5 Nail Colors for June, From Retro Hues to Moody Blues

Our chunky sweaters and plaids have been packed up, and we’ve switched out our boots for sandals. It’s official: Summer is here. And much like how we’ve updated our wardrobes, our manicure mood board has also been refreshed. Don’t get us wrong—we’re still enamored with deep, lush velvets and pretty pastels. But summer is the perfect time to dive into nail art inspired by seaside escapes and lounging by the hotel pool.

To find out which mani trends are hitting the hardest this June, we chatted with the experts: Nail pros Aja Walton, Rita Remark, Juli Russell, and Rianna Basurto. Ahead, discover the colors you’ll need to kick off the summer in style.

Ocean’s Ten

Walton says that “ocean blues and greens like aqua, seafoam, and cobalt blue” that pop against the skin are gaining popularity, “especially in a monochromatic fashion.” Pass on the watercolors and glitter here and let a solid color do the talking—dive into a shade you can’t stop thinking about.

Northern Lights 

The Northern Lights may no longer be gracing the New York skyline or our for you pages, but they’re still going strong at the salon. Like the natural phenomenon that inspires them, aurora-inspired nails are beautiful enough to lose yourself in. “What makes this nail art so popular is the endless color combo possibilities,” said Russell; choose two colors in the same family or embrace contrast. Walton recommends topping an aura design with “a chrome reminiscent of the aurora borealis” to channel this style. “These clear and often multicolor shifting mirror shades give a beam-like color shine to purples and blues,” she says. 

Solo Stunners 

Traditionally, jazzy top coats have been used to enhance saturated colors. But this season’s options are strong enough to stand on their own. “Take your special effects polishes, all of your iridescent topcoats, color-shifting toppers, your plus-one shades, and wear them solo,” suggests Walton. Remark concurs: “Forget the full-coverage base color and go in on effects.”

Ready For This Jelly

Y2K nostalgia still reigns supreme, and jelly nails are at the forefront of the trend. “Start with a jelly, sheer color, then add a chrome or iridescent topper,” Remark recommends. “The result is like Y2K lipgloss on your nails.” (Think: Juicy Tubes.) Jelly polishes layer well, so you can keep adding coats until you reach your desired look.

Boca Beauty 

After years of taking inspiration from the coastal grandmas and quiet luxury of the Northeast, fashion and beauty have ventured further south (and west). The trendy Palm Beach aesthetic draws on the mid-century vintage style seen in shows like Palm Royale: Think kitschy hotels and “the shades of retro pool furniture,” explains Remark. “Coral, dusty cherry, sunset orange, sunny yellow, and, yes, peach fuzz.”

But don’t think you have to limit yourself to a ’60s vibe to get in on the vintage mani trend. You can also opt for “retro designs [that] draw inspiration from the ’70s with swirling patterns, and the ’80s with neon colors,” adds Basurto. “These trends offer a range of options for expressing personal style during the warmer months of the seasons.”