Now that summer is almost here, we’re ready to embrace some of the season's hottest nail trends. With longer days and warmer weather lifting our spirits, summer ushers lots of fun and quirky new trends that will have everyone eagerly waiting for the new season to commence.

From the new live-action Little Mermaid to the fantasy comedy Barbie, we’re seeing sources of inspiration from TV and film throughout the latest nail trends. In fact, searches for ‘Barbie nails’ have increased by 122% and ‘Mermaid nails’ by 115% in the lead-up to summer.

Searches for ‘summer nail’ inspiration are up by 544%, so the team of trend researchers at the coupon code platform Wethrift have found the hottest shades, shapes, and nail designs that will be huge this season, by analyzing search volume data on Pinterest:

Top 10 Nail Trends for Summer 2023

1. Watermelon nails - 425% increase in searches

2. Pearl chrome nails - 215%

3. Milk nails - 186%

4. Neon nails - 156%

5. Barbie nails - 122%

6. Mermaid nails - 115%

7. Airbrushed nails - 108%

8. Pearlescent nails - 104%

9. Pink chrome nails - 104%

10. Watercolor nails - 97%

Nick Drewe, Trend Expert at Wethrift, provided his insight on these summer nail trends:

“With the much-anticipated release of The Little Mermaid, it's unsurprising to see the demand for mermaid-inspired nail art skyrocket, as mermaid-core becomes the most hyped trend for the season ahead. This trend is taking inspiration from under the sea - think pearls, chrome, metallic silvers, bubbles, and glitter.

“For colors, this aesthetic is all about aqua tones, from turquoise to pastel pinks and soft blues. The trend is about embracing pastel and natural colors, rather than bright tones. Pearlescent and chrome, which are two big trends for summer 2023, also replicate signature features of the mermaid-core trend, from shimmery scales to seashells.

“Pearl chrome nails have been the ‘it’ manicure trend for 2023. The trend started to make waves back in 2022 when glazed donut nails were introduced by Hailey Bieber's nail artist, Zola Ganzorigt. The polished, pearlescent nails have continued to reign supreme, and in the lead-up to summer, demand has skyrocketed, with searches up by 215%.

“As we head into summer, it looks like people are adding a touch of color to the chrome trend, with searches for ‘pink chrome nails’ up by 104%. It’s likely that throughout the summer period, as more people head on European excursions and enjoy the period of warmer weather, we are likely to see more colors like orange, green, and blue used for chrome.

“Aligning with the much-anticipated Barbie film, set to premiere in July, the latest nail trend takes inspiration from the aesthetic that is ‘Barbiecore’. Around the world, nail art enthusiasts have been searching for ‘Barbie’ inspired nails, with demand up by 122% in the lead-up to summer. It's unsurprising to see this trend making the waves, as its key features include hot pink shades and soft blush tones - all of which fit perfectly into the warmer months.

“Every season, we see a new design trend roll out, whether that’s daisy flowers, strawberries, or even peppers, but this summer we’re surprised to see that ‘watermelon nails’ are trending - with an increase in searches by 425%. The fruit is a quintessential summer favorite, as people enjoy the warmer weather and holidays abroad, and this year it looks like people will be showcasing their love for the fruit on their nails. We’re interested to see how people embrace this trend, whether they opt for a detailed design or just showcase the colors.

“As we enter a new era of minimalistic fashion and beauty, soft nails seem to be at the core of the latest beauty trends, which will explain why the subtle and more toned-down ‘milk nails’ are gaining traction as we approach summer. The simple, yet glamorous essence of the manicure makes it a real crowd-pleaser for those vacationing and attending summer soirees.

“Now searches for ‘milk nails’ are up by a whopping 186%, while over on TikTok, the hashtag #milkynails has amassed a colossal 45.9 million views on the app.”