9 Cute Summer Nail Art Trends to Try in 2022
We asked three top nail artists to share their thoughts on the hourglass, stunning French, and aura-inspired nail art trends. Get ready: the manicures with mood rings are coming and they are very pretty.
We won't beat around the bush: Of all the best summer 2022 nail trends, aura is the hardest to recreate at home. But maybe it's just a matter of infusing your nail brush with the right energy? Tahva Krok, who designed this aura look after inspiration from painter Morgan Echols, points out that choosing colors for an aura-inspired creation should be a matter of intent. Green, for example, is believed to attract nurturing energy, while red can inspire energy and yellow calms.
Once you've painted your base coat of nail polish, making sure it's one shade lighter than your desired gradient, take your accent nail color and place six separate dots of paint on a piece of parchment paper. Leaving one spot intact, add increasing amounts of white polish to the remainder to create progressively lighter shades.
A simple but brilliant French tip
"I know that rhinestones may seem like a lot to some people, but it's a nice addition to something that looks really classic," says Valdez. "If you want to expand your style a bit, that's a great start." To create the French manicure design that she describes as "a clean look," she recommends using "the smallest brush you can find" and, just like with the hourglass shape, start painting from the center. To set the crystals, she suggests a drugstore nail glue (we're partial to Kiss Powerflex) and then seal with a top coat.
Hourglass Wave Manicure
Minerva ups the ante with a two-tone hourglass nail look with three-dimensional accents. The paint job follows the same process as before, swapping out the neutrals for a milky blue base and a medium lavender blue hue. Then, use your hands or tweezers to add a silver button right in the middle of the nail, followed by two small blue crystals on each side. Make sure the details are centered before painting (and curing, if using gel) your top coat.
These particular sconces come courtesy of a shopping trip to the Downton LA Fashion District. We suggest you go to your local bead or trim store to
Channing Smith/Allure
The dopamine bandage is everywhere, folks: even on your fingertips. "People aren't afraid to wear color right now," says Natalie Minerva, a Los Angeles-based nail artist who creates the designs for Euphoria. "There's a surreal fantasy style, with lots of 3D elements using gel and funky stones. It's all over the place." We're calling it now: Summer's style is "unapologetic," whatever that means to you.
To help get your creativity flowing, we asked innovative nail artists to share three takes on the biggest summer 2022 nail art trends in a variety of color palettes: hourglass nails, dazzling French tips and aura-inspired nail art. Each artist was tasked with creating a style suitable for at-home manicures, another that might require the help of a nail tech expert, and a third to do their best, using the best of their creativity and skill. . Whether you're obsessed with pastels or bright colors, easy French manicures or nostalgic '90s accessories in ombré tones, you'll find cute summer nails for that vacation you've dreamed of all winter.
First, Minerva offers three different versions of "la Maddy", one
Mood Ring Manicure
Let's say, hypothetically, that you keep a manicure for two weeks. There's simply no way to determine in advance if you'll need a dose of lilac/purple (spirituality), pink (love), or yellow (happiness). So, in a stroke of creativity, Krok chose to represent them all. Using her airbrush once more, she takes advantage of a long stiletto nail to find space for multiple two-tone gradients. (This style will work on shorter nails too, just resize the gradients accordingly.) Instead of a lighter color in the middle, he tapped into the three-dimensional trend by adding a tiny crystal. These bright summer nails are a great mood booster that you'll want to wear all year long.
In contrast to the confetti explosion of the previous look, our final dazzling Frenchie has a more holistic feel. Valdez maintains the standard French tip on all fingers except the ring fingers, on which he uses a blooming gel technique to make a watercolor-inspired design. The method requires a bit of knowledge, but if you've ever played with the dreamy art medium of watercolors, it's pretty easy to figure out.
Thin the desired shade with a large dose of clear nail polish, so that the color "blooms," similar to applying a layer of watercolor to damp paper. Once the manicure is complete, carefully attach the pearls and flowers, making sure the nail glue secures the sturdy charms.
Nails Aura Airbrush
If the energy aligns, we recommend taking this airbrush design directly to your nail technician. Krok starts with a painted base of black gel polish, then used her airbrush to apply an ethereal layer of blue, with a small amount of pink polish in between. "The color combinations to layer on are endless," says Krok. "It's a fun opportunity for clients to learn about themselves and wear a part of their identity through nail art." This particular mix is perfect for anyone who loves to wear classic blue or pink nails but wants a fun twist for summer.
Fregadero De Cocina Manicura Francesa
Es difícil creer que este estilo de bailarina esté hecho con los mismos elementos que la elegancia clásica del diseño anterior, pero la versatilidad es una ventaja clave de la deslumbrante tendencia de punta francesa. Valdez llevó al siguiente nivel con una base perlada transparente (nos gusta el esmalte de uñas de Zoya en Leia), luego usó un tono blanco clásico para pintar la punta francesa. Pero el aspecto más llamativo de este look, por supuesto, es su letanía de encantos divertidos. "Sal y encuentra algunos amuletos que representan tu personalidad", dice Valdez. "Es tan satisfactorio mirar tus uñas y pensar: '¡Oh, eso es propio de mí!'". Al igual que con los cristales más simples, los pega con un pegamento para uñas seguido de una generosa capa de acabado.
Voila: una manicura que, a pesar de presentar todo menos el fregadero de la cocina, es llamativamente elegante.