The 16 Best Nail Colors If You Just Can't With Long Nails This Summer
As someone who almost always has long nails (almond-shaped, please!), I'll admit that when I hacked them down to tiny nubs this past weekend, it was as though an alien inhabited my body. Okay, that's dramatic, but I was sick of them catching on my hair, slowing my typing speed (no good when you're an editor!), catching more food than my mouth, and being all around annoying, so I determinedly clipped them down to about half their size. For a second, I was traumatized. Having shorter nails completely changed the look of my hands and fingers, and the initial shock reminded me of receiving a shorter-than-intended haircut. In seconds, your styling and decorating options can totally change.
Now, obviously, you can wear whatever nail color you want regardless of how long or short your nails are, but as I'm learning, some colors (like neon pink, gold, and even cream-swirled shades of mocha) look cooler on my shorter length than they did pre-hack—at least IMHO! With summer officially here and tons of new summer nail color collections sitting both on my desk and in my inbox, I decided to sift through a bazillion color options to pull together a list of the best nail colors to wear with short nails. Ahead, 16 nail colors to try if you want of short-nail inspiration. Keep scrolling!
If you love dark nail colors…
1. Burgundy
2. Plum
3. Teal
Love navy? This shade of teal is dark enough to satisfy a moody nail craving this summer, looks super polished atop short nails, and, thanks to OPI's gel-inspired long-wear formula, will stay chip-free all summer long (or at least for a couple of weeks).
4. Black
Nothing beats a classic coat of black to complement short nails—even in the heat of the summer. That said, if you're going to take the plunge, we recommend Orly's new rendition. It's part of the brand's Breathable collection and is infused with argan oil, provitamin B5, and vitamin C. Plus, the finish and wear are so good you don't even need a base or top coat. It's summer minimalism at its finest.
If you like neutral nail colors…
5. Peach
FYI: L.A.'s favorite nail salon now makes polish (and a slew of other exciting nail products) and perfecting neutrals is one of the brand's many strengths. For short nails, in particular, we're keen on this brand-new summer hue called BI, short for its real-life inspiration, Blair Imani. Cool, no?
6. Brown
7. Almost Bare
J.Hannah is known for its minimalist and artistic color palettes, and we've kept this pretty shade of oyster at the top of our polish pile ever since its initial debut. There's a soft, golden sheen, so it looks extra pretty when the summer sun hits it. If you prefer the look of short, virtually bare nails, look no further.
8. Pink
If you like bright colors…
9. Hot Pink
10. Orange
11. Yellow
12. Neon Green
If you like sparkly nail colors…
13. Magenta
14. Silver
We love that we can use this disco-appropriate topper on its own or layered on top of all of our other favorite shades. According to the brand, it has a clear base with silver glitter, large white hexagonal glitter, and small white glitter running throughout. So basically, it's your go-to white nail polish but on blindly sparkling steroids. (And we mean that in the most positive way possible.)
15. Spiked Lavender
16. Glitter Gold
Here's the thing: A glittering, peel-off manicure could read as gimmicky or even tacky, but this brilliant new polish from Butter London is so eye-catching, pretty, and, honestly, ingenious we'd easily dispute any of the above arguments. There's a variety of pretty polishes perfect for short nails, but we've been into this gold shade the most.
Next up: Amazon Shoppers Say These 11 Supplements Made Their Nails Grow Crazy Fast
This piece was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing for over five years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie andBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor.
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