30 Super-Bright Neon Nail Ideas That Are an Instant Mood Boost

Almond-shaped nude nails with neon rainbow tips with a melting effect — @imarninails / Instagram

There's a time and a place for minimalist nail art, but we're feeling called to a more maximalist moment. A very bright and bold manicure moment that is. From the looks of Instagram hashtags, we're not alone. #Neonnails has more posts than we can count and it's not even the only tag related to the bright color palette. Looking to join us in veering away from the neutral and dive into the world of glowing, rainbow-bright neon colors? We've got the prettiest neon nail looks social media has to offer.

Keep scrolling for 30 ways to wear super-bright neon nails.

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Lime Edges

Nude nails with neon green edges — @paintboxnails / Instagram

Not ready to go full neon? This nude option focuses the bright color solely to one edge of each nail.

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Abstract Blue

bright blue nails with neon geometric art — @yo_keshh / Instagram

With a bright blue base and gradient lime, yellow, and orange accents, this geometric nail look is undeniably head-turning. We're here for it.

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Neon Yellow Stars

We love star-printed nails, and when paired with an ultra bright color, it's the perfect set for summer.

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Neon Old English

Modern French manicures are on the rise, and here's an example that's gaining traction. The way the tips are painted creates a faux stiletto shape on a true coffin nail.

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Neon Rainbow French

French manicure with rainbow neon french tips — @lolo.nailedit / Instagram

Why rock plain white tips when you can update a classic French manicure with a rainbow of color? We love this neon take that's both simple and eye-catching.

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Highlighter Yellow

Matte nude nails with abstract neon yellow line art — @nailsbysuman / Instagram

These bright, highlighter-yellow nails made us do double-take. We love the sharp lines and crisp negative-space utility.

Byrdie Tip

Swap your regular polish brush for an ultra-thin paint brush to recreate the clean lines.

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Neon Skittles

Neon rainbow skittle nails — @lolo.nailedit / Instagram

Another way to get in on neon nails is through the skittle manicure trend. Just like a bag of skittles, each nail boasts a bright neon color that's sure to satisfy even the most indecisive amongst us.

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Tennis Ball Yellow

neon yellow nails with blue tennis ball design — @nataliepnails / Instagram

These tennis ball yellow nails remind us of summer and hours spent on the court. Best of all, they're easy to DIY. Simply start with a neon yellow base and finish with charcoal squiggles.

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Ultra-Thin French

Short nude rounded nails with ultra-thin neon yellow french tips — @hellobirdielab / Instagram

This ultra-thin French manicure makes a major statement with slim swipes of highlighter yellow. To create the look, use French manicure stickers placed close to the edge of the tip of each nail.

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Soft Lime

Negative-space manicure with lime green neon designs on square nails — @imarninails / Instagram

Neon and negative space make a powerful combo. This particular example is super easy to recreate, too—just use striping tape.

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Matte Neon Moment

mismatched neon pink and yellow manicure in matte finish — @hellobirdielab / Instagram

Can't choose a single neon shade to showcase on your fingers? With this idea, you can paint one hand one color and the other another. (Or, mix and match on the same hand.) The matte finish really takes the whole look up a notch.

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Neon Signs

Short nude nails with various neon sign line drawings — @hellobirdielab / Instagram

These neon-sign nails feature intricate designs that require lots of patience to create but, once complete, are bound to earn you endless likes. Of course, creating them will likely require the help of a pro, so bookmark this page for inspo during your nail appointment.

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Neon + Cocoa

Neon green and cocoa hued abstract nail art — @hellobirdielab / Instagram

These neon yellow and cocoa-brown nails are a beautiful contrast. Plus, they're simple to DIY—so long as you're patient. Start with a bright yellow base, use a detail brush to swipe on a section of cocoa, and trace a black line between each. Finish with a matte topcoat.

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Moody Manicure

Almond-shaped nails with yellow smiley faces and white checkerboard design — @goldg0ld / Instagram

These moody almond-shaped nails are the definition of fun. With neon yellow and checkerboard accents, it's simply one of a kind.

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Bright Stripes

Short rounded nails with neon stripes and cheetah print french tips — @aliciatnails / Instagram

Electric blue pairs with purple, nude, and leopard for a striated nail design that's undeniably chic. To create each layer of color, use French manicure stickers as stencils.

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13 Going on 30 Aesthetic

Neon negative-space nails with 13 going on 30 color scheme — @nailsbysuman / Instagram

These brightly striped, negative-space nails remind us of Jenna Rink's iconic mini dress from 13 Going on 30. It's also a pretty color palette to copy for warmer weather.

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Vivid Orange Tips

Half neon orange, half nude nails with metallic gold half moons — @paintboxnails / Instagram

These tangerine orange and gold glitter nails are perfect for summer, but they also work any time you need a boost of brightness. We love the sliver of negative space between the two shades.

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Neon Dots

Short nude nails with two neon yellow dots on each nail — @paintboxnails / Instagram

This manicure proves that neon nails don't have to be complicated. Simply paint a couple of neon dots on each nail, et voilà.

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Neon With a Chance of Clouds

Pink to blue neon ombre nails with puffy white cloud nail art — @amyytran / Instagram

How pretty are these cloudy ombré nails? The hot pink to electric blue fade is super dreamy.

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Stars and Such

Mismatched manicure with neon pink nails and nude nails with stars and bright abstract designs — @amyytran / Instagram

Pink, orange, purple, blue, black, and white combine for a high-contrast neon nail look that doesn't even require full coverage on each nail. If you're worried about DIY-ing stars, consider adhering star confetti to your tips in their place.

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Eye-Catching Check

Neon pink and green checkerboard manicure in front of bright yellow hightops — @amyytran / Instagram

Who knew checker-print nails could look so fun? We love how the turquoise and yellow checks are juxtaposed against a hot pink mani.

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Barbie Bright

Neon pink Barbie manicure — @imarninails / Instagram

Sometimes rocking a double-tap-worthy neon nail look is as simple as finding the perfect bright shade to pair with your skin tone. We're obsessed with the contrast of the Barbie pink against this model's perfectly accessorized hands.

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Emoji-Inspired Mani

Sheer acrylic nails with neon hearts and emojis — @yo_keshh / Instagram

This highly detailed mismatch mani features rainbows, hearts, smiley faces, and glitter for a style that's equally fit for your kid sister as it is for a music festival. It's nostalgically '90s, and we can't help but smile every time we scroll past it.

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Bright Florals

Neon rainbow half-moon manicure with floral nail art — @nailsbylindseylu / Instagram

A mismatched rainbow of bright polish and squiggly half-moons are about as playful as it gets. But this dainty daisy artwork definitely sweetens the deal.

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Flame Tips

Neon green flames turn up the temperature on bare nails and clear acrylic tips in this simple, sexy set.

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Neon Melt

Almong-shaped nude nails with neon rainbow tips with a melting effect — @imarninails / Instagram

We love the unique take on both the skittle trend and the rainbow French tip with this neon melted set.

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Neon Splatter

If allover neon is a bit to overwhelming for your style, consider a negative-space design. These barely-there nude nails are rather inconspicuous at first, but the subtle neon splatter adds a hint of excitement.

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Tropical Vibes

Almond-shaped nails with neon yellow tips and tropical floral motif — @imarninails / Instagram

Whether you're jetting off to paradise or dreaming of the sand beneath your feet, this tropical French manