Spring 2024's Coolest Nail Trends Include Square Tips, Subtle Shimmer, and Bows

Coquette Nails

Let's start with the least surprising news of the year (especially if you saw Lana Del Rey's 2024 Grammy's manicure): the coquette nail trend isn't going anywhere. It is, however, getting a little more interesting.

"I think what will be huge this spring is the coquette aesthetic on nails," shares Elizabeth Garcia, a nail artist who owns The Nail Room in Queens and counts Kim Petras, Kali Uchis, and Julia Fox among her clientele. "Soft and whimsical colors. Pastel shades combined with pearls. Bows in different textures."

Garcia also believes the other side of the coquette aesthetic will be featured, with darker, edgy, and more sultry nail patterns emerging. Betina Goldstein's recent "lingerie nails" are a perfect example.

Seasonal-Ish Shades

"Spring doesn’t just mean your typical pastels anymore. We’re being drawn to colors that are both seasonal yet unexpected," shares Steph Stone, an Essie Celebrity manicurist whose long (and cool) list of cool clients includes Miley Cyrus, Ruth Negga, and Hunter Schafer. Stone imagines dusty lavenders, sheer caramels, and chocolate browns will rule the season (think Essie's Primp and Powder, Sheer Silhouette, and All Checked Out), no matter what the farmers market table color palettes are saying.

Olivia Van Iderstine, Olive & June's VP of Content & Creative and Mani Trend Expert, agrees. "Look for playful lilac purples, pops of brightness in corals and chartreuse, and light neutrals like barely-there blush and pearly off-white," she shares. "The red nail theory takes a spring vibe with poppy-red shades with a heavy dose of pink or orange to boost them for the new season."

Square Frenchies

This is for you, mob wives. "Whether it’s your everyday lifestyle or just a fun night to dress up, now’s our time to embrace being extra! Harness your inner Carmela Soprano and go for that square French tip. Get the look with one coat of Essie's Sheer Fantasy then paint your tips with Blanc," says Stone, who notes square nails might also pop up in other ways this spring.

"When it comes to shape, an elongated almond is here to stay. But we’re also seeing short and squared off return to mainstream. While square is a staple for its loyalists, a lot of converts from team ‘round nails’ are giving it a try too."

Bloom Baby Bloom

Blooming in spring? It's only natural.

"Blooming [polish] is great for animal prints, croc prints, pool designs, and floral designs. This is achieved by applying a thin layer of V Beauty Pure Blooming Gel over the entire nail and do not cure," notes celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein. "Blooming gel you leave wet—you don’t cure it, and then you place your design in and the wet layer causes the gel to bloom. Once you’re happy with how it bloomed, cure."

Similarly, Van Iderstine predicts a lot of organic, soft shapes, like abstract flowers, painterly splatters, or thick Frenches.

Minimalist Maximalism

Lisa Peña Wong, a celebrity nail artist who often works with one Taylor Allison Swift, also has maximalist trends on her radar—albeit with a softer approach. She says mattified shimmers, "so you see the reflectiveness without high shimmer," will be in high demand this season.

"Shimmers are in and here to stay so I can’t wait to see the layering of shimmers and chromes to create different finishes to the nail," adds Shelton. "The glazed effect will be in full force. OPI Glitter Mogul is a beautiful polish that can achieve this look. I love wearing this on its own and sometimes even adding it like a topper over a color or French tip."

Tone-on-Tone Designs

What goes best with pink? More pink. Now swap "pink" for any color you can think of.

"When it comes to nail art, the key word for Spring 2024 is tonal. You'll see a lot of looks that play in variations of the same color family," shares Van Iderstine. Olive & June's Plum Tonal French or HZ Velvet Press-Ons ($10 each) are both lovely examples.

Peña Wong concurs, naming soft, subtle, tone-on-tone designs an official look of the season.

Peach Fuzz

Kimoji peach nail art stickers when? "Peachy manis are going to be back in," notes Shelton. "With the Pantone Color of the Year being a peach hue, I know there are going to be peach manis everywhere. Whether it’s a solid color or playful nail art, peach will be a must! OPI Apricot AF is a color to have in your collection."

Negative Space Nails

Do my eyes deceive me? Is spring really on the horizon? Is that a reverse French mani situation?

"Negative space nails always have a moment, particularly when people don’t want a lot of color but still want a [little something]. I love using my fav bases like Bubble Bath and Baby Take a Vow and then adding color over them to make the perfect simplistic manicure," says Shelton. Peña Wong also foresees "a lot of black and white with hints of color like pastels" in the coming months.

Velvety Textures

Velvet nails are still in in a big way this spring, notes Paintbox's Creative Director, Mabelyn Alva—especially in shades like pale yellow or earthy nudes like the brand's Arizonan desert scape-inspired Canyon ($22).

Fun Fingertips

As Shelton noted, Spring 2024 screams fun. Other professionals, like Garcia and Gerstein, predict a rise in good times via 3D nail art, jelly colors, aura designs, and foils, which "make for easy and fun art for DIYers and beginners," according to Peña Wong.