Our summer plans this year? Indulge. Have the extra margarita, check out that smutty beach read (or three!), give yourself an extra hour to nap in the hammock, and swim until your fingers prune. It’s been a long winter (and spring).
By that measure, our toes will follow suit, taking sugary cues from our favorite sweet treats. The summer pedicure colors of 2026 are inspired by our favorite desserts, whether you crave a luscious scoop of creamy French vanilla, the perfect bite of pale green pistachio mochi, or a classic slice of deep red cherry pie. If you’ve never had much of a sweet tooth, there are still ways to indulge. Take yourself on vacation and try a pedi that matches the clear blue sky at the boardwalk or a pink coral reef while snorkeling. Buy yourself the bouquet of poppies and get an orange pedicure to match. You deserve it!
Below, the experts break down this summer’s sweetest pedicure colors to indulge in.
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Creamy white
Courtesy of @nailnazi.mtl
A scoop of vanilla ice cream is a quintessential summer treat, and while the dessert may get a bit sticky on our nails, the creamy white color makes for a warm, clean pedicure. “The key is choosing a softer, more wearable white rather than anything too stark,” says Juanita Huber-Millet, founder and creative director of Townhouse. Much like with ice cream, there’s a spectrum to this color. For a brighter white vanilla bean, try Townhouse Flawless Polish in Meringue. Gucci Vernis à Ongles Nail Polish in Cecilia Ivory is a true custardy French vanilla, while Ella+Mila Nail Polish in Secret Garden falls beautifully between the two.
Townhouse
Flawless Polish in Meringue
Sky Blue
Picture a perfect, breezy day on the Santa Monica Pier, complete with cotton candy and a Ferris wheel ride. Your toes, we imagine, are likely the same light, crisp blue as the sky. After multiple summers of cobalt and cornflower blue, “soft blues feel fresh, calming, and slightly unexpected for summer,” says Huber-Millet. Holo Taco Nail Polish in Too Good to Be Blue, and Olive and June Nail Polish in Honest and True both offer a noon sky of pale blue, while Londontown Lakur Enhanced Nail Colour in Hot Spring is a shade or two deeper (more of a late-afternoon sky).
