Al Fresco Nails Are The Perfect Manicure Trend for Outdoor Dining

We’re in our mid-summer era, and as we beat the heat and enjoy those long days, bright and playful nail art is on the rise. This ultra adorable look is all about celebrating the fresh open air and savoring your summer. Embrace the season with al fresco nails.

Featured Experts

• Julie Kandalec is a celebrity manicurist
• Mazz Hanna is CEO of Nailing Hollywood

What Are Al Fresco Nails?

Dining al fresco is all about the outside, good food and great vibes. And in the summer of the manicure, it’s no surprise to see al fresco nails gaining traction. From Kylie Jenner’s adorable garden mani to the to-die-for fruit nails, these nails are all about what’s fresh and what’s cute.

“If al fresco is defined as dining in the open air, think of this trend as micro nail art with a lot of open space,” explains CEO of Nailing Hollywood, Mazz Hanna. “Al fresco nails usually start with a sheer, neutral base, and include micro nail art that varies finger to finger. Typically, the nail art is inspired by things you would find in nature like fruits, florals and insects.”

“I’m seeing a lot of the fruity nails in this style,” says celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec. “This is about dining outdoors so it’s very fresh, with lots of butterflies and worms like you might see on a picnic.”

What you include in your nail art is completely up to you. Is the summer cocktail your favorite seasonal moment? Try adorable olives and fruit in your nail art. Love the farmer’s market? Consider adding fresh fruit and bouquets to your nail look. From butterfly and floral to 3D bee nail art, everything from the creepy crawlies in your backyard, to the fruit trays and cocktails at your garden party are the perfect al fresco nails in the making.

This trend should serve your interests and reflect what you’ve been up to this season. From grabbing drinks with friends to perusing fresh flowers, these nails are all about making the most of your summer.

Al Fresco Nails Inspiration

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Butterfly Garden

Capture the beauty of summer right on your nails with this gorgeous butterfly nail art. We love how the florals are incorporated to create a garden right on your fingertips.

 

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Nail Reformation Vineyard ($16)

This set by Nail Reformation gives you the ideal floral accent as a French tip, keeping the rest of the design bare for that open air feel.

• BUY NOW – $16

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Blood Orange Mani

By concentrating nail art to just one finger, that al fresco, outdoor dining feeling is amplified, allowing for a more bold blood orange.

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Fruit Tray

You can also play with size in your art of choice. These nails feel just like picking fruit at a farmer’s market!

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Nail Reformation Fruitopia ($16)

Combining micro art with a classic French tip, this set goes from a adorable to classy.

• BUY NOW – $16

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In Flight

Pay homage to your favorite of mother nature’s insects with this gorgeous butterfly art.

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Garden Party

We can’t get enough of these Bridgerton-inspired nails.

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Paintlab Lavender Butterfly (Coffin) Press-on Nails ($10)

Micro nail art is balanced with gorgeous French tips for a lavender look that you don’t want to miss.

• BUY NOW – $10

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Fresh Flowers

Stop and smell the flowers with this gorgeously fresh floral look.

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Strawberry Soda

Al fresco nails are all about dining outside, and is there anything more summery than a strawberry spritz?

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Cherry French Tips

Make your micro nail art a 3D experience with this adorable cherry nail look.

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Cocktail Nails

Do you take your nails shaken or stirred? This set balances negative space with adorable nail art for the perfect al fresco cocktail.

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Farmer’s Market Tulips

White tulips wrapped in lilac paper, fresh from the farmer’s market, this mani could be an al fresco centerpiece.

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Citrus Set

Bright and bold, this manicure delivers on the al fresco menu, where citrus is a vibrant addition.

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Limoncello

The perfect al fresco meal isn’t over until the after-meal cocktail is empty. These lemon nails are the ideal al fresco limoncello to end your evening.