Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Latest Issue
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Autumn Winter 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    1. Beauty

    Feeling whimsical? Soft blue nails are the dreamiest manicure look this spring

    These nails aren't feeling *blue*

    Lucy Abbersteen's avatar
    By Lucy Abbersteen
    Published 19 April 2025 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Samia Laaboudi wears silver earrings, black blazer jacket with mixed pins, bright green Bottega Veneta leather bag, black and gold bracelet, outside BlueMarble, during the Paris Fashion Week Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 on June 20, 2024 in Paris, France
    (Image credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    As a beauty editor, I am partial to a nail trend—I have to be, it's part of my job to keep tabs on the latest and greatest. A strong set of nails is like an extra accessory, whether you prefer an understated-yet-chic soap nails vibe or elaborate nail art. Among the 2025 nail trends, one trending shade in particular has caught team MC’s attention this month, though: soft blue nails.

    Not worlds away from the blueberry milk nails trend we saw two years ago, this pastel hue makes a great manicure option for spring—and, for anybody getting married who loves tradition, it could even double as a chic ‘something blue’ if incorporated into your wedding day nails.

    "Lately, I've noticed a real surge in requests for soft pastel blues from my clients," says luxury manicurist Julia Diogo, one of Bio Sculpture’s top technicians. "As the weather brightens, it’s clear spring is in full swing—and so is the shift toward lighter, fresher-looking manicures. I believe the appeal lies in this shade’s versatility; it flatters every skin tone and pairs effortlessly with spring and summer fashion."

    A post shared by Julia Diogo (@paintedbyjools)

    How to choose soft blue nails that suit you

    The good news is that soft blues are pretty universally flattering. Julia notes that its wearability makes it an effortless pairing with spring-summer fashion.

    "Part of the charm of soft blue lies in its versatility,” she continues. “Whether your undertone is cool, warm or neutral, it’s one of those rare shades that suits just about everyone. A recent favourite in my kit is Aqua Drive by Bio Sculpture—a dreamy, soft blue that not only flatters all skin tones but also delivers an effortless, standout style."

    You may like
    • Autumn Nail Trends 2026 From Fawn Print to Milky Matcha—These Are Autumn 2026’s Defining Nail Trends
    • Best nail strengtheners The Autumn Nail Reset: Strengtheners That Repair Brittle, Weather-Worn Nails
    • How to keep long nails clean My Long, Natural Nails Never Look Clean—Here’s How 3 Nail Experts Recommend Keeping Them Salon-Fresh

    Bio Sculpture , Aqua Drive - 331 - Gemini Polish

    Bio Sculpture
    Aqua Drive - 331 - Gemini Polish
    £15.50 AT BIO SCULPTURE

    The main choice is whether you want your shade of polish to skew cooler and more towards a Periwinkle shade, for example, or more warm and aquatic with a green undertone. Then, decide if you want to opt for full cover polish or a nail design like French tip nails for a chic twist on seasonal pastels. With that in mind, here is some inspiration for your next trip to the salon...

    Soft blue nails inspiration

    A post shared by Lois Samantha - Natural Nail Specialist (@polishedbylolo)

    Square nails with rounded corners will always be a classic look, and we love the pairing with this soft blue shade.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    A post shared by Bio Sculpture (@biosculpturegelgb)

    The very shade name-checked by Julia, Aqua Drive from Bio Sculpture is a great choice of a warmer soft blue gel nail polish.

    A post shared by Shoreditch Nails (@shoreditchnails)

    A nice multi-tonal option that elevates your usual block colour, we're loving these airbrushed denim nails.

    A post shared by Iram Shelton (@iramshelton)

    Ultra pale blue nails—technically an off-white here—will always be a great example of why pastel nails are a winning choice.

    A post shared by Paint Nails London | Oxford Street (@paintnailslondon)

    The hype around chrome nails may have cooled a little since the trend first went viral, but they're still an eye-catching design that has a place in our heart, especially with this frosted soft blue effect.

    A post shared by DRYBY (@drybylondon)

    If you prefer to incorporate colour into your nails through details like French tips, soft blue is an ideal choice for this, or even double French tips, as shown here.

    Recreate the soft blue nails look

    OPI Nail Lacquer in It's A Boy

    OPI Nail Lacquer in It's A Boy
    £15.60 AT OPI

    Nailberry L'Oxygéné Oxygenated Nail Lacquer in Charleston

    Nailberry L'Oxygéné Oxygenated Nail Lacquer in Charleston
    £15 AT LOOKFANTASTIC

    Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Berry Parfait

    Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Berry Parfait
    £4.49 AT BOOTS

    essie Gel Couture Top Coat

    essie Gel Couture Top Coat
    £10.99 AT LOOKFANTASTIC

    Manucurist Green Natural Nail Polish in Light Blue

    Manucurist Green Natural Nail Polish in Light Blue
    £14 AT MANUCURIST

    Boots Everyday 4 Way Buffer

    Boots Everyday 4 Way Buffer
    £2 AT BOOTS

    Explore More
    nails
    Lucy Abbersteen
    Lucy Abbersteen
    Social Links Navigation
    Beauty Contributor

    Lucy is a freelance beauty editor and contributor at Marie Claire, and has also written for titles including Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, Glamour and woman&home. She was previously Marie Claire’s junior beauty editor. During her career, she’s covered everything from backstage beauty at fashion week to interviews with famous faces like Drag Race royalty and Little Mix. As for her beauty ethos, she’s a big advocate for not having to spend a fortune on beauty products to get good results. When she’s not got beauty on the brain you’ll probably find her reading or Netflix-ing.

    Read more
    Autumn Nail Trends 2026
    Nails From Fawn Print to Milky Matcha—These Are Autumn 2026’s Defining Nail Trends
    Best nail strengtheners
    Beauty The Autumn Nail Reset: Strengtheners That Repair Brittle, Weather-Worn Nails
     
     
    How to keep long nails clean
    Beauty My Long, Natural Nails Never Look Clean—Here’s How 3 Nail Experts Recommend Keeping Them Salon-Fresh
    nail brush benefits
    Nails My £4 Secret to a Minimal Manicure—This Simple Tool Makes Bare Nails Look Immaculate
     
     
    Latest in Beauty
    Liberty London Beauty Advent Calendar 2026
    Beauty I Had My Pick Of 27 Advent Calendars This Year, Here’s Why Liberty’s Came Home With Me—And It’s Not Why You Think
    Are electric toothbrushes worth it?
    Beauty Is a £300 Electric Toothbrush Really Better Than a £30 One? We Asked Leading Dentists to Weigh In
     
     
    Merit New Wave Review
    Fragrance I Smell Hundreds of Perfumes a Year—Merit’s New Fragrance Made Me Stop and Pay Attention
    Ageing & looking young
    Skincare In The Endless Pursuit of Youth, Are We Losing More Than Just Our Wrinkles?
     
     
    Latest in Features
    bright green sticky note reading “I Quit” on a computer keyboard
    Money and Work Does Anyone Actually Want to Be the Boss Anymore?
    Liberty London Beauty Advent Calendar 2026
    Beauty I Had My Pick Of 27 Advent Calendars This Year, Here’s Why Liberty’s Came Home With Me—And It’s Not Why You Think
     
     
    Flowers, a woman's torso and a hand against a wall
    Female health I'm an Oncologist: 5 Breast Cancer Symptoms That Are Consistently Overlooked
    Are electric toothbrushes worth it?
    Beauty Is a £300 Electric Toothbrush Really Better Than a £30 One? We Asked Leading Dentists to Weigh In
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.