25 Easter Nail Ideas That Will Perfect Your Holiday Look
Updated: May 09, 2023
Hop on spring’s best trends with these stunning Easter nail ideas that you’ll want to wear all season long.
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There’s so much to love about Easter, from creating picture-perfect Easter baskets (and enjoying the candy and assorted stuffers that go in them) to spending quality time with your family. And regardless of when spring officially starts, this holiday also signals that winter is finally over and everyone’s favorite season has arrived. That means it’s time to ditch the winter gear and transition from your favorite winter nail colors to some spring nail trends—specifically, the prettiest and coolest Easter nails of 2022.
Trust us when we say you’re going to be obsessed with these Easter nail ideas. The holiday’s biggest trends showcase a range of styles, including bright designs, lovely pastels, subtle speckling, floral patterns, ’70s-inspired vibes, and classic Easter themes. We’re also seeing cool abstract designs that have been present in nail trends over the past year. The bottom line? There’s a lot to choose from, and it’s all amazing.
How we chose our favorite Easter nail colors and trends
To help you find the best looks for Easter, we asked fashion forecasters and celebrity nail artists for their top picks, as well as scoured Instagram for the cutest nail designs. The best part is that these designs only look complicated—they’re actually super easy to do yourself, and we’ve suggested the right nail polishes and nail tools, as well as some expert tricks, to help you get each of these looks. Creating the perfect at-home manicure for the holiday just may become your favorite new Easter tradition!
Speckled pastels
We are madly in love with the transition style of this cute mani. Every detail of it is on-trend—from the bright complementary colors to the cool color gradient to the Easter egg–inspired speckling. Bonus: Since the Easter theme is subtle, you don’t have to change your manicure as soon as the holiday is over.
To get the look, chose two contrasting colors, painting your outer nails with single colors and then using both shades on your two middle fingers. Next, dapple on some tiny black dots with these detailing brushes. Though they’re technically made for painting, they’ll turn your manicure into a serious work of art. One important note: No matter which Easter nail design you choose, make sure your manicure lasts as long as possible by using a top-quality base coat and top coat.
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Minimalist dots
“As spring approaches, we are slowly gathering up speed to hit the bright, bold colors,” says Jennifer Bell, senior marketing manager of luxury nail salon Bellacures. “Using a nice neutral color as a base and adding just a splash of brightness really helps prep us to ease into the summer shades.” For example, you can mix soft blushes with bright pinks or corals.
Here are Bell’s step-by-step directions to create this fun, artsy look: After a full manicure, apply two coats of the lighter color on each nail. Once dry, use a dotting tool to create a circle at the base of each nail. Start with a small dot, and use the dotting tool in circular motions to expand the circle to its desired size. Wait for the larger dots to dry, and then add small dots just slightly above the larger dots (one on each finger); no need for circular motions here—the dotting tool should be the perfect size. Once you’re done, let dry and finish with your favorite top coat.
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Colorful pastel swirls
These stunning swirls will brighten any holiday look, according to Anastasia Totty, an educator with LeChat Nails. They play up two of spring’s big nail trends: abstract art and everything ’70s, with a soft, flowy vibe. Even better? It’s not hard to create this look yourself, says Totty, who suggests combining three to four color swirls. Try it with a light or nude base, or even around a French tip. Since all eyes will be on your hands when you’re sporting this look, keep your cuticles in shape with a top-rated cuticle oil.
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Embellished French manicures
If you love French manis, we have some good news for you: They are one of the biggest things in nails right now. “French is the look we’re seeing on any shape nails today, whether they’re squared, almond, or coffin,” says Syreeta Aaron, a LeChat Nails educator. And you can go simple, or add some serious bling or other cool details—basically, says Aaron, “whatever your artistic eye can imagine!” The holidays are always a great excuse to be a little extra, and this look embraces a spring aesthetic without making it too complicated, especially if you opt for already-embellished fake nails.
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True blue nails
“Influencers and designers across the world say that true blues will be very popular in 2022,” says Totty, adding that because it’s such a versatile color, there’s one for every season. “Electric, cobalt blues in the summer, and rich deep blues in the winter.” For Easter, try a shade that looks like the bright blue skies of springtime. When working with bold colors, use this $8 nail product to get salon-level results.
