Summer Nail Ideas: Bright & Colorful Nail Polish for Summer

Summer Nail Colors Inspiration

Looking for some fun summer nail ideas and inspiration? I’ve got you covered. With the changes in season, opting for fun nails is one of the easiest ways to embrace the sunshine in your daily life. Whether you prefer reds or blues, earthy tones or brights, there are plenty of ways to get cute summer nails with your next manicure! Here, I’m sharing some of my favorite summer nail ideas with nail polishes separated into color family.

Summer Nail Colors - Cats & Coffee by Christine Csencsitz

Shop My Summer Nail Color Picks

Fun Summer Nails to Try

Red, Pink, & Orange Summer Nail Ideas

A classic color family for summer, these red and orange-based nail polishes are some of the best bright and cheerful options out there. They’re the more vibrant versions of my go-to spring nail colors, with plenty of variety to suit individual taste. Whether you want a more orange-based coral, or a magenta-inspired pink, you really can’t go wrong with any of these summer nail colors. I especially love this rich and almost magenta option from OPI. However, I am also drawn to this “Freshly Juiced” great set from Sephora.

Summer Nail Ideas: Bright & Colorful Nail Polish for Summer

Top Row: Nails Inc. Not From Concentrate | Butter Cotswold Cottage | Essie Slumber Party On | OPI Makeout-side
Bottom Row: Essie Rocky Rose | Nails Inc Looking Super Juicy | OPI Madam President | Essie Sand Tropez

Blue, Green, & Purple Summer Inspired Nail Polishes

Greens are my favorite nail colors. While there are plenty of great fall greens, this earthy hue is not absent from summer. Essie’s Off Tropic is one of my all-time favorites (I have it on my toes as I type this!). While it’s definitely darker, it’s a great rich option for fun summer nails. For brighter options, though, I am loving this bright green option or Orly Rinse & Repeat.

For brighter summer nail ideas, be sure to check out OPI’s Summer Make the Rules Collection! I featured a few of their summer hues here. I especially love the Charge It To Their Room purple. It seems to be a like a bluer version of this lovely lilac from Nails Inc.

Blue and Green Summer Nail Ideas: Bright & Colorful Nail Polish for Summer

Top Row: OPI Grass Never Greener | OPI Charge It To Their Room | Butter London Waterloo Blue | Essie Off Tropic
Bottom Row: OPI Summer Monday-Fridays | Orly Rinse & Repeat | Eco Glow Plant Power Vegan Nail Polish | Orly Sea The Future

Looking for more nail inspiration?
Check out all of my seasonal nail polish posts here!


*This post was originally published on May 20, 2022. It was most recently updated on May 22, 2023.

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