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Sunflowers, citrus fruit, ducklings, and daisies…what do all these items have in common? Their beautiful, bright yellow color! Yellow is such an unappreciated and understated color, but some of the best things in the world are yellow, like sunshine and tropical drinks. Yellow puts us in the frame of mind of brightness, friendliness, and happiness.
According to color psychology, the color yellow is attention-grabbing, energetic, and warm.[1] While colors can impact people in different ways, adding yellow into your look is a great way to brighten up your style or make a friendly impression. When it comes to nail art, yellow is an ideal option for a summer look when you’ve got the beach on your mind. Even if you can’t be out enjoying the sunshine, you can bring a little bit of warmth with you wherever you go.
As a primary color, yellow is perfect for any nail – any length, shape, or style. Yellow also serves as a neutral base for a complex look or technique while still giving that zip of color. Whatever you choose, you’re going to find yourself sporting yellow this summer!
Best Yellow Acrylic Nails
Pale Yellow, Blue Flowers
Since yellow can be so neutral, it is the perfect color to complement a different colored design. Particularly the lighter tone featured here works nicely against the bright blue. Using the yellow within the flower design also helps bring the whole look together. If you would prefer this look on a shorter nail, go for just one flower on the accent finger.
Dazzling Diamonds
Diamonds and jewels are another natural partner to yellow, as many of these beauties shine with bits of yellow light. The bright yellow in this design is gorgeous against the colorful flowers, and the ombré effect helps to tie together the clear nail with the rest of the look. If you’re going for multiple effects, this is the way to go!
Long and Yellow
Simple but effective, this solid yellow nail is a great choice for these long nails. Sometimes long nails can be intimidating, but going for a lighter color can lessen that effect. While the color is “plain,” there isn’t anything boring about this style! Finishing with a glossy coat helps to make the color shine.
Chunky Glitter
The bright color of the nail is the perfect pairing to the chunky holographic glitter in this design. This is great for a mid-length nail, as it is a simple look with a big impact. Going for an every-other patterns helps break up the style and accent the color.
Exotic Birds
Featuring the OPI color Exotic Birds Do Not Tweet, this basic nail look is perfect for someone looking to achieve their yellow nail look at home. No need for a trip to the salon, all you need is a steady hand and a free hour or two. This bright color will certainly draw attention and have people wondering where you got it! (No need to share your trade secrets though)
Citrus Magic
Cute little oranges are the perfect accent in this design, coordinating nicely with the flecks of glitter on the nail. The pretty ombré on the rest of the nails mimics a sun rising, a nice touch to go with the oranges. If you like this look but don’t dig the citrus, just stick with the glitter!
Glitter Wing Tips
This cool look elevates the alternate style to a whole new level. Using the glitter opposite the bright yellow is a great way to bring glitz to the design, gold being the optimal choice with yellow. Switching the polish on the opposing hands is a fun twist, complementing the v shape. To get the sharp v look, we recommend using nail tape.
Ombré and Rhinestones
Using neutral flesh tones in your ombré style provides the tipped look without the stark lines of a French style. Yellow here is fun and light, a nice pairing to the neutral color. The rhinestones add a bit of edge and funk to an otherwise sweet style.
Bright Diamonds
A different take on the ombré and diamonds look, the brighter tone of yellow stands up nicely to the white diamonds. Using gems of different sizes also helps bring variety to the design and keeps the sparkle from being gaudy. This would be a fun prom look, especially if you are rocking a yellow gown!
Golden Daisies
Deeper yellow fits well with the daisies, as it is the same shade that would typically be found in the friendly flower. Adding the golden touch inside the daisies elevates the look and gives the design a touch of glam. While daisies represent innocence and purity, this is definitely a more adult daisy look.
Yellow Accents
This cool design uses the yellow color in several different ways – ombré, edges, tips, and full paint. Even the flecked glitter has a similar yellow shine to the polish color, tying the look together. A fun and funky style that’s great for someone looking to push the envelope with your nail look.
Disco Diamonds
A unique nail shape fits with an out of the box yellow shade. Going for the super-long nail continues the statement piece idea, as does the complex diamond design on the middle nail. Who says your nails can’t be their own accessory?