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Combo manicure
Why choose one trend when you can choose a whole bunch? That’s our motto this Easter! Try mixing a floral with a French mani that utilizes pastel shades, like with this inspo pic. Choose an accent nail or two, or mix and match trends across all 10 fingers, suggests Totty, with colorblocking, half-dipping, half-moons, and more. While you can certainly try your hand at freestyling these designs, nail stickers or press-on nails can also come in handy here.
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Vintage motifs
If you love the look of retro nail designs, you’ll have a blast creating this groovy Easter manicure. Paying homage to the billowy floral and patterned dresses from the 1970s, these nails take the ’70s trend to a whole new artistic level. Simply choose a base color in a muted springtime shade, and then paint variations of circles and half circles until you have a totally far-out design.
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A green scene
Easter nail designs often incorporate springtime motifs, such as green tints and swirls that look like the tendrils of your favorite fern. Add a ’70s vibe to that mix and you get this cool trend! We love the way this manicure uses an array of solids on one hand and a dedicated design on the other. Plus, the matte finish gives it even more of a throwback feel. Looking for the perfect gift for your manicure-obsessed bestie? Gather a bunch of nail products, put them in a festive basket, and you have the ultimate adult Easter basket!
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Chevron-inspired French manicure
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Mellow yellow
With more sunny days in the forecast at this time of year, yellow nail polish is on point. Plus, yellow makes us think of Easter eggs and assorted Easter candy, so it’s a win-win for an Easter nail trend! This beautiful mani uses a dreamy, creamy shade of yellow and a few artfully angled French tips for a soft spring look.
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Pink and purple nails
The beauty of 2022’s Easter nails is that so many of them are about spring nail trends in general, and you can jump on a few trends simultaneously. For example, if you love pink and purple nail polish and can’t choose between the two, you don’t have to—wear both! With this look, it’s also really easy to incorporate a little bit of nail art. Simply dab a tiny bit of nail glitter on the side of your accent nail, and after it settles, use a top coat to secure the design.
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Layered nudes
Bare nails are hotter than ever this spring and particularly perfect for Easter, says Isabel Madison, founder of Nude Envie. “Just as we decorate Easter eggs, the nail can represent the shape of an egg,” she explains. You can choose to keep your nails short and oval, or long with a modified oval shape, a nod to the coffin nail of seasons past.
But you can add a little interest by layering two colors, such as whitish nude layered over a peachy nude, or even two pink or mauve nudes. This look works well if you want your dress or jewelry to take the spotlight. Worth noting: Like the best nude lipsticks, these new nude nail polishes come in shades that match almost every skin tone, and a rose shade might work better on deeper skin tones.
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Sparkly French manicure
Just when you thought French manicures couldn’t get any more amazing, they added some bling! “Put a twist on the classic French by opting for a sparkly, colorful tip for a subtle, wearable Easter look,” says Rachel Apfel Glass, founder of GlossLab. Dressing up your mani a bit is a nod to the importance of the holiday. If you’re hosting, you can go with a color that matches your decor, or simply use a silver or pink gold tip. You can also play around with your base color by choosing a frosty hue.
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Egg-cellent designs
If you take the concept of Easter nails very seriously, you’ll love this adorable chick design. Not sure you should go there (but really want to)? We’re here to tell you that it’s A-OK to be playful with your nails around the holidays, even if your outfit is very serious. To get the look, paint every other nail white, and then paint the remaining nails half yellow and half white. Dot yellow on the white nails, and create cute little faces on the yellow part of the other nails. It’s that simple!
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Subtle speckles
Remember that cool speckled design we showed you earlier? Here’s a muted version of it. Since gray nails are very chic this spring, you can polish almost all your nails gray, but accent one with a pastel shade. Then speckle on little black dots on all your nails. Or, for ease, you can choose a top coat with the speckles built in. For fun, find out what your favorite nail polish color says about your personality.
