Spring is the only season where pastels genuinely work, because skin is at its palest and the contrast lands. The same shades read washed out against an August tan.
Sheer lilac
Translucent soft purple.
Baby blue
The palest opaque blue. Needs the third coat.
Mint
Soft green.
Butter yellow
Pale yellow. The quietest bright there is.
Peach cream
Warm pale orange-pink.
Ballet pink
Pale opaque pink with a satin finish.
Powder blue matte
Chalky under a matte topcoat.
Sage
Soft muted green. Quieter than mint.
Dusty rose
Muted pink with brown in it.
Milky white
Semi-sheer off-white.
Skin-match nude
Rematch it as a tan fades.
Micro French in pastel
A hairline edge in lilac or mint.
Daisy dots
Five white petals with a yellow centre.
Forget-me-nots
Tiny blue five-dot flowers.
Cherry blossom
Pale pink petals on a fine brown branch.
Blooming gel florals
Dots dropped into wet gel spreading into petals.
Pastel checkerboard
Small squares in two soft shades.
Rainbow arcs
Three short curved bands at the cuticle.
Half moon in cream
A curve at the cuticle.
Butterfly wings
Two teardrops either side of a fine body.
Aura in lilac
A halo blurred into a nude base.
Glazed pearl
Iridescent powder over sheer pink.
Pastel ombre
Two pastels fading across the nail.
Sheer with gold flecks
Torn leaf over a pale base.
Matte pastel
Any of the above under matte.
For the shades on their own, trending nail colors covers the full palette.
Questions people actually ask
What nail colors are best for spring?
Pastels, because skin is at its palest and the contrast reads. Lilac, mint and butter yellow are the three that suit the widest range.
When should I switch to spring colors?
Early March for pastels. If you pin or post, run about eight weeks ahead of that.
Do pastels suit deeper skin tones?
Saturated pastels do. Very chalky ones can read grey, so choose the versions with real pigment in them.
