the lamp and stay soft underneath, which leads to lifting.

• Remix the pigment. Roll the bottle between your palms before painting, since pigment settles and shaking adds bubbles.
• Paint thin coats. Wipe one side of the brush on the bottle neck, keeping enough gel for it to glide, and paint in three strokes, centre first, without pressing. Let each coat settle for a moment, then cure it for the time in your gel's instructions.
• Put white under very pale shades. One cured coat of an opaque or milky white gives an even background, so the pastel covers in fewer coats.
• Choose a pastel builder gel. Builder gel is thicker and levels as it settles, so a pale builder such as Rose Ballerine gives even colour while strengthening the nail. It's filed off, not soaked, so removal takes longer.
• Keep the edges clean. Leave a hairline gap at the cuticle and sidewalls, cap the free edge with every layer and clean any gel off the skin before curing. Gel on skin causes lifting, and uncured gel on skin is the main cause of gel allergy. If redness, itching, swelling or blisters appear around the nails, stop using the product and see a doctor.

Short spring nails

On short nails, single shades and mismatched pastels are the simplest spring ideas, and V-shaped French tips or an upright lavender sprig add length. Keep curved French tips to a millimetre or two and put one daisy on each accent nail. An aura works if the halo stays small and low in contrast, such as Peach over Rose Ballerine, but save the ombre for longer nails.

File all ten nails to the same length in a round or squoval shape, since uneven tips show on short nails. If yours stay short because they break, a thin layer of Rose Ballerine adds strength without adding length.

Frequently asked questions

What nail colours are trendy for spring?

Pastels come back every spring: lilac, mint, butter yellow, powder blue and pale pink, along with greens such as sage and milky neutrals. Coral and peach take over towards May. Our nail trends guide covers the newest colours, shapes and designs.

What nail colours are best for March and April?

In March, while coats and knitwear are still on, milky pinks, lilac and sage bridge winter and spring. April, with the cherry blossom out, suits brighter pastels such as mint, powder blue and butter yellow.

What nail colours are trendy for May?

In May, warmer and brighter shades come in: coral, peach and golden yellow, which suit the first tan and open-toed shoes. Pastels with a pearl chrome finish remain a good choice for May weddings.

Which nail colours make older hands look younger?

Light, warm shades with a glossy finish flatter older hands most: peach nudes, sheer pinks and warm corals brighten the skin and reflect light. Very dark shades can draw attention to veins and age spots, and chalky, greyish pastels can make skin appear dull.

What are easy spring nail ideas for beginners?

The easiest spring nail ideas need no drawing: one shade on all ten nails, mismatched pastels or a peach nude. Sage and Coral Pink are easier to paint evenly than pale pastels. V-shaped French tips and tiny daisies come next.

Lilac, Sky, Sage and Coral Pink in our gel polish collection take you from March to May, and Rose Ballerine in our builder gel range strengthens nails that break.