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Easter egg–inspired stripes
How cute is this design? SO CUTE! Start with a bare to nude base coat, and let it dry fully. Then paint on stripes in shades of purple, aqua, yellow, pink, orange, or any other color you like. Depending on how much of nail-art expert you are, you can paint lines as you go, or let each color dry before applying the next stripe. You can also use nail art pens or nail striping tape for a little extra help in creating perfect lines.
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Muted Easter egg–inspired stripes
Here’s another cute version done in pastels that combines the look of striped Easter eggs with the speckled design. Polish thick lines of your favorite pastel shades across every nail. After your nails dry, add chunky glitter or dots of white polish with two different-sized nail dotting tools. Voilà—a perfectly whimsical Easter look!
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Pretty in pink
You don’t have to commit to a nail design to look amazing at Easter time. Pale pink polish with a slight blue undertone will look stunning on just about everyone. The vibe here is simple and timeless, so make sure your nails and cuticles are in great condition. If you want to add a little bit of a playful vibe, layer on a very sheer glittery top coat. Of course, this is a classic vibe for a springtime pedicure, too.
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Floral outlines
Admit it: You can barely wait to finish scrolling through these designs so you can try this one out. It’s easier than you think. Simply polish your nails with a light peachy shade, and let dry. Then, use a thin nail art brush to create an outline of a tulip (or your favorite flower) and dot in some color on the blossom.
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French, speckle, and swirl combo
This clever manicure somehow combines multiple nail trends yet still manages to look subtle and dreamy. To mimic this look, start by polishing all your nails with a sheer pink. Add a bright pink tip to all but one accent nail. Then, swirl a complementary pink shade on your accent nail, and after it dries, add some subtle speckling. If you prefer gel nail polish, we have plenty of suggestions in that category, too.
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Dainty floral design
These spectacular Easter nails are relatively easy to achieve, and they work well even on short nails. After applying pale pink as your base, dot two circles onto each nail in different pastel shades to act as the flowers. Then carefully draw on leaves in green and white. After your design dries, use a detailing tool to apply a tiny dot of gold or silver polish in the center of each flower. Spring has officially arrived!
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Sparkly oval nails
Sometimes the shape of your nails matters even more than the design. If you have longer nails, file them into a gentle oval, then polish with a soft and sparkly pink. The spring catwalks were filled with bright lips, over-the-top accessories, and extremely subtle oval-shaped nails with just a hint of tint and sparkle.
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Some bunny loves Easter manicure
Seriously, if not on Easter, then when? Go all out with a bunny motif for a cute and playful Easter nail idea that will have everyone doing a double take. Paint your nails in sweet, bright pinks, leaving one accent nail white. On that nail, use a fine-tipped nail brush or a nail pen to draw a bunny’s head and ears. Add sparkles if you’re in the mood for a little bling! And if you love the name of this Easter nail trend, check out these egg-stra funny Easter puns.
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Peeps-inspired colors
‘Tis the season…for Peeps! That’s why the geniuses at Sally Hansen partnered with everyone’s favorite marshmallow company to create a brand-new line of bright, gorgeous nail colors just in time for Easter. Choose one shade for your entire manicure, or polish every nail a different color.
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- Sally Hansen x Peeps Duo in Yellow and Lavender
- Sally Hansen x Peeps Duo in White and Sparkly Wild Berry
Flower power
This beautiful daisy design practically screams spring, making it perfect for Easter and beyond. To replicate this pretty motif, start by coating your nails with clear polish. After they’re dry, add a dot of yellow polish to create the center of each daisy. Then use a nail brush to create petals around it, either in white or different pastels. Accent a single nail, or create a flower garden on all 10 nails. Regardless of what you ultimately choose, don’t forget to take a picture of your holiday nails and post it on Instagram with the perfect Easter caption!
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Next, keep the holiday manicure ideas going with these fabulous 4th of July nail designs.
Sources:
- Jennifer Bell, senior marketing manager at Bellacures
- Anastasia Totty, an educator with LeChat Nails
- Syreeta Aaron, an educator with LeChat Nails
- Rachel Apfel Glass, founder of GlossLab
- Isabel Madison, founder of Nude Envie
Originally Published: March 28, 2022
