24 April Nail Ideas to Take You From Showers to Flowers

An opal iridescent builder gel manicure — @brushedbyb_ / Instagram

April is a unique month. It's the first full month of spring but is often earmarked with gloomy days and low temperatures. As the saying goes, though, April showers bring May flowers, so the dreary forecast is well worth it in the long run. Still, it helps to have pockets of sunshine—literally and figuratively—during the month. While we can't control the weather, we can help steer you toward some seriously cheerful nail art ideas. From pastels and florals to fitting shades of blue, ahead you'll find two dozen April 2024 nail ideas worth recreating.

01 of 24

Blue Jelly Cloud Nails

Blue jelly nails with white cloud nail art — @brushedbyb_ / Instagram

This blue jelly manicure is a picture-perfect April nail look. To recreate it, paint your nails with jelly cornflower blue nail polish. Then, use a dotting tool to swirl opaque white polish into the cloud shape of your choice.

02 of 24

3D Blue Wave Nails

3D blue wavy nail art on a neutral pale pink jelly base — @glammertized / Instagram

Another homage to April showers, we have this wavy blue square mani. To DIY, you'll need a set of fine-lining nail art brushes (like the Lights Lacquer Detail Brush Kit, $17) and two to three blue nail colors.

03 of 24

Ballet Pink Velvet Nails

Pale pink velvet nails with a silver bow accent on the ring finger — @overglowedit / Instagram

Just because the weather is letting up from the harsh cold of winter doesn't mean velvet nails are out of style. This pale, ballet pink manicure is perfect for April with its soft pastel hue and trendy bow detail.

04 of 24

Bejeweled Pink French Manicure

Bubblegum pink French manicure with pink gemstone accents — @phoebesummernails / Instagram

This pretty monochrome bejeweled French manicure is so easy to recreate. Start with classic French tips. Then, once your pink polish is dry, glue a few pink rhinestones into place.

05 of 24

Acid Wash Nails

Sheer cloudy blue and white marble nails — Chillhouse

Still dreaming of a blue April manicure? Skip the wait time of a classic manicure and opt for this press-on beauty from Chillhouse—it's the Acid Wash Chill Tips ($16).

06 of 24

Earthy Aura Nails

Metallic blue and green aura nails — @brushedbyb_ / Instagram

This blue and green aura manicure reminds us of dewy grass and the fresh, renewed feeling of spring. To get the look, paint your nails with emerald green polish. After they dry, paint a swatch of pale blue polish onto the center of a sponge and surround it with your emerald green shade. Then, dapple the sponge onto your nails. Check out nail artist Brittney Ellen's video for a visual.

07 of 24

Cornflower Blue and Lilac Aura Nails

How fun are these cool-toned aura nails? It's almost as if the bright allure of May flowers is peeking through the blue clouds of April.

08 of 24

Blue and Green Earthy Ombré Swirls

Lavender nails with lime green and turquoise ombre swirls — @brownluxenails / Instagram

Here's another cool-tone nail look we love. Admittedly, DIYing those ombré blue and green swirls seems challenging. Make it easy on yourself by booking an appointment with a manicurist.

09 of 24

Green Velvet Daisy Nails

Green velvet nails with yellow and white daisy accent nails — @disseynails / Instagram

How precious is this floral manicure? Between the pale green velvet tips and negative-space daisies, there's nothing not to love. While it might seem too intricate to DIY, remember: You can create daisy nail art with a dotting tool. Drag five dots for the petals and add one in a different color in the center.

10 of 24

Green Gradient French Manicure

Monochrome ombre green French manicure — @glammertized / Instagram

Embrace spring with a manicure that pays homage to the budding greenery around us. All you have to do is pick five green nail polish shades ranging from light to dark and paint them accordingly.

11 of 24

Chic Nude Jelly Nails

Chic nude jelly almond-shaped nails — @overglowedit / Instagram

Spring is all about fresh starts, so opting for a clean, chic nail look is fitting. Nail artist Melanie Graves created this one using Gelcare Official UV Gel Nail Polish in Bare BB Cream ($20).

12 of 24

Cool-Toned Jelly Skittle Nails

Cool jelly skittle nails with purple, blue, and mint nails — @melanated.mani / Instagram

Another way to celebrate the change of seasons? A cool-toned jelly mani that explores moody purple and blue hues (representing rain) before ending with fresh mint green (illustrating blooms).

13 of 24

Swirly Lilac Nails

Lilac nails with white swirl accents — @glammertized / Instagram

Pale purple is a popular nail color for April. As pretty as it looks all on its own, it can look even more stylish with crisp white swirls.

14 of 24

Marbled Blue, Green, and White Nails

This blue, green, and white marbled mani is perfect for April (and Earth Day in particular). Ellen created it by dotting Lights Lacquer Nail Polish in At Last, Tranquila y Tropical, and Paper Snow ($11 each) onto her nails and smashing them together with a saran-wrapped finger. To smooth out the swirled pattern and lock the look in, she finished with a top coat.

15 of 24

Tonal Green Mismatched Nails

Multi-tone green mismatch nails with white French tips — @disseynails / Instagram

Here's another daisy manicure that's too cute to pass up this spring. The cool green shades make this mismatched mani especially fitting for April.

16 of 24

Metallic Turquoise Nails

Metallic turquoise almond-shaped nails — @melanated.mani / Instagram

A metallic blue manicure is right on par with April's weather and the general fashion forecast of the year. The exact shade used here is Death Valley Nails Nail Polish in Moth to a Flame ($14).

17 of 24

Monochrome Blue French Mani

Monochrome blue nails with a blue jelly base and opaque pale blue French tips — @overglowedit / Instagram

How chic is this monochrome blue French manicure? Thanks to the dual jelly and opaque finishes it looks more two-toned, but the overall hue is the same.

18 of 24

Opal Aura Jelly Nails

Clear jelly nails with opal dewdrop aura accents — @brushedbyb_ / Instagram

This multicolor opal jelly manicure reminds us of shimmering rain puddles. Ellen created it using a combination of builder gel, chrome powder, and iridescent nail foil. You can watch the full process on her page.

19 of 24

Muted Pastel Opal Skittle Nails

Opal mismatched Skittle nails with 3D bow, heart, and star accents — @overglowedit / Instagram

Intrigued by the idea of 3D nails but aren't sure you'll love them? Lean into the trend with one or two raised accents, such as swirls or gemstones. To recreate the wavy opal nail above, you (or your nail tech) will need to get creative with builder gel.

20 of 24

Pale Yellow Floral Nails

Pale yellow French manicure with pastel floral accents — @disseynails / Instagram

This pale yellow floral manicure is so subtle you almost miss the bloom accents. Nail artist Dayanna I. Sapiens created it using Le Mini Macaron Gel Polish in Crème D’Abricot, Bleu Ciel, Vanilla Milk, Matcha Latte, Crème Brûlée, Blush, and Coconut Yogurt ($13 each).

21 of 24

Iridescent Floral Nails

Iridescent almond-shaped nails with two-tone purple floral accents — @glammertized / Instagram

These iridescent pale purple floral nails remind us of the phlox cropping up in meadows and gardens this time of year. If you don't know what they are, look them up; they might might inspire you to paint your nails and plant some seeds while you're at it.

22 of 24

Sunny Pastel Mismatched Nails

Pastel yellow, blue, and bright orange mismatch nails with heart and star accents — @pop_polished / Instagram

We love the soft, subdued nature of this happy yellow manicure. Let it be a reminder that brighter (warmer) days are ahead.

23 of 24

Short Solid Powder Blue Nails

No time to book a nail art appointment? Opting for the perfect shade of powder blue will look just fine. (And by that we mean great.)

24 of 24

Teeny Floral-Accent White Nails

Solid white nails with emerald, olive, purple, orange, and pink floral accents — @phoebesummernails / Instagram

Don't be afraid to rock white nails this April. To make them a bit more springy (as opposed to stark summer white), dot them with teeny flowers, as seen here.