24 Pastel French Nail Ideas to Spring Your Mani Forward (2024)

24 Pastel French Nail Ideas to Spring Your Mani Forward (1)

Spring has sprung, meaning it's time to whip out all the seasonal manicures. And no color palette is associated with springtime quite like pastels. They're pretty and polished, soft and sweet—like the perfect spring day.

But why stop there? Make your mani a trend twofer by combining pastels with French manicures. Pastel French nails can go beyond the classic design in pale pink or baby blue. As with standard French manicures, there are many ways to play with the motif. From fun florals to graphic takes to stripes and swirls, we've rounded up 24 pastel French manicures that will take you from Easter to Memorial Day and beyond.

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Star Power

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If pastels feel too girly, opt for a pink base in a your-nails-but-better hue. Add French tips and rhinestone-topped stars for the ultimate nail art fix. It's a star-bright situation that will keep you and your nails happy.

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Pastels Party

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Can't choose just one pastel? Why not wear them all? This multicolored and multilayered design is an artsy take on pastel French nails.

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Pretty Petals

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Flowers for spring? Groundbreaking. But in this case—juxtaposed with French tips and topped with sparkles—they actually are.

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Seeing Stripes

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Periwinkle is still going strong, and for good reason—the pretty pastel never gets old. Add a sparkly stripe and French tips and you've yourself got the ultimate pastel French manicure. Consider it a triple threat.

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Field Day

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Have a field day—literally—with the flower motif. Mix and match the petals to the French tips to play up all the pretty pastel hues.

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Swirl Effect

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A wiggling rainbow is a great way to flaunt your color palette. The design works with any color combo but it's spot on for spring in pastels. The simple French tips give the look balance.

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Middle Part

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It's impressive that a design so simple can be so striking. Just split a French tip in half and see where the motif takes you. It's a beautiful graphic twist on pastel French nails.

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Fade Into You

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Pastel French nails get an ombré and airbrushed effect for a design that hits on all the spring trends. If you want to keep it simple, stick with just one color. Either way, it's a head-turner.

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Flower Power

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Nothing says spring is in bloom quite like pastel flowers. Stick buds on a couple of accent nails to keep the look from feeling too twee.

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Sticker Shock

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Pastel French nails in a slew of colors would be enough. But add in nail stickers, like this look does, and take it to a whole new level. Smiley faces are a classic, but you can make this look your own with the decal of your choice.

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Dual Tone

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Two pastels on each nail are certainly twice as nice. Opt for a chunky French manicure to maximize your palette.

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Purple Reign

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It's easy to see why purple was once the color of royalty. These pastel French nails pack in a few designs so you can mix and match your nails accordingly. The options to play with pink and purple hearts and swirls are endless.

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Heart You

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Turn hearts into a French mani. The dual design is sweet and romantic. Pastel hues certainly play up that sentiment.

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Double Dip

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Consider this a double dose of spring colors. Paint your moons and tips in pastel hues for twice the fun. A nude base makes the colors pop even more.

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Gold Bar

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The geometric design may look fancy, but it's very doable to DIY. Need proof? Check out the video here.

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Serenity Now

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Whether you see seafoam as green or interpret it as being more on the minty side, there's no denying that these shades are delightfully calming and relaxing. The mix of hearts, French tips, and full-color nails adds a playful touch.

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Spring Fling

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Romance is in the air! These pastel French nails are a spring fling for your fingertips. You'll easily fall in love with them.

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Mellow Yellow

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Pale yellow might be the most underrated pastel. The springy, soothing shade looks good in many designs, as this mani proves. It's pastel French nails with an artsy twist.

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Queen of Hearts

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Hearts and pastels go together like peanut butter and jelly. We love how the accent nails with a trio of hearts hits all the hues in the mani. It's a sweet spring take on pastel French nails.

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Feeling Blue

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Glitter, French tips, and florals are a feast for the eyes. The all-blue monochromatic scheme makes it even more magical.

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Peachy Keen

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This mani was created to pay homage to the 2024 Pantone color of the year, Peach Fuzz, and it's convincing us the hue deserved the top prize. Delicate, subtle, soft, and sweet, peach polish works as a neutral too.

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This Bud's For You

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You might expect that a garden was the inspo behind this mani, but nail artist Aistė Haas says it isn't so: She actually looked to birthday cake as her muse.

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Lavender Fields Forever

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Lavender is known for its soothing powers, and it's fair to say this mani has the same effect. The mix of designs feels as fresh as a sprig of lavender itself.

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Rainbow Bright

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Taste the rainbow! These French tips are essentially a greatest-hits lineup of the prettiest pastels. The simple design packs a punch.

24 Pastel French Nail Ideas to Spring Your Mani Forward (2024)

FAQs

What is the trend in French manicure 2024? ›

Celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner, & Dua Lipa have elevated this classic manicure and are sharing unexpected takes all over social media. Rainbow tips, rhinestones, glitter, gold chrome, and even dangly jewels are showing up on French manicures — for everyday wear and formal events.

What is the best base color for French nails? ›

A sheer pink polish or a builder gel will achieve the most natural French manicured nails. Your skin tone should be the main focus when choosing a base shade; for example, rose-based shades are great for fair/light skin, whilst a deeper nude colour is better for dark skin.

What nail shape is best for French manicure? ›

Although French manicures can be suitable for every type of nail shape and length, Bychkova suggests that mid-length almonds and short squares are the easiest to paint French tips on. "You just have to be aware they don't have broken edges, so your line will be symmetrical," she adds.

How do you jazz up a French manicure? ›

Elevate an otherwise ordinary French mani by adding a half-moon design that mirrors your tips. For a starker juxtaposition, pair a neutral base with a deeper detail hue. For this look, editorial nail artist Alicia Torello used Chanel's Le Vernis polish in shade 907 Rouge Brun.

What is the nail color trend for spring 2024? ›

While we're used to seeing pastels and floral-inspired colors in the spring, this year, spring nail colors are bolder and brighter. Think fiery reds, splashy blues, and even vivid yellows alongside classic springtime hues like lavender and pink.

What are the spring nail colors for 2024? ›

Soft peach, bold yellow, and fiery red are all in store. Spring breathes new life into everything from the greenery you see outside to beauty trends. We are especially excited about the upcoming crop of spring nail polish colors, which sit largely outside the usual shades for the season.

What is a milky French manicure? ›

Put a milky twist on the classic French manicure by replacing the traditional white tip with a milky white shade. Use a slightly opaque or sheer milky white polish to create a soft and elegant French tip. This combination maintains the sophistication of the French manicure while incorporating the milky nail trend.

What is the prettiest color to paint your nails? ›

For the spring months, try greens, whites, bright pinks, yellows, reds, and bright blues. For the winter, try deep purples, light pinks, grays, and silvers. For the summer, try shades like light pinks, greens, bright reds, corals, and light nude shades.

What color toes for French tip nails? ›

"If a person opts for a French manicure on her fingertips, she should try other shades like red, pink, orange or dark colours on her toes.

What color are classic French nails? ›

A French manicure is typically designed with a neutral base color and white accent color that is applied in a half-moon shape on the tip of each fingernail or nail extension.

What is the most classy nail shape? ›

The square shape is a classic and elegant choice that offers a clean and polished look. It features straight sides and a flat, squared-off tip. Square nails look very chic because of their sharp edges.

What is the smile line on a French tip? ›

French Tip nails have developed significantly over the past few years. The 'Smile Line' French is now more popular than the traditional straight tip and is characterized by high edges with a deep curve towards the free edge of the nail.

How do you make natural French manicure nails look like? ›

Paint French tips with bright white nail polish.

Start from one side of each nail and slowly turn your finger as you paint, letting the curve with your natural nail and creating a crescent-shaped line from one side of the nail to the other. Then, wait another 2 minutes for the white polish to dry.

How to do vanilla French manicure? ›

Zola recommends, “prepping your nails with base coat first before applying two coats of your chosen base colour.” Then simply paint the tip with two layers of light-white and seal everything in with a top coat. “That's it,” says Zola. “It's really simple and easy to do.” Well, Vanilla Girls are minimalist after all.

How do you make a French manicure look natural? ›

What's the best base color for French tip nails? Consider your skin tone when choosing a base color polish. For example, a sheer pink shade will give those with lighter skin tones a natural-looking French manicure, while those with darker skin tones might prefer a deeper nude.

What nail polish is summer 2024? ›

Summer 2024 Nail Trend: Pastel Nail Colors

“This summer, soft and delicate pastels will gain popularity with baby pink, mint green, and soft lemon leading the palette,” says Walton. It's fresh and fun for summertime without the intensity of the brights and neons we're used to seeing in the warm months.

What color nails to wear in February 2024? ›

Try a cool-toned gray or silver shade to create a modern andsophisticated manicure. Alternatively, go for a frosty blue or icy mint green hue to capture the crispness of the season. You can also experiment with a holographic or chrome finish for a futuristic and edgy look.

Is a French manicure out of date? ›

The French manicure is a timeless nail design that has lasted throughout the ages. Developed in the 20's, this “go to” nail design is perfect for any event and suits pretty much any tastes with safe and adventurous adaptations developed over the years.

What is the nail inspo for january 2024? ›

January Nails Trend in 2024: ❄️💖

These frost-kissed nails capture the essence of winter's beauty, adding a touch of sparkle to your manicure. Let your nails shine bright like snowflakes, creating a dazzling statement that resonates with the magic of the season.

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