The season of sandals and flip-flops is around the corner so you'll no doubt be looking for pedicure ideas ready for your summer holiday nails.
If you've booked your pedicure appointment, you'll want to get there prepped and ready to avoid being put on the spot in the salon when they ask what colour you'd like. Alternatively, you might be treating yourself to a pedicure at home if you're looking to cut costs this season.
Before you go, you'll want to think about the shape you want your toenails to be, will you go for a rounded edge or a square edge? You'll also want to consider how much TLC your feet need. If you suffer from dry skin, you might want to consider investing in a pedicure set to keep your feet looking healthy. Or you may want to opt for a fancy pamper with a foot spa session included!
Wondering what colours are trending this year? We've compiled our favourite pedicure ideas to give you some inspiration for the sunny season.
Pedicure ideas 2023
French pedicure
You really can't go wrong with a classic French pedicure, especially if you're not sure what to go for. We recommend asking for quite a thin white tip like the one below for a modern feel as well as a clean, square-shaped edge. Thanks to the neutral base, they grow out naturally without leaving a noticeable gap at the bottom of the nail.
Pink pedicure
There are so many gorgeous shades of pink to choose from, whether you want a bold bright pink or a soft pastel pink, it's no surprise they're a popular choice when it comes to pedicures. This bright bubblegum pink shade suits all skin tones beautifully.
Glitter pedicure
If you can't decide between a bold glitter and a bright summery shade, then why not go with both? This pedicure focuses the bronze glitter on two toes which are broken up with a bright coral shade on three of the toes. This is a lovely idea for the summer months as the glitter pairs beautifully with most bright colours.
Neon nails
While you might not want to go full-on neon on your fingernails, you can always get away with going a bit brighter on your toes. Whether it's a neon pink or a neon yellow like the one below, these bold shades look particularly lovely against bronzed skin and are perfect for a summer holiday on the beach.
Coral pedicure
Coral is probably the most popular pedicure shade that's synonymous with summer. If you're not familiar, it's a gorgeous shade that's a mix of red and pink with a hint of orange to create a beach-perfect shade. You may even want to add some glitter or chrome nails to your pedicure in a warming bronze shade.
Bold blue pedicure
The bold blue shade is here to stick around and we think it looks particularly stylish on the toes. This shade is suitable all year round but we think this is an ideal colour to wear this year with the coronation happening this year as it's a very royal colour.
Neutral glitter nails
If the bolder glitter isn't for you, then there are plenty of subtle glitter shades that might suit you better. Simply choose a nude or neutral shade for your base and ask for a subtle glitter top coat to go over the neutral colour and really make it pop, especially when the sun is shining on your toes!
Neutral pedicure
A neutral shade always looks classy and smart so is an ideal pedicure shade if you want to keep things minimal to match with every outfit and also grow out neatly. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to picking your perfect nude or neutral tone as there are so many pedicure ideas, so ask your beautician to try some different colours on each nail before you paint them all.
Pastel pedicure
Nothing says spring like some fresh pastel shades. While all these pretty colours look lovely alone, pairing them with some different pastel shades really makes each colour pop. If you're not sure about painting the whole nail, you could go for some pastel French tips instead.
Red pedicure
A classic red pedicure is a lovely year-round pedicure idea and matches well with most outfits, looking stylish with any open-toed shoe including flip-flops and sandals. You could even match it with your fingers for a clean and polished look.
Bright French tips
If you like the look of a French pedicure but maybe want to switch it up a little with a modern twist then a bright tip gives a really modern feel. We particularly love a green or yellow neon finish to add an element of fun to your pedicure. You could even add a layer of glitter over the colour too!
Ombre nails
An ombre effect on the nails is perfect for the summer. We love this transition from dark pink to light and they'll look extra summery on that sandy beach. We'd advise checking in with your salon before you go for these nails as not every nail technician will have the tools to be able to achieve an ombre effect.
Blue shades
If you love the ocean, then an ocean-themed pedicure could be the perfect fit for you. Simply pick four shades of bluey green shades for your nails. You may also want to include a white in there too or start from a white little toe and eventually get darker for a gradient effect. We also love the glitter effect on one toe like the one below.
Lavender nails
A gorgeous hybrid between blue and purple is a cool lavender shade. Slightly darker than your pastel shades, this colour looks super chic with any outfit and is especially suited to the warm, summer months thanks to its summer beach yet cool feel.
Love heart nails
Pink and red are a match made in heaven if you ask us. Although these might be more suited to Valentine's season rather than summer, these subtle red hearts against the pale pink background have a really pretty feel and look fabulous for a romantic getaway.
Lemon yellow nails
Yellow might be the last colour you think you'd want your toenails to be, but the perfect lemon shade can actually be really pretty on your feet, especially in the spring and summer months. If you're not used to yellow, we'd recommend trying out some different yellow shades before settling on one.
Mermaid nails
If you're looking to try a more playful pedicure idea, then these mermaid nails are very fun. With a lovely peachy base that looks lovely in the sun, these particular nails use gold stickers as nail art. These nail art stickers can be picked up online at bargain prices and your nail technician should be able to apply them for you.
Matcha nails
Green might not be an obvious choice for nails, but matcha green nails, or pistachio nails as they're sometimes called are a subtle way of experimenting with the shade of green in a chic and sophisticated way.
Glazed nails
Sometimes called 'glazed donut nails' these are a frosty and fashionable shade that are made to replicate a shiny, glazed donut. It matches beautifully with any outfit and they're fairly subtle in colour.
Metallic nails
There are so many different metallic shades available to buy now. From a festive gold that's ideal for Christmas parties to classic silver, it's likely your salon will have a range of chrome and metallic shades to choose from.
Florals
We love how bright and summery these gorgeous daisy themed nails are. The addition of florals are a very pretty and fun way of adding some summer to your pedicure. Have a chat with your nail technician to see if they have any floral nail ideas.
Darker shades
Don't be fooled into thinking darker nail polish should only be worn in the autumn and winter months. Dark reds, purples, greens, blues and even black are a classic nail shade year round.
White nails
There's a reason white is one of the most popular pedicure colour choices. It's simple, classic and will make your glowing summer tan stand out even more. The best part is you can pick up white polish in most supermarkets, so it's easy to touch up if it chips.
What's the best shape for toe nail pedicures?
If you go to a nail salon, they'll ask you what shape you want your toe nails to be, and you might be surprised to see how many options there are. When it come to toes however, the choice is a bit more limited, and we'd recommend going for rounded with no harsh edges, square for a structured edge and squoval for a mixture of the two.
If you're having a french tip, a square shape would work best to accentuate the design. If you have a shorter toe or don't like the shape of your natural nails, you may want to consider acrylic toe nails to help you achieve the shape you want, even if it's only on a few of your nails.
How often should you have a pedicure?
To keep your toe nails and foot skin in the best way, we'd recommend treating yourself to a pedicure, either at the salon or at home every 4-6 weeks.
It's advised not to have a pedicure more frequently than this as it could result in over exfoliation or damage to the cuticles so no more than once a month is usually advised by experts.
Lorna White is a Senior Digital Writer at Yours.co.uk. She was previously a writer at Yours Magazine writing features and news stories before joining the digital team. Lorna loves the great British countryside and likes to spend her spare time out and about in her home of Nottinghamshire walking her dog, Pippin.