Spring has officially sprung, and while we all tend to focus more on the cutest fashion trends and manicures we can rock when the weather gets warmer, there's one spring beauty staple that is often overlooked: pedicures.
Fall and winter pedicures are all about moody colors, but warmer temperatures mean we often ditch sneakers and boots for sandals and clogs, which in turn usually translates to toes out. Whether you opt for kitten heel flip flops or Birkenstocks, having the right pedicure color can take a casual 'fit from basic to elevated with little to no effort, since pedis do last way longer than manis.
If you are unsure about what color to choose, fret not. We've consulted the experts to answer your most pressing questions and found the cutest pedicure colors so you can give your toes some TLC right at home, including tips on transitioning from winter. Ready to land on the perfect pedi color? Let's dive in!
Meet the experts
- Natalie Minerva, a celebrity nail artist and OPI global ambassador based in LA
- Ami Streets, a celebrity manicurist based in London
- Gina Edwards, a celebrity manicurist and KISS Nails and imPRESS Mani brand ambassador
Spring pedicure colors FAQs
What is the best DIY prep to make sure you have the perfect base for a fresh spring pedicure that lasts?
We all get excited at the thought of a spring pedicure, because it means we will likely get to finally show it off. However, even if you kept up your pedi game during the fall and winter, your feet have been covered for a long period of time so you want to take some extra time to make sure you have the perfect base for your spring pedi.
“Coming out of winter, the key to a long-lasting spring pedicure is great nail and skin prep!” Ami Streets, who has worked with the likes of Sadie Sink, Olivia Dean, Gigi Hadid, and more, tells Teen Vogue. “Winter often leaves feet dehydrated, with compacted skin and small cracks, so the goal is to restore flexibility and smoothness.”
Streets suggests starting the prep “with controlled exfoliation rather than anything too aggressive” and highlights that the key is to “avoid harsh tools.” A simple way she recommends is using fine foot file on dry skin.
Streets recommends following the light exfoliation with moisturizer.
“A urea or lactic acid-based foot cream applied nightly to rehydrate and gently resurface the skin [works], foot masks are also a great easy option — I love the Kure Bazaar ones infused with shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E,” she says. “This step is essential because polish longevity relies not just on the nail plate, but on the condition of the surrounding skin as well.”
One your skin has been prepped, Streets says it's time to move to the cuticles. “Cuticle care is another major factor in how well a pedicure lasts,” she explains. “Before applying polish, ensure the nail plate is completely clean by removing any old product thoroughly, lightly buff away shine without thinning the nail, and cleanse with acetone or alcohol to eliminate surface oils. Even small amounts of oil and dead skin can prevent proper product adhesion and affect wear-time.”
How is the upkeep of a spring-summer pedicure different from a manicure and how can that affect color selection?
The key is planning ahead and choosing a shade that will work for plans across at least a few weeks.
“I usually find that pedicures tend to last a bit longer than a manicure just simply because your toenails grow out a bit slower,” Natalie Minerva, who works with the likes of Demi Lovato and Addison Rae, explains. “I keep that in mind when choosing a color because I may live with it a bit longer than my nails. I also think that pedicures are a great way to be a bit more exploratory with color since you aren’t necessarily staring at them all day like you do with your hands.”
If you want your pedi to last a long time, Streets has an important reminder: Shape matters. “Nail shape also plays a role and is super important [in making a pedicure last],” she says, “keeping toenails in a soft square or squoval shape helps prevent ingrowns and maintains a crisp, durable polish line.”
“To protect your nails, always apply a base coat before applying thin, even layers and cap the free edge to prevent early chipping,” Streets adds. “Finish with a high-gloss top coat to enhance that fresh spring shine, and avoid tight shoes for the first 12 to 24 hours after application. Once the pedicure is complete, reintroduce daily cuticle oil to maintain hydration and flexibility. Always avoid picking or peeling off chipped polish and remember that taking short breaks between applications also helps keep nails strong and in healthy condition.”
What are the key things to keep in mind when looking for a pedicure color in spring and summer?
Minerva says the key to picking the right pedicure color for the season is to pay attention to your plans. “I think pedicure colors are all about what your lifestyle is looking like at the moment,” she tells Teen Vogue. “Are you heading on tropical vacation? Maybe pick a fun and bright hot pink to show off your tan. Are you wearing a lot of open toed shoes? Perhaps just pick a more subtle milky tone that matches with a lot of outfits but also elevates your feet.”
How do you differentiate between a spring pedicure versus a summer pedicure?
Though we often lump them together as spring-summer, you might want to differentiate your seasons when it comes to hot-weather pedis. There is undoubtedly an overlap, but usually spring is a softer, chillier version of summer, and your pedicure color can reflect that. Think a soft buttery yellow vs. a bright banana yellow.
“In my opinion a spring pedicure differs from a summer one in aesthetic,” Streets says. “Spring is all about freshness, lightness, and detail. I love to see sheer or milky finishes, soft gloss, and subtle design elements like micro-French tips or even cute and delicate nail art accents if you like something trend-led. Textures also come into play with milky white glazes, translucent jelly finishes and soft shimmer adding dimension without heaviness. Overall, it feels like a refined, elevated version of a natural nail. Summer by contrast feels a little bolder with opaque brights and high-gloss cream polishes designed to stand out against sun-kissed skin."
