'Italian Summer Nails' Are the Vacation Mani Everyone Wants This Season

Although minimal manicures continue to be popular (despite my disdain for them), I’m glad to see more bold, vibrant designs popping up this season. One trend I’ve been eyeing is Italian summer nails. According to Pinterest’s summer trend report, searches for “Italian summer nails” are up by 258 percent, and it’s projected to be the most requested design for summer. Whether you have a trip booked to the Amalfi coast or not, you can sport this look. I chatted with two professional nail artists to learn how to bring some Italia to our nail beds.

• Julie Kandalec is a NY-based celebrity manicurist, author, salon owner and founder of Julie K Nail Academy. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, her clientele includes Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt and Rose Byrne, to name a few.
• Priscilla Nguyen is a nail artist and brand educator for Aprés Nail, a nail care brand that offers Gel-X extensions, gel nail polish and nail art tools.

Also known as picnic or Mediterranean nails, this trendy manicure is meant to be whimsical and vibrant. “Italian summer nails are known for their bright citrus-inspired colors or tomato red shades. Think of Amalfi Coast lemons, Aperol spritz, fresh fruit and vibrant ceramic tiles,” explains Nguyen. 

With the rise of Sardine Girl and Tomato Girl Summer, eccentric, feel-good styles are in this season. Italian summer nails fit right in with their wanderlust mood-boarding right on your finger tips. “Who doesn’t dream of a Euro summer? It’s a way to create conversation, the perfect selfie-by-the-sea and reminisce about your vacay long after you return home—plus, lemons are too cute and yellow is at the top of the trends for this season,” Kandalec shares.  

Instagram and Pinterest are great sources for nail inspiration. Just scroll through the #ItalianSummerNails hashtag and bookmark your favorites to show your nail tech. (Or you can peruse my selections all throughout this story.) And aside from showing off your photos, Nguyen shares three helpful phrases you can use at your next appointment. 

• “I want nails that feel like summer in Italy—Aperol spritz-inspired polish or fresh fruit nail art (like lemons or oranges).”
• “I’m going for that Italian summer look—warm tones, bold designs and Mediterranean-esque prints (i.e, ceramic tiles, sea animals…)”
• “Something bright, juicy and summery like tomato red or citrus polishes.”

If you have the creative bug, you can attempt your own design right at home. First and foremost, prep and shape your nails before grabbing all your essentials. Gather your nail polishes of choice, nail art tools and a top coat. Not much of an aspiring nail artist? Opt for stickers or press-ons instead. 

Lemons are a great indicator that someone’s rocking some Italian summer nails. A yellow polish, nail art brush and a steady hand is enough to bring this look to life. Nguyen adds, “A tip for this look is to work in layers and cure in between each layer when creating your 3D lemon. Curing in between layers will hold the structure.”

Speaking of lemons, here’s another way to rock the staple fruit. “I love this design because it’s a perfect blend of mosaic tiles with citrus fruit. I think it’s so helpful that the picture shows a side by side of the reference photo and the final finish, which always helps when doing intricate nail art,” shares Nguyen. 

Who says you have to settle with one design? This manicure adds multiple fruits, prints and colors that just scream a day at the beach. 

Here’s your sign to spice up a traditional French with a bold blue shade that’s reminiscent of the Mediterranean sea.

If you’re missing your milky manicure, but looking for a pop of color, Nguyen recommends showing this design to your nail tech. “I love the clean simplicity of this design. For beginners and pros, anyone can achieve this look! The blue pops beautifully against the milky white,” she shares. “A helpful tip for this idea is to carefully place your dots where you want the design to be. When you break down the execution of this design, it’s just dots strategically placed.”