56 Yellow Nail Looks That'll Brighten Your Day

yellow smiley face manicure — @hollyfalconenails / Instagram

Yellow is a great color to tap when your nails need a pick-me-up. The hue invokes sunny summer and springtime vibes and can feel modern and elegant, depending on your design. We found dozens of yellow designs that pair our favorite color with some of the hottest nail trends.

From pale pastels to golden hues, glitter, nail art, and everything in between—read on for 56 of our favorite yellow nail looks on Instagram, sure to look great on any nail shape or length.

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Yellow Drip

yellow nails with dripping design — @nails_of_la

Yellow drippy nails are ultra-cool. You can recreate this look using UN/DN Laqr’s Nail Polish ($12) in Joyride.

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Little Lemons

When life gives you lemons, wear them on your nails. The bright and bold lemon designs make this mani a perfect choice for the warmer months.

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Yellow Lines

If you’ve wanted to try yellow nails but aren’t ready to go full-out, this is the perfect starter mani. The scattered neon yellow abstract lines add just enough flare.

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Smiley Faces

Show the world how happy you are with this smiley face mani. Cute, yellow smiley faces adorn these natural, mid-length almond-shaped nails.

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Fresh and Floral

This is a fresh take on a floral mani. Four fingers feature flower bud-shaped tips, while the ring finger is decorated with daisies.

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Ombre Bubble

yellow and pink ombre nails — @nuka.nails

3D nails are super buzzy right now, and we love this take on the trend. Not only does it feature 3D bubbles, but it also boats summer-ready pink and yellow ombre polish.

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Juicy Papayas

yellow nails with papaya designs — @yo_keshh

We absolutely adore this fresh and fruity nail set. Each nail features a juicy and colorful papaya design, boasting beautiful tones of coral, yellow, and lime green.

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Florals and Mushrooms

yellow nails with mushroom and flower designs — @yo_keshh

We never thought mushrooms and flowers could look so chic together, but this set proves us wrong. The bright yellow base helps to highlight the bright red mushrooms and white flowers.

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Lava Lamp

This mani instantly reminded us of a lava lamp. The yellow and pink swirls are super eye-catching and playful.

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Jungle Print

If you’re feeling bold, this jungle-inspired manicure is perfect. This set perfectly captures the various tones of yellow found in nature. Plus, the accent nails feature stunning designs of jungle animals, including cheetahs, leopards, and snakes.

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Rainbows and Sunsets

yellow nails with rainbow and sunset designs — @nailsbylindseylu

These sunny nails instantly spark joy. The accent nails feature hand-drawn rainbows and sunsets in beautiful marigold, orange, and red tones.

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Yellow and Black Speckles

yellow and black speckle nails — @nailsbylindseylu

This mani keeps things relatively simple—most nails have a solid yellow base. However, the two accent nails pack a punch, featuring a black and yellow speckled design.

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Bees and Checker Print

This look reminds us of summer picnics. From the yellow checkerboard print to the bee nail art, everything about this nail look is sweet.

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Sunflowers

Channel your inner flower child with these sunflower nails. The hand-painted sunflowers add tons of charm and glamour to the look.

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Abstract Art

abstract designs on yellow nails — @nailditbyalyssa

If you’re looking for an out-of-the-box design, this is for you. Each nail is painted with primary colors, with yellow being front and center. Add a different abstract design to each nail to give the mani an extra bit of boldness.

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Yellow Logos

@imarninails

These gorgeous nails feature hand-painted designer logos. We think this mani is so chic and luxurious.

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Emojis

These gorgeous nails feature hand-painted designer logos. We think this mani is so chic and luxurious.

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Yellow Squiggles

nails with yellow squiggly line design — @imarninails

If you’re looking for a simple yet cool design, these squiggles are the way to go. Since the base is a basic, barely-there nude, the bright yellow swirly lines add a fun pop of color.

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Neon Yellow

If you prefer almond-shaped nails, this one’s for you. We love how bright and bold this neon yellow set is.

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Yellow Cake

These nails draw inspo from our favorite sweet treat—cake. The thick French tips and detailed pearls give this set an elegant touch.

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3D Mushrooms

This 3D mushroom-inspired mani is incredibly cool. Achieve the same pale yellow color using The Gel Bottle Polish in Love Letter, Daisy, and Caramel.

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Mustard-on-Yellow

This design marries two variations of the color, pairing a mustard hue with a classic pastel yellow. The base is painted yellow, with mustard being used in geometric designs over top.

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Yellow and Black Geometric Tips

A clear base is just the thing to contrast tips made of alternating swaths of yellow and black polish. You could go with any color combo, but the contrast looks great when it's a mix of a light and dark hue, as seen here.

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Floral Details

Manicure with yellow french tips and daisy details — @shopseacliff / Instagram

With a neutral base, pale yellow French tips and dainty daisy details look sleek and fun. We love the addition of a small white dot in the center of each flower.

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Ombré Tips

yellow ombre-tipped nails — @press_reset_nails / Instagram

A classic French mani is great, but this one—with yellow tips that fade subtly into a neutral base—is pure fun.

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Curved Brown Details

neutral nails with yellow and brown detail — @paintboxnails / Instagram

Here, nails are left half bare, with the other half awash in a bright yellow polish with a brown curved detail. Use a toothpick to get a small detail like this one just right.

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Gold Swirled Tips

Here, nails are painted yellow and the tips get a fun, glam detail: swirls of gold. The look is youthful but sophisticated and would easily work for a nighttime or daytime event.

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Yellow Slashes

Yellow can be a subtle or bold, depending on the design you choose. These chic slashes are super minimalist and work on all nail shapes, sizes, and lengths. Try to DIY it with the tip of a bobby pin.

