25 End-of-Summer Nail Ideas for a Slow Burn to the Season

No matter how hard you try to savor it with rooftop rosé dates and weekends at the beach, summer always goes by too fast. And with the season’s final month upon us, all I can think is “So many manicure trends to try, so little time.”

While the warmer months give us a good excuse to play with vibrant colors and bright designs, this year, in particular, nails reached a whole new level. Aura-inspired manis, dewdrop designs, fancy French tips, and chrome accents have dominated FYPs all over—just when we thought we’d reached peak nail art, things got even better.

With only a few weeks left before our summer polish shades are retired in favor of fall-friendly colors, why not make them count? Keep scrolling for 25 end-of-summer manicures to get you from now through Labor Day with compliment-worthy claws.

Interstellar Blue and Silver

Take inspiration from the cosmos with this futuristic mani, which features 3D silver designs and celestial accents. The blue, white, and silver combo pops and the slightly beachy elements (like the coral-shaped navy squiggles) give it major end-of-summer vibes.

Milk Chocolate

For a look that will perfectly transition from summer to fall, try a brown and buttercream combo. As a bonus, you can be sure that this particular chocolate treat won’t melt in the late summer heat.

Hot (Girl Summer) Pink

Hot girl summer, meet hot pink polish. This fuchsia—so bright it’s almost fluorescent—captures the vibe to a “T.”

Summer Skittles

When it comes to Skittle nails—AKA manis that feature a different polish shade on every finger—there are infinite ways to experiment. Simply choose a few of your favorite summer shades and get to work. Stick within the same color family for a gradient effect, or embrace the “IDGAF” energy of “Brat” summer by going buck wild with whatever random color combo suits your mood.

Graphic Neutrals

You don’t have to commit to a bold color to have a little fun with your end-of-summer nails. Top a neutral base with black-and-white squiggly lines for a chic, understated mani.

Pastel Watercolors

It’s “Cruel Summer” all over again with this Lover-inspired watercolor mani, and believe it or not, it’s pretty simple to DIY. Start with a coat of whatever shade you want for your canvas, then dilute some pastel polish shades with alcohol (to copy this look exactly, opt for a pastel pink, blue, peach, and purple). Use a brush or a dotting tool to blend them on the surface of your nail.

Peach and Pearls

Add a slight coquettish twist to any neutral mani with a few itty-bitty pearl accents. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it detail feels elegant and cool all at once.

Rainbow Brights

For those who gravitate toward dark polish when the weather gets cold, these final days of summer are your last chance to play with vibrant brights. Go out with a bang by painting your tips every shade of the rainbow. To master the gradient effect seen here, use a sponge to blend the tones.

Pink Marbled Mani

Rose quartz is said to bring harmony, which we could all use a little bit more of in Summer 2024. Bring those vibes to your nails with a pink marbled mani that will—bonus—perfectly match your rosé.

Black 3D French Mani

Black polish isn’t exactly a popular summer choice, but this look may make you want to reconsider. A thin black tip makes a major statement when set against a neutral base, and the studs add a little extra edge. Needless to say, this is not your mother’s French manicure.

Pearly Chrome

Glazed donut manis don’t seem to be going anywhere, and there are countless ways to take on the trend. Consider opting for two shades at once if you can’t choose between the many options.

Pink and Green Split

There’s so much to love about this manicure—and the fact that it perfectly matches the artists’ accessories is just icing on the (beautifully frosted) cake. The pink-and-green pairing creates a cool contrast between dark and light that feels perfect for those early September days when the weather can’t quite decide what season it is. Look closely, and you’ll see a delicate gold line down the middle of the nail—the perfect finishing touch.

Summer Sunbursts

This red and orange aura mani perfectly encapsulates those late August afternoons when the sun is at its hottest—but in this case, you don’t have to worry about UV damage.

Metallic Blobs

There have been *so* many summer manicure trends worth copying this year, and with Labor Day on the horizon, there isn’t much time to try them out before the nail world moves onto the next big thing. With this look, you can try three at once: blobs, chrome, and neon accents.

Barbie Chrome

“Barbiecore” may have started last year, but it’s proven to be a way of life (we’re all Barbies, after all). Update the look by finishing things off with a chrome topper. It’ll look especially gorgeous when it catches the light of the summer sun.

Firework Nails

This explosion of color and glitter painted atop a peachy-pink base will leave you wondering why we reserve fireworks for just one of our summer holidays.

Fiery Tips

Red all over can admittedly feel a bit intense for the summer months (though if that’s your thing, you do you!). Instead of ditching your go-to shade through September, use it to create statement-making French tips—the brighter and bolder, the better.

Coastal Italian Art

If you aren’t among the lucky few posting vacation pics from Positano this August, you can still capture that same energy with a little Italy-inspired nail art. Grab a glass of limoncello and play pretend.

Summer in 3D

Humidity and summer are pretty much synonymous, so why not embrace that by decorating your nails with some buzzy dewdrop designs? We love how they look in a mismatched set like this one.

Ocean Nails

Even on days when you’re not at the beach, this ocean-inspired mani will help you pretend like you are.

Neon Squiggles

“Understated neon” sounds like an oxymoron, but this dainty nail art proves it is possible. To get the 3D effect seen here, try using a builder gel, which is slightly thicker in texture than your usual polish and easier to draw on in a nice, thick layer.

Elevated Mermaidcore

Mermaidcore manis tend to include purple polish with an iridescent finish. This look is a great way to try the trend while keeping things more neutral. The textured light gold polish mimics the look of waves washing over the sand, creating the perfect setting for a few delicate pearl accents.

Blueberry Milk Nails (Literally)

Last year, “blueberry milk” nails emerged to describe the buzzy baby blue nail polish trend. This summer, try a more literal take with baby bunches of blueberries painted atop a milky base.

Tie-Dye Nails

As a kid, summer didn’t feel complete unless you’d tie-dyed something—so as an adult, why not make that “something” your nails? Give the nostalgic design a grown-up twist by pairing it with complementary French tips.

Dopamine Nails

Fight end-of-summer sadness with a dopamine-boosting mani filled with fun prints and vibrant colors. The pure joy you’ll feel every time you look down at your nails will make the impending back-to-school season (which, IMO, is very much still a thing, even when you’re an adult) feel far less dreadful.