Gina Edwards, who has worked with the likes of Amanda Seyfried and Jacob Elordi, agrees. For her, spring is all about “fresh, uplifting” colors. “Spring pedicures almost always lean into pastels and softened brights like butter yellow, lavender, baby pink, pistachio green, and powder blue. These shades mimic the season’s color palette and instantly feel optimistic after months of darker winter hues,” she says.
Top 11 best pedicure colors for spring:
Milk nails have been having a moment for months, so it's no surprise that they would also work well for pedicures. “When it comes to color for spring, look for evolving tones and finishes. Pantone’s Cloud Dancer color of the year gives a fresh and sheerer take on bright white,” Streets says. Both Streets and Minerva are fans of a sheer white, like the uber-popular Funny Bunny, for those looking for a sleek take. If you want a simpler option, the KISS press-on toenails in white could also be a time saver. You can also add a twist with classic French tips. “A French pedicure using KISS press on toenails is a spring staple because it’s clean, timeless, and effortlessly polished," Edwards says.
In the same realm as milk nails, we find pink pedis. However, you don't have to opt for baby pink to stay trendy. “Hot pink, baby pink, sparkly pink: it all works for the spring-summer months!” Minerva says, reinforcing the idea that barbiecore is alive and well. “Pink is my typical go-to pedicure for me personally, and I usually lean in the softer world like It’s a Girl or Cotton Candied Clawz.”
For spring specifically, Streets says the paler the better. “Pale pastels are reimagined in illuminator-style polishes [this season],” she explains, adding that “a forever favorite and my go-to for a sheer high shine rosy pink glow” is Dior's Nail Glow.
Orange is one of the colors we mostly associate with warmer weather. Once spring rolls around, you can ease into the citrusy shade with a more muted peachy take. “Peach colors sit right between pink and orange, which makes it incredibly wearable,” Edwards says, “it has the softness of a pastel but just enough warmth to feel alive and sun-kissed!”
Streets says a “soft peach” is a great “strong choice” for this spring, since it brings “warmth and a healthy glow that feels more alive than traditional beiges or pinks.” If you want to manifest summer or live in a hotter climate, feel free to go all in early. Orange is kind of a fun and quirky twist on a fresh pedicure,” Minerva says. “It’s not the norm, which I like! Silicon Valley Girl by OPI would be a really cute summery orange.”
In between pinks and oranges, there's coral—one of the most quintessential spring-summer shades of all time. “I will forever correlate a coral pedicure with growing up on the beach in the early 2000s. It’s very throwback to me, which I love,” Minerva shares, picking Suzi is My Avatar as her favorite shade in this family.
If you want a pop of color but prefer something a bit more subtle than peach or coral, baby blues are the way to go. “Baby Blue is a cute way to have a light tone on your toes that isn’t white. This way, you get a little color while still having the impact of something bright. Try It’s a Boy on your toes, it’s so flattering!” Minerva says.
If you want to give it an edge, try adding some chrome. “Icy blue, especially in a chrome finish, adds a fresh, almost glass-like quality that works beautifully in spring light,” Streets says, adding that “muted or ‘dirty’ pastels like gray-blue offer a more editorial, fashion-led take on color that elevates a pedicure beyond the expected.” Her favorite in this pale gray-blue area is Chanel's Muse.
One often underrated spring pedi color is violet. “I’m wearing Vogue En Violet as my current pedicure, and I am in love with it,” Minerva shares, making a case for the shade. “This is actually my second time in a row wearing this color. It feels very young and sweet.”
If you want a softer spring version, fret not. “Instead of a solid lilac, a milky lavender with a semi-sheer finish feels more current and wearable,” Streets says. “Jelly rose, or sheer blush tones, also align perfectly with the glazed trend, giving a translucent, juicy look.”
“Soft greens like pistachio or sage are having a big moment because they mimic the fresh greenery of early spring that we all have been waiting for,” Edwards says, and Streets agrees. “Pistachio green is a standout this season, offering a softer, more fashion-forward alternative to mint or lime.”
However, if you want to claim summer energy earlier, feel free to go for lime green already. “Any neon in summer will be eye-catching, especially a lime,” Minerva says, picking RapiDry Screen-Grab Green as her go-to. “If you have fun, bright swimwear [when] you are rocking, this is a great combo.”
Chrome manis have been on the up, and chrome pedis are following suit this spring. “A chrome pedicure will always be sleek to me,” Minerva says. “I think it’s nice because it adds some flair, and it looks really good with a pair of heels or open-toed sandals. OPI’s Chrome Clawz would be so chic for this look.”
Another quintessential spring and summer color is yellow — it is the color we associate with sunshine, after all! However, people have been gravitating towards softer, muted yellows too this year. “Yellow is just a very happy color and cute for this season,” Minerva says. “For myself, I might choose a more butter yellow like OPI’s Daffodil Duck Walk." Edwards agrees, “Buttery yellow reflects the warmth and renewal of the season and pairs beautifully with a lighter spring wardrobe.”
If color is not your cup of tea and you don't want to stick to white, brown is a perennial choice that also works well for spring. “For those that still favor a bold choice, shades of brown are still going strong and look super chic as a pedicure color,” Streets says, sharing that her favorite rich chocolate brown is Kure Bazaar's Ganache.
“Red is forever timeless, no matter what the season!” says Minerva. However, not all reds are made equally, and that should be taken into account when picking the right one. For spring, you want to keep it more cool-toned, whereas for summer, you want to lean brighter. “Maybe I’ll choose a tomato red like OPI’s Cajun Shrimp instead of something with more blue undertones,” Minerva shares.