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Geometric Two-Toned

manicure with orange and yellow geometric shapes — @evelynlnails / Instagram

Half geometric two-toned, half negative space, this look proves you don't have to fully commit to one style. Here, nails are neutral except for the tips, with yellow and orange shapes.

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Checkers, Anyone?

yellow manicure with checkered nail on each hand — @nailsandface_ / Instagram

Leave one accent nail nude with horizontal and vertical stripes to create a fun and neutral checkered style.

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Yellow French

French manicure with yellow tips — @soloma.nails / Instagram

A fun, colorful spin on a classic French manicure is always a good idea.

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Negative Space Half Moons

Yellow manicure with half-moon detail on the tips — @oliveandjune / Instagram

This sunshine-bright mani is almost like a French tip but with so much more oomph. Here, nails are painted almost entirely yellow, save for a half-moon kept bare near the cuticle.

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Palm Trees

manicure with yellow nails and palm tree accent nails — @youtzinails / Instagram

Nothing gives off vacation vibes like a perfectly painted palm tree. Here, nearly every nail is painted yellow—with the exception of the ring finger nails, which have white with palm tree leaf details.

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Lovely Lemon

Manicure with yellow nails and one lemon accent nail — @nails_cosmetic_turkey / Instagram

A yellow color scheme complete with a hand-painted white lemon (one the ring fingers only) is a classic pairing.

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Mustard Yellow

A mustard hue is a good entry into the world of yellow manis if you aren't ready to commit to a neon style. Here, nails are awash in a yellow-meets-green shade that's perfect for fall.

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Too Cute Tulips

Tulip and yellow manicure — @extravaganza_nails_nairobi / Instagram

This certainly takes a steady hand and artistic eye, but these painted tulips are gorgeous. We love that the floral application is relegated to two nails per hand only, leaving the other digits awash in bright, classic yellow.

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Yellow Leopard

Here, nails are painted with a combination of neutrals and neon yellow. Two nails get a leopard design while the others get a yellow French-tipped style.

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Sunflowers

sunflower yellow manicure — @curenailsresort/ Instagram

These hand-painted sunflower nails are so sweet. We love the slightly squared-off shape, which contrasts to the rounded petals.

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Lightning Bolts

lightning manicure with yellow nails — @ultranokti / Instagram

These little lightning bolts on the ring finger add just the right amount of funky fun to an already playful manicure.

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Catch a Wave

yellow manicure with statement nail with colorful waves — @paintsalon.uk / Instagram

This pastel-rainbow wave-inspired art with tiny white star accents gives off fantasy vibes, and we love it.

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Sunny, Simple and Cheerful

simple yellow polished nails — @breukelenpolished / Instagram

Go back to basics with a perfectly painted, single-color yellow mani in this beautiful sunshine-y hue.

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1960s Vibes

1960s style swirled yellow, pink and brown manicure — @paintboxnails / Instagram

A brightly-hued manicure paired with a fun, colorful and geometric design (in this case, a 1960s-inspired swirl) is a way to incorporate even more cheerful colors into the mix.

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Wavy French

yellow swirled tip manicure — @fingerfeast / Instagram

Not quite a French manicure, these half neutral half yellow nails are split with a wave in the most adorable way.

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Love on Lemons

yellow sherbert man icure with lemon accent nail — @lvnailsstudio / instagram

There's really no wrong way to rock a lemon. Unlike the previous lemon look on our list, this mani is done in a sherbet-esque hue, with a lemon on each ring finger.

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Glitter Glam

yellow manicure with sequined ring finger nail — @just_marie_nails / Instagram

Pile on all the glitter for a glitzy accent nail. Here, yellow is the main draw, but a statement ring finger nail—awash in glitter—adds oomph.

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Negative Space

manicure with black geometric details and yellow shapes — @nailart.iideas / Instagram

A natural nail base, strategically placed lines and sections of yellow nail polish make for a gorgeous negative space manicure.

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Simple Gold Lines

Simple gold lines elevate this manicure to the next level. Plus, gold and yellow look gorgeous together.

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Pastel Peach and Yellow

peach and yellow manicure — @en_vie_nails / Instagram

Pairing pastel yellow with a peachy-pink is an excellent combo, and the subtle swipe of gold glitter at the cuticle is the prettiest little accent.

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Reverse French

With this reverse French manicure, only the area closest to the cuticle is painted yellow for a unique, eye-catching look.

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Yellow-Gold Foil

gold detail manicure — @paintboxnails / Instagram

This neutral mani gets a swipe of gold foil across each nail. We love how the design differs digit to digit, which adds interest.

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Marvelous and Marbled

marbled manicure with yellow and pink detail — @opi / Instagram

Marbled yellow and pink on top of a white base is the stuff tie-dye nail dreams are made of.

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Two Gold Stripes

Two gold stripes at the tip is a relatively simple way to add another element to a basic yellow manicure.

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Smiley Faces

smiley face nail manicure — @hollyfalconenails / Instagram

Brighten your nails with these adorable smiley faces. See a pro manicurist to recreate this look, or try nail appliques for a DIY smiley manicure.

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Neon Yellow Tips

neon yellow French tip manicure — @byrdie / Instagram

Make a statement with electric yellow, neon tips that practically glow. In this case, the nails play off a similarly-hued yellow eyeliner for a bold look.

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Small Handpainted Lemons

When life gives you lemons, put them on your nails. In this case, each nail gets a different variety of the citrus, which are diminutive and handpainted against a clear background.

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Yellow Tips With White Half Moons

yellow french tipped nail manicure with half moon detail — @nailitmedia / Instagram

Yellow and white reminds us of puffy clouds on a sunny day. Try this twist on the traditional French manicure by using sunny yellow tips and white half moons at the base of the nail.

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