If the warmer weather is getting you in the mood to try something new, summer ombré nails are here to shake things up. A change-up from a single shade, ombré nails are a soft gradient of colors—either multiple colors or differing shades of a single color. The result? A manicure that perfectly fills the gap between a run-of-the-mill polish job and full-blown nail art, perfect for hot summer days.
The best part? It’s pretty easy to DIY at home if you don’t want to head to the salon. For the most basic take on ombré nails, all you need is a disposable makeup sponge—the wedge-shaped ones work best—and your gradient of polishes (or one shade mixed with varying degrees of white). Create a gradient on the sponge, overlapping each color slightly, and work lightest to darkest to avoid blending the colors. Then carefully press the sponge on your nail like a stamp, and repeat for each finger.
Of course, that’s just the style in its most basic form. Below, we rounded up the coolest takes on ombré, from bright neon to cartoon clouds. Scroll on for the best summer ombré nails to try, and get ready to screenshot.
