I try to be as unbiased as possible when it comes to nail polish, and honestly, I’ve really never met a color I didn’t like (says the crazy beauty editor who owns 500+ bottles of the stuff). However, I’d be lying if I said I don’t play favorites when it comes to my pedicure game. Sure, I’ll wear practically any hue on my fingers, but there’s something about feet and toes that just makes you want to choose the right shade. Is anyone else with me here?
Spring and summer are just around the corner, which means prime pedicure season is nearly upon us. Of course, many of us will likely continue our at-home mani and pedi routine versus going into the salon, but we’re here to lend a helping hand where your color inspiration is concerned. To whet your appetite for spring and all of the fresh, new color trends coming in hot from our favorite nail polish brands, I’ve gone ahead and rounded up 12 of the prettiest (IMHO) nail colors to pop onto your toes this year. Curious about our editor-approved selections? Keep scrolling!
There’s nothing wrong with your basic baby or ballet pink, but this year, we’re looking to spice things up a tad with a cross between light pink and nude à la Himalayan salt. (FYI: This pretty hue from SinfulColors, above, is even scented like Himalayan salt.) You can opt for something spiked with a hint of light-catching shimmer or something creamy and opaque. Regardless, the color looks stunning on your toes.
Come spring, there’s lots of chatter about your predictable pastels—robin’s-egg blue, mint, and easy-breezy shades of lavender. However, we like to dial it up a bit for our toes, and a rich shade of periwinkle is an elevated, slightly less expected twist on your go-to collection of blues and purples.
Okay, I get it. Green isn’t always considered “pretty,” and it’s certainly one of the more controversial colors when it comes to your pedicure options, but I have to say… I absolutely can’t wait to paint my toes with this creamy light-moss shade from J. Hannah. It’s called Patina, and the brand describes it as a chic “creme de lichen.”
We love red, orange, and shimmer, so what’s not to love about a pretty pedicure color that combines stunning traces of all three? We’re especially obsessed with these brand-new bottles from Chanel and OPI.
Finding the perfect shade of nude for your skin color is a rite of passage in the beauty space, and it’s a no-brainer choice for your next pedicure. It’s chic, elevated, and sure to look flattering no matter what you’re wearing or where you are. To find your most flattering nude hue, the pros say to go one or two shades darker or lighter than your actual skin tone.
Part gray, part blue, part green, a fresh AF shade of earthy eucalyptus is our unpredictable pastel pedicure color of choice this spring. And yes, this shade from SinfulColors, similar to the Himalayan Salt at the beginning of this roundup, actually smells like real eucalyptus.
A bright, electrified shade of red will never not be in style, and it’s a signature color choice where our toes are concerned. Of course, there are plenty of bright-red iterations to choose from, but we’re feeling this particular shade inspired by fields of red-orange poppies. Go brighter (like the new shade from Smith & Cult above) or go slightly more earthy and orange with JinSoon’s trademark poppy-tinged polish below.
If you thought shades of turquoise were only relegated to spring break, think again. The bold shade looks captivatingly pretty on your toes, and there are no better brands than Chanel and LaPierre to prove it.
Even if you’re not an orange-on-your-fingers type of person, trust your toes to handle this pretty shade of tangerine. It’s bold and bright but a little less traditional than your go-to red for pedicures. Spice things up even further with an option that has a hint of shimmer. (See the below hue from Smith & Cult!)
Not quite red, not quite orange, not quite pink, coral will go down in history as one of the most versatile pedicure shades out there. There are lots of different iterations (some veer more peach, and some veer rosier), so it’s up to you to pick your poison here.
Slightly more muted than its cousins neon and hot pink, a pretty Barbie pink still packs a punch in the statement-making department, and it’s a quintessentially perfect color for pedicure season. We’re especially infatuated with how glossy and glass-like the finishes are from Static Nails and Butter London.
Nope, I didn’t get hit in the head with a baseball bat, and I actually am recommending this vampy shade as one of the prettiest pedicure colors you can opt for this spring. Why, you ask? Because I live to break the rules, and there is something inherently cool, chic, and sophisticated about an ultra-rich, gothic shade on your toes all year, but especially in spring and summer. Also, Orly must agree with me because this drool-inducing shade of plum is a star player in its just-released spring collection.
Up next, I Can’t Stop With Purple Nail Polish Lately—These Are the Most Wearable Shades
