Flower Nails

Flower nail designs by season

Spring flowers nails

Pastel bases such as mint, lilac, baby pink and butter yellow with small white or pink blooms. Scatter flowers across one or two nails and leave the rest plain or tipped in a matching pastel.

Summer and Hawaiian flower nails

Big hibiscus or plumeria in hot pink, coral and orange over turquoise or white. One oversized flower that runs off the edge of the nail feels like a vacation.

Sunflower nails

Yellow petals around a brown center, often paired with a gingham or denim-blue accent nail. They suit late summer and the harvest season alike.

Leaves, vines and garden scenes

Not every floral nail needs a flower. Vines, leaves and berries, like the grape cluster design here, or a twilight gradient with fireflies give the same garden feel with less detail.

Make it your own

• Match the base to your outfit and let the flowers carry the accent color.
• Mix sizes: one large bloom and a few tiny ones look more natural than flowers that are all the same size.
• Keep a full floral set to two or three flower colors so the hand looks planned rather than busy.
• Sponge a soft ombre behind the flowers for a sky or sunset effect.
• Preview colors on a drawn hand in your skin tone with Try it on.

Ready to paint? The flower nail art tutorials show how to build petals from dots and strokes, or a nail salon can paint a design from your saved picture.

Questions people ask

What flower nail designs are easiest?

Five-dot daisies and tiny blossoms. They need only a dotting tool and two colors, and small flowers forgive small mistakes.

What colors go with flower nails?

Soft pastels for spring, saturated brights for summer, and deep burgundy, mustard or rust for fall florals. White flowers work on almost any base, from nude to navy.