The Pedicure Colors We’re Obsessed With for Sandal Season

With summer just around the corner, you know what that means: It’s officially sandal season. Whether your feet have been hiding in winter boots all year so far or you just want to give them a little extra TLC, taking the time to get a pedicure with a fun new nail polish color is an easy way to brighten your day. “After months of closed shoes, dry skin and buildup, it’s important to properly refresh the skin and nails,” says San Diego nail artist, educator and founder of Altera Nails Valeriia Telemaniuk. She recommends starting with a professional pedicure to remove calluses and restore feet before opting for at-home care. “One of the best things you can do is use a rich, nourishing foot cream daily, especially at night,” she adds. “Look for formulas with ingredients like urea, shea butter or glycerin to deeply hydrate and soften the skin.”

Telemaniuk also recommends keeping up with regular maintenance. “Even simple things like gently exfoliating in the shower or using a foot file occasionally can help keep the results longer,” she says. “Cuticle oil is also underrated for toes, but it helps keep the skin around the nails soft and healthy, which makes a big difference in the overall look.” Regular pedicures also mean more polish changes, so you can have fun trying many different colors. This summer, think shades like lavender, coral and yellow on your toes. Ahead, nail experts’ favorite summer pedicure colors to try.

Featured Experts

• Valeriia Telemaniuk is a nail artist, educator and founder of Altera Nails
• Elle Gerstein is a celebrity nail artist

The Best Pedicure Colors to Try

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Orly Nail Lacquer in Snatched ($11)

No matter how you want to wear your yellow this summer, trust that the color will be around all season long. “One of the biggest colors this season is yellow in all its variations,” says Telemaniuk. “From soft pastels to bright lemon tones and even bold neon shades, yellow is everywhere right now.” It delivers total sunshine and warmth to channel summer beach days. Another reason it’s great for the summer? “It looks incredibly flattering on tanned skin,” she adds.

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Manucurist Green Nail Polish in Coral Reef ($14)

Another shade that’s perfect for sunkissed summer vibes? Coral. The pinkish-orange shade can be found at the bottom of the ocean and on your toes this summer. “Bright coral feels vibrant and enhances a tan,” says New York celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein. She likes how the shade delivers “a healthy glow on toes and hands,” she says.

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Londontown Lakur in Honey Lavender ($16)

Milky lavender manicures took the beauty world by storm last year, and now they’ve traveled down to our toes for this summer. “It’s not a new color, but the way people are wearing it right now feels very fresh and intentional,” says Telemaniuk. “Over the past few years, I’ve noticed more clients moving away from very bold shades and choosing something softer and lavender fits that perfectly.” The pinkish-purple shade is light, muted and feminine without being overly vibrant. “A lot of my clients choose it when they want something pretty and delicate, but not too basic,” she says. It’s easily worn to match whatever your style is, too: “What I personally love about lavender is how versatile it is as it works on different skin tones, looks beautiful on both short and long nails and always feels fresh without trying too hard,” she adds.

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Ella + Mila Nail Polish in Under the Sea ($11)

Ocean blues and aqua tones perfectly reflect beach days spent in the water on vacation. Gerstein likes these shades as they “feel fresh and vacation ready,” she says.

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OPI Nail Lacquer in Makeout-Side ($12)

Hot pink nails—think vibrant, vivid Barbie-esque shades—are taking over our fingers and toes this year. Gerstein calls it “playful, bold and perfect for sandal season.”

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Essie Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish in Rock the Runway ($13)

Red pedicures never go out of style, but this summer, cherry red will reign supreme over the other shades of the strong color. “Cherry red remains timeless and polished,” says Gerstein, who says to expect to see lots of this color all season long.

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