All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Spring has definitely sprung, which means your manicures may have shifted from dark, moody winter colors to colorful and bright floral designs. Sunflower nails are among the rising nail trends that have graced our Instagram feeds as the weather warms up and floral everything begins to bloom in abundance — especially in our bookmarked posts tabs.
The trend is truly for everyone, from nail-art aficionados with the patience and level hand to paint sunflower designs exactly to your liking to anyone who's looking for a quick and easy stick-and-go recommendation. Whether you're into nail minimalism, abstract designs, or intricate details that are so realistic it looks like the sunflowers are popping off the nailbed, these nail-art ideas will surely get noticed (and complimented) time and time again.
Ahead, you will find nail artists' and nail content creators' go-to product recommendations on how to create your very own sunflower nails this season. Think of it as a little sprinkle of inspiration for your next manicure — pollination, if you will.
Complex designs and unsteady hands (which are all too common for those of us who aren't manicurists) don't make for the best combination — or outcome — when it comes to creating nail art on your own fingernails. Thankfully, there is another option aside from painting, and that's stick-on nail art.
Nail brands such as ManiMe and Dashing Diva are two of our personal favorite nail sticker and wrap brands that take away the frustration of hand-drawing trendy designs. Take nail content creator @polished_yogi and her past collaboration with ManiMe for example. While these stick-on gel strips seen above on her almond-shaped nails are no longer available, press ons do make for an easy, hassle-free manicure option.
Whether you're sticking a design on one accent nail or going all out with one on each digit, you can browse an array of floral designs on Manime.co for a flawless outcome. If you're set on a sunflower design specifically, we recommend these Artsy Sister Sunflower Nail Stickers.
- FragranceBella Hadid’s Big New Life In Texas
Sometimes, less is more. This is exactly the approach nail artist @rockingmynails took when drawing her abstract sunflowers on the ring fingers of each hand; she painted her other nails a bright and vibrant yellow to match the petals on the two sunflowers. It reminds us of watercolor painting on a hot summer day, which is all we want to do right about now. For a glossy, mustard-yellow finish such as this, we recommend using Nail Inc. Living Your Best Life Nail Polish, topped with OPI Infinite Shine ProStay Gloss Top Coat.
"These handpainted sunflower nails never get old," nail artist @elias.nails says — and we'd have to agree. Each stroke of polish added to the design's three-dimensional effect. This up-close photo showcases just the amount of detail and time put into these sunflower nails using Glossify gel polish. With the hand-painted yellow leaves and the tiny dots of brown and white detailing, Elias did not miss a single beat with this set. Before jumping in hand-first, we recommend snagging this Sally Hansen Nail Pro Tool Kit and Staleks Cuticle Clippers to get you started. As for the polish, Elias used Glossify Nude for the base, and The GelBottle Inc. polishes in Mustard, Cacao, and Clueless for the sunflower drawing. Of course, practice makes perfect for this set.
- FragranceBella Hadid’s Big New Life In Texas
With all the time and attention put on the bright and cheerful yellow petals, we love how New York City-based nail artist Kesang Gurung incorporated a simple green leave (or two) on each sunflower, making the nails that much more lifelike. For a leaf-like polish shade, you can't go wrong with JinSoon's Palma nail polish. Recreate your own version of Gurung's design with a dotting tool and a thin nail brush.
More inspiration for your next nail appointment:
- If You Have Short Nails, You Need to Follow This Nail Artist
- 22 Unexpected French Nail Tips That Totally Reinvent the Classic Look
- These Are the 30 Designs for Spring Nails That You'll Want to Try in 2022
Now, watch Hailey Rhode Bieber's 10 beauty commandments:
