5 Beachy Nail Designs For The Perfect Summer 2024 Mani

It's that time of year again. The sun's shining, linen is part our everyday wear, and our minds are all in vacation mode. Maybe you've already booked the flight and packed your suitcase to the brim with trendy day-to-night beach outfits. You might have even looked up how to create beachy waves in your hair so that you can go all out with your tropical vibe. But that leaves one question: What should you do about your nails?

While going with a classic French manicure for the summer is never a bad idea, if you want to bring more summer fun to your hands, consider taking inspiration from the beach itself. We get that it may sound a little niche, but trust us when we saw it really doesn't have to be. There are countless ways to channel the beauty and relaxation of the seashore into your manicures. From textured sandy tips, to ocean blue wave designs, these are the beachy nail designs you need to know for summer 2024.

Want beachy nails but don't like to do anything too intricate or out there with your manicure? Then we have the simplistic manicure for you. Instead of spending hours painting intricate seashells and palm trees, capture the summer vibe with a beach-themed color palette. Draw a squiggly line with the darkest shade of blue across the tip. Underneath that, add a slightly lighter shade of periwinkle, and then a bright aqua to represent the ocean. Then, include one yellow or orange line closer to your nail bed, as this will act as the sand. Gorgeous!

Nothing transports us instantly to the shores of Hawaii or another island destination like tropical flowers. Give your French manicure a Rhianna-level upgrade with baby blue tips and dark blue smudges to create water. Then, once those are dry, use a nail dotting tool to create Hibiscus-like flowers on top. this will create a visual that looks like flowers floating on clear blue waters. If you want a little extra summer kick, ditch the neutral shade on the base of your nail for something summery like a trendy butter yellow shade.

If you have some extra time on your hands, you could paint a full-on birds eye view beach scene onto your nails. We'd recommend going to a professional nail tech for this, though, as it'll be difficult to get it right on your own nails. You'll also need long talons in order to make it work. Start with a sandy beige color at the tips, and, as you get closer to the cuticle, switch to a deep blue. For an extra creative edge, swirl white polish where the two meet to represent the crests of the waves. 

For a manicure that sparkles like the sun's reflection in the ocean, aqua-colored glitter is the way to go. Despite being one of the most glamorous looks on our list, this is actually one of the easier ways to get a beach inspired mani as the sparkle will do a lot of the work for you. Best of all, there are so many ways to switch up this look to your liking. Mix gold and blue glitter for a look that gives sand and sea, or try layers of acrylic sparkle lacquers to add a dimension that mimics the depth of the ocean.

Chrome has been massive in the nail world for a while now and 3D accessories have also been hot, so why not combine them with a beach manicure for the ultimate trendy look? Try an ombre effect with blue manicure tips that fade into a more neutral shade, then apply a chrome powder finish to give a more blended look. Incorporating small accessories, like rhinestones, will add some glitz and look just like the shells and/or ocean debris that often washes up on the coast. Perfect for the trendy manicure lover.