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10 Awesome Summer Pedicure Colors to Fire Up Your Summer Style

What’s a budget fashionista’s hack for updating her style for season for less than $10? Nail polish. And, since we’ve hit the unofficial start to summer and the sandals are coming out, we can all tap into our bolder sensibilities with eye-catching pedicures.

The best colors for summer pedicures this year are over-the-top shades — frankly, they’re colors you might have been drawn to as a teenager. Corals, pinks, greens, and blues that lean towards neon are trending. You’ll also see new takes on the traditional red and richer purples that you normally would reserve as colors for winter or fall.

In short, the theme for summer pedicure colors is go big or go home.

Orange pedicure with orange and blue background.
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If going big sounds risky, you can stick with classic mauves and beiges. Those shades always deliver a sophisticated look. But if you’re ready to try something different, here are 10 of the boldest, best colors for summer pedicures.

Oranges for your summer pedicures

1. Essie Tangerine Tease

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This super citrus shade will be divine with your ultra casual outfits — denim shorts, t-shirt, and sandals. Add in some designer sunnies and a messy ponytail for a festival vibe that’s appropriate at any age.

Essie summer pedicure color Tangerine Tease.

You can also show off your composition skills by matching your tangerine toes with other rich hues. Try eggplant, navy, dark limes, and greenish turquoises.

Essie’s Tangerine Tease retails for $8.99 at Target.  

2. Butter London soft coral

For a softer take on orange plus a high-end, lacquer shine, try Butter London’s Hottie Tottie. This bottle of polish sets you back $18, but you get a gel-like finish for the investment.

Butter London soft coral pedicure polish.

You’ll find Hottie Tottie to be one of the more versatile trending colors in our list. It’s soft enough to pair well with brighter colors — electric blues, rich golds, purpley magentas, and more. If your summer wardrobe is bold, this pedicure color will serve you well all season long.

Summertime blues

3. Wet n Wild blue gray

You know Wet n Wild as the original budget nail polish. If you want to experiment with these fun summer pedicure colors without too much commitment, check out the brand’s summer line-up. The collection includes neon yellow, corals, and pinks. But I love the blue-gray Mile High Club. The $2 price point is perfect for test-driving new colors, though it won’t be the longest-lasting polish you own.

Wet n Wild blue gray nail polish color for summer.

Match this pretty blue with maroons, greens, tints of rose, blacks, and rich taupes.

4. OPI dark blue gray

OPI’s summer polish color collection is like the older, more sophisticated cousin of the Wet n Wild line-up. This shade of blue-gray is a perfect example. Called Oh You Sing, Dance, Act, and Produce?, it’s in the same vein as Mile High Club, but it’s richer and more elegant. Of course, you pay for that. A bottle of OPI nail polish is five times more expensive than Wet n Wild.  

OPI dark blue gray nail polish.

You can wear this color with nearly anything, but it makes a gorgeous statement with neon greens, melons, whites, and dark pinks.

The reds

5. Revlon orange red

Shades of red are always on point for a pedicure. Revlon’s modernized the classic red with an orange flair in a gel formulation called All On Red. It’s $9 for the bottle, plus you’ll want the clear gel topcoat formulation that goes with it. If you regularly do DIY pedicures, the investment will be worth it — the Revlon gel system applies beautifully, and stays put.

Revlon gel envy nail polish in orange red.
Clients|Revlon

Put this red to work when you’re wearing deep blues, the darkest of purples, or lighter hay tones.

6. Londontown bright burgundy

Londontown is another high-end brand; the price point is $16 a bottle. I can vouch for the quality when it’s used with the brand’s top and base coat. It goes on like glass and lasts — delivering a gorgeous at-home manicure (or pedicure). But this was a splurge purchase for me and I get it if $50 on pedicure supplies seems ridiculous. If it justifies the cost any, Londontown is an eco-friendly polish that’s vegan and cruelty-free.

Londontown nail polish in Dark Amaranth.

This color, called Dark Amaranth, is the most traditional pedicure color on my list. It falls somewhere between bright red and burgundy and you would wear it year-round. Pair it up with shades that lean towards green — light blue-greens, green-browns, and sages.

For pink pedicures

7. Orly lilac pink

If there is a color that says, “I don’t have a care in the world,” it’s this lilac pink shade from Orly priced at $9.50. Called Kaleidoscope Eyes, this girly, youthful color has a full five-star rating on Orly’s website. Users say it’s even prettier IRL.

Orly lilac pink color for summer pedicures.

Team Kaleidoscope Eyes up with rich browns, taupes, and blacks.

8. Maybelline Vivid Violet

Orly’s price point may give you pause, or bright pink may not be your thing. Here’s a cheaper lilac that’s darker and far more subtle. Maybelline’s Fast Gel in Vivid Violet retails for less than $3 a bottle.

Maybelline Fast Gel polish in muted lilac.

And the greens

9. Orly Neon Paradise

The anchor of ’80s fashion — neon — is back. Orly’s shade of neon green is only slightly softer than something out of a Wham! video. It’s bold for sure but also on point for summer.

Orly nail polish in neon green.

Try it out with darker colors like muted purples, brick reds, and deep grays. This color’s one to keep on your toes, matched with a clear coat on your fingers.

10. OPI green gray

To close out our top summer colors for pedicures, here’s a lovely green-gray from OPI. It’s called Destined to be a Legend, and there may be some truth to that moniker. Think of this as a gateway green — the pedicure shade for anyone who’s reluctant to wear green polish at all.

OPI nail polish in green gray.

Apply this color when you’re wearing dark greys, dark browns as well as lighter, summery colors like oranges and corals.

Upvc Windows and Doors

Tuesday 1st of June 2021

Good Article.Thanks for sharing the article.

Mercedes Moore

Monday 28th of July 2014

I love bright colors for summer, especially the purple pictured above. I usually tend to stick with shades of pink, red and purple to add a pop of color to my style. BH Cosmetics has a set of polish called Flirty, and I recommend checking it out if you are looking for fun new colors to try!

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