8 Manicure and Pedicure Nail Polish Pairings to Try This Summer (2024)

Beige and Neon

"Beiges and neons are the biggest trends for summer, and they were all over the runways," said celebrity manicuristAshlie Johnson. "I've been loving an opaque shade on the hands paired with an amazing fluorescent tone on the toes."

Simple Pastels

Not a fan of bright colors?"You can't go wrong withpastel nails," said Ji Baek, Rescue Beauty Lounge founder and author ofRescue Your Nails. We likeOlive & June Nail Polishin Wild & Free andSundays Nail Polishin No.34.

Colorblocking

If you like the idea of colorblocking but aren't ready to test-drive it with your clothing, try it on your nails instead. Baek recommended pairing lemon yellow with coral or violet and deep navy. To get the look, tryJINsoon Nail Polishin Tweety andDior Vernis Nail Lacquerin Mirage.

Mint and Silver

"Pairing a full coverage, opaque shade with a silvery shimmer gives your look an overall edge," said celebrity manicuristJenna Hipp. Think: Orosa Pure Cover Nail Paint in Splash andOPI Nail Lacquerin Happy Anniversary."When worn together, these two shades have a vintage-y feel that's still somehow futuristic," added Hipp.

(Note: Orosa Pure Cover Nail Paint in Splash is no longer available; we recommendZoya Professional Lacquerin Selene for something similar).

Shades of Blue

"In the summer, I like to give my clients something fun on the toes and maybe even go a little overboard," said celebrity manicuristLisa Logan. "The fingertips should subtly hint at the color that's on the feet." Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure Nail Colorin Crystal Blue andEssie Nail Lacquerin Juicy Details, respectively, do a good job of this.

Ocean Shades

"Try a sheer, sandy hue on the hands and let the toes do all the talking with a deep sea blue," said Hipp.To land this mani-pedi color combo, we recommendPear Nova Classic Lacquerin Frida Be Free andOPI Nail Lacquerin Duomo Days, Isola Nights."Both shades look best in direct sunlight, which is all the more reason to hit the beach," added Hipp.

Complementary Tones

"A great way to freshen up your nails for summer is to ditch the matching mani/pedi duo for two different, but related, colors," said celebrity manicuristApril Foreman. For a purple palette, tryCôte Nail Polishin No.83 and Orly Nail Lacquer in Synthetic Symphony. "I prefer the darker shade on the toes, but honestly, anything goes."

(Note: Orly Nail Lacquer in Synthetic Symphony is currently unavailable; for something similar, we recommendLechat Nail Lacquerin Pure Purple).

Warm and Sunny

"Taking a risk this time of year is really important," said manicuristDeborah Lippmann. "Try a brighter shade, and you might be surprised how happy it makes you." Instead of classic ballet pink, Lippmann suggested going with beige (see:Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro Nail Polishin Naked) on the fingers and bright orange or red (also see:Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Proin It's Raining Men) toes.