Cute and Bright
A neon-esque color is a great way to express the fun sides of your personality. Keeping it all about the color is a smart move with this look, as such a stunning shade would most likely overwhelm other details. A great nail shape is all you need to make this style work!
Glitter and Gorgeous
Bringing together different styles and textures, the binding element of this nail design is the fabulous yellow color. The true ombré complements the asymmetrical ombré, which in turn works with the v shaped design. Glitter provides contrast and glitz to the style.
Goldenrod Glory
Sharply squared off nails show off the beauty of this goldenrod yellow. Great for summer time or to bring a bit of the sunshine into your workplace and a simple enough look to be long lasting. If you wanted to jazz up your look, a daisy would be a great complement to the color.
Bright Stripes, Big Impact
An awesome multicolored style, the fabulous yellow takes center stage with some key supporting players. Deep maroon and striking silver are great complementing colors to the yellow as well as the glitters. Using a blue-flecked glitter adds another pop of color on the tipped nails. Finishing with a gold heart gives a final personal touch.
Building Accents
Coffin-shaped nails are great for this style, accenting the color and the different effects. A cool choice, going for the double-accent nail elevates the style. Adding glitter to the second accent nail sets it apart from the regular ombré, but doesn’t keep the look from being cohesive. Bringing the ombré closer to the cuticle also gives a unique look to the style.
Blue and Gold
The translucent glitter is a fun contrast to the opaque yellow on the opposite nails. This is a great combination for a variety of team mascots, making it an ideal look for your favorite sports season while maintaining style. Putting the little gems on the middle nail ties together the glitter and opaque nails, providing cohesion to the design.
Get the Point?
A cool mash-up of styles, the bright yellow works well with both the marble and gold glitter, which helps the whole look to work. The gold also complements the darker color in the marble, again bringing the style together. Having one nail stand out at a sharp point adds one more point of interest, the gold glitter also helping this nail to make an impact.
Darling Daisies
If you are looking for a fun summer style, this one is perfect! Ideal for a shorter nail, pale yellow is a cute look that works well in multiple settings. The daisies are an adorable accent, lightening the design even further. For those that want a little bit more glitz or glam, add rhinestones as the center of the daisies or add a hit of gold sparkle.
3D Effects
Stunning and unique, these 3D nails bring together several cool effects on top of a deep bronze yellow. At the same time, there are different components of the 3D styles to allow the design to work as a whole. The cool holographic glitter stands out nicely with the silver foil. The silver of the foil works nicely with the silver of the jewels. The white shine of both works nicely to go with the beautiful white flower. Putting the flower on a clear nail also allows it to be the point of emphasis within the design.
Pink Jewels and Sunshine Yellow
Bringing jewels to the party adds a pump of glamour to the design. A fun, bright yellow is the perfect background to the jewels, the pink standing out the most clearly. Silver and yellow jewels help tie together the two bright colors.
Cleopatra’s Best
A style inspired by Egyptian artwork, the white and yellow bases provide a great base for the black and gold designs. The center nail is reminiscent of Egyptian clothing, as is the jewel accent. The other designs are similar to snakes, the gold providing depth within the nail art.
Psychedelic Yellow
Perfect for someone that likes a funkier look, holographic and 3D nails are the way to go! The holographic polish has the same yellow shine as the yellow polish, creating a cool complementary style. Making the flowers the same yellow as well sticks with the theme.
A Hint of Yellow
French tips and other tipped styles are totally in right now, and the colors aren’t just limited to white! If you aren’t looking to depart too far from tradition, yellow is a great optional. As a neutral, light color, yellow can mimic the same effect as white nicely. Here, the yellow is kept light so as to add just a bit of an accent. The gems and nail shapes set off the style nicely.
Yellow Coffin Nails
Striking, bright, and bold, these long coffin nails sport a fabulous nail color that would turn anyone’s head. With such a tone you don’t want to overshadow or overdo your style – balance is key. Adding in the little gems help to provide another focal point and bring that sense of balance.
Golden Afternoon
A pretty goldenrod yellow is perfect in this floral design. The deep tone is rich and beautiful in the flower, and works well on the rest of the nails. The artistry of the flower is undeniable; the level of detail is fantastic. Using the drizzled stripes on the pointer fingers helps to balance the complexity of the flower with the rest of the look.
Yellow and Marble
Black and white marble is a great contrast to yellow, as the yellow provides a pop of color while black and white go with anything. The detail of the marble pattern is stunning, while the yellow is simple and sophisticated. While it would be difficult to execute with a shorter nail, you can achieve a marbled effect with the water method.
Sharp Polka Dots
Sharp and stunning, these polka dot nails are way out of the box and totally cool. They almost remind us of a sparkling rosé or champagne with the bubbles floating across the nail in an ethereal way. Yellow is the perfect color to maintain the light and airy feeling of this look, with the ombré providing softness to counter the edge of the tips.
Bejeweled Sunflowers
Sunflowers are sweet and happy, an ideal design for summertime. Using the rainbow shimmer jewels adds another level of color and contrast, while fitting with the feel of being outside in the sun. Using the same yellow throughout the look helps to make everything fit together.
Cascading Petals
A deep, shimmery yellow is a great complement to the color of the flower petals within this style. Putting the flowers at different angles makes it seem as though the flowers are floating on the wind or travelling down a stream. Using a neutral tone behind the flowers enhances this effect. The jewels add a touch of fun and sparkle, but if you aren’t into rhinestones you could use a drop of gold polish for the center.
Ombré Tips
Going for conventional tips on a pointed nail can be hard to do, as it almost seems like a little triangle or pyramid at the end of the nail. To prevent this, you can use the ombré effect to get that tipped look without having to sacrifice your shape. The soft yellow color also keeps the tips from looking sinister, as a red or black might.
Golden Bubbles
Yellow French tips work nicely against the cute bubbles on the accent nail, giving a bit of a visual and textural contrast. Keeping the dots within the yellow family helps to make the look, using shades of yellow, white, and gold. This is a fun look you could have for every day, but if you wanted a bit more pizzazz, you could add a gold stripe to the tipped nails.
Ombré and Holo-glitter
Instead of going for a pure holographic look, you can achieve the same effect with a holographic glitter polish. The sparkle and shine goes beyond a regular glitter polish, and is perfect for an accent nail. It is also a nice pairing with the ombré, which is a softer finish, to provide a visual contrast. The yellow is a great color choice here as it fits with the sparkle of the glitter.
Art Deco Tips
These art deco inspired nails play on the stark asymmetrical lines and bold colors of the movement. Yellow, gold, and black were common art deco themes, particularly in architecture and artwork, which is on display in these nails. It is the perfect look for a short nail, as it isn’t over-detailed but still effective.
Yellow with White Tips
A different take on a ombré French, the pretty lemon yellow works nicely with the white tip. This ombré look was most likely done with the brush method rather than the sponge method, allowing for irregularity in the blend between the two colors. The streaks between the yellow and white add an artistic look characteristic to the brush ombré. If you wanted a Halloween look, you could always add in orange for a candy corn style.
Purple Flowers
Pale yellow is a lovely background for the deep purple flowers, which almost look like real flowers sealed onto the nail. Using a darker color both allows the design to stand out and highlights the beauty of the lighter color. Adding the gems gives a little glitz and dimension to the design.
Glitter and Gems
Large flecked glitter is amazing on these clear nails, almost like water glinted off a waterfall. The yellow mimics the sunshine that would cause water to shimmer. The gems on the yellow nails shine with the same colors as the glitter, which brings the whole style together.
Glitter and Jewels and Points, Oh My!
A beautiful yellow tone is a great base color for the other elements seen in this style. Gold glitter works nicely with yellow, both on the ombré nail and on its own on the ring finger. The little gems go with the glitz of the glitter and add another element of shine. Using a pointed accent nail gives one more touch of flair to the look.
Floral Sophistication
A complementing mix of styles, the focal point is the floral accent nail. Using flecked silver glitter as the base gives a layer of depth that also coordinates with the gems. Painting the two middle nails with the same color of the yellow flower helps to make the design consistent, while the ombré nail on the pinkie gives a layer of lightness.
White Accents
Bright white is a clean and simple accent to the gorgeous yellow tone. Keeping the nails plain allows the color to be the star of the show, which is ideal if you prefer basic looks. This is a great look for any length or shape of nail, so feel free to adapt it to your taste!
Lemon Coffin Nails
Short coffin nails sport a fantastic lemon yellow, bright and fun. Perfect for summertime, this color will match your tan or swimsuit, and then have you ready to rock your favorite sundress. As this is a simple style, you could easily put this color on short or round nails if that is your preference.
Floral Regality
A fabulous 3D design, there are several aspects that allow the different elements to work as one style. The yellow of the flowers is reflected in the ombré of the pointer and pinkie nails. Using gems as the center of the flowers helps to connect to the jewels on the middle finger. The beautiful calligraphy letter is a nice personal touch, but you could achieve the same look without it.
Black Pearls
Intricately bejeweled, the black pearls and diamonds create a beautiful style. The bright yellow highlights the gems, and complements the gold in the center of the pattern. Using an ombré effect to create the yellow tips is a great choice rather than French style tips as it softens the look.
V-shaped Tips
A cool alternative to a normal tipped look, v-shaped tips draw the eye in a different way. The v provides a different focal point within the design, and in this instance, the brightness of the color complements the neutral tone. If you wanted to do another color on the bottom, a hot pink would be a funky alternative to the flesh tone.
Dazzling Dots
The jewels and the holographic polka dots go perfectly in this design, each shining with the same colors. The shapes of each also work together as well, with each accenting the other. The dots give an alternative to adding more jewels, which may seem over the top with the decoration on the other nails. Using yellow in this instance allows the jewels to be the star, while a darker or brighter color might detract from the 3D designs.
Gold and Diamonds
Sparkling gold looks great against the yellow and the diamonds, creating a glamorous design. Going for a bright yellow makes the gold and diamonds sing, while a deeper tone would detract from the style. If you prefer a shorter nail, using just a couple of gems might be more effective than a complex design.
Sunflower Sugar Nails
Pointed matte nails look amazing with the sunflowers, accented with the same glitter from the black nail. The easiest way to get this glitter look is with the sugar effect, sprinkling the glitter or using a dip method. To get the glitter in the center of the flowers, wait until the petals are dry and then paint in the centers. You’ll be able to sprinkle the glitter over the wet centers, shake off the access, and voila! Glitter sunflower centers.
Flower Chain
Beautiful pale yellow is an ideal background for the decoration in this design. The delicate white flowers are expertly painted, while the jewels add a touch of sparkle. Using a coffin shape follows the flow of the flower chain, complementing the design.
Layered Ombré
A cool take on an ombré look, the yellow tips work nicely with the glitter. While the tips are clearly cut off in the French style, the glitter creates a faux ombré style while adding sparkle. The pointed nails give a bit of edge, but if you prefer a squared edge traditional French tips would look great.
Glitter and Ombré
Pale yellow polish works perfectly with the gold glitter of the accent nails. Ombré nails are soft complement to the gold, giving both a visual and textural contrast. A look like this would work nicely on both long and short nails.
Holographic Ombré
Rounded nails show off this yellow ombré style, which gets a punch from the holographic accent nail. The yellow color matches the shimmer of the holographic polish nicely. Pulling the ombré closer to the cuticle is a great way to have more polish while keeping the background neutral.
Neutral Sunflowers
Simple, clean, and gorgeous, this sunflower style is great if you’re looking for something pretty and neutral. Keeping the color palette simple makes this look effective, as does leaving one nail completely neutral. This is a great way to have a floral look in the workplace without going too complicated.
Black Diamonds
Black, gold, and yellow create a dynamic style on these pointed nails. The black diamonds bring a bit of texture to the design, while the gold provides shine. Using two types of glitter on the all gold nail also gives another pop of glam.
Sunshine Ombré
There’s nothing like a simple look, and these bright yellow ombré nails make a great summertime style. Going for a neutral undertone lets the yellow shine and be the star of the show. A great design that would go with you to work, out to dinner, or a Saturday afternoon picnic.
While yellow might not be the first color you think of when doing your nails, these looks show you how much fun yellow can be! No matter your style tastes, you can find a yellow style that works for you. Yellow brightens up an ombré design, works great with gold, glitter, and gems, and can make a neutral style pop.
Looking to let your bright and playful side out? Try adding yellow into your nail routine!
[1] Kendra Cherry, “The Color Psychology of Yellow.” VeryWell Mind, March 25, 2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-yellow-2795823.