The Best Butter Yellow Nail Colors for This Summer

Butter yellow has been a personal favorite color for years. If anyone recalls the great Harling Ross Anton proclaimed “stick of butter” as her winter aesthetic back in 2018. Since then, I’ve loved hues teetering on muted yellows and off-whites. And lest we forget the iconic yellow dress that Andie Anderson wore in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days that inspires a more saturated shade of the sunny color. This summer, butter-dipped nails have become the manicure of the season, and we’re on board. If you want to give the trend a try but you’re not sure where to start, grab these shades at the store or ask for them at your next in-salon manicure.

1 / 8

Olive & June in Bright & Focused ($9)

Olive & June’s Bright & Focused is closer to a movie theater popcorn butter shade than your standard stick. Founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle says, “This is the color to reach for when you need a shot of sunshine in a bottle.”

• BUY NOW – $9

2 / 8

Chanel Le Vernis Ovni ($32)

Butter yellow manicure—but make it designer. “Yellow is the happiest color, and Chanel captured it beautifully and elegantly,” writes a reviewer. The shade is somehow bright but subdued all at once.

• BUY NOW – $32

3 / 8

Essie Buttercup Jelly ($13)

Jelly nails are trending right alongside butter yellow nails, so why not combine the two for a mega-trend moment? This new shade from Essie is super buildable, so it could be anything from sheer yellow to bright jello yellow.

• BUY ON AMAZON – $13
• BUY ON ULTA – $13

4 / 8

OPI Blinded By the Ring Light ($12)

The 21st-century yellow we needed, Blinded By the Ring Light, is a pastel yellow shade that gets brighter and bolder as you layer it, so you can choose how luminous you want your manicure to be. They also offer it in gel and dipping powder, so you can look for it at the salon.

• BUY ON AMAZON – $12
• BUY ON OPI – $12

5 / 8

Gelcare Butter ($20)

Straight-up called butter, there’s no denying this shade from Gelcare is a perfect place to start if you’re not sure how to approach the trend. They describe the desaturated yellow as a season-less update to summer brights, so you could easily pull it off all year.

• BUY NOW – $20

6 / 8

Londontown Buttercup ($16)

This muted yellow is a great option for those new to wearing bright shades on their nails. Plus, reviewers say it goes great with a summer tan.

• BUY ON LONDONTOWN – $16
• BUY ON AMAZON – $16

7 / 8

Gucci Cecilia Ivory ($33)

The only thing more on trend than being on trend is being on trend in Gucci. This muted, almost neutral yellow is super high fashion. It’s subtle enough to not draw too much attention, but it’s yellow enough for eagle eyes to clock the trend.

• BUY ON NORDSTROM – $33
• BUY ON SEPHORA – $35

8 / 8

Dior Lemon Glow ($32)

If you’re looking to sprinkle some subtle sparkle in your butter try Dior’s new shade, Lemon Glow. It’s on the golden butter spectrum and feels almost regal.

• BUY ON NORDSTROM – $32
• BUY ON DIOR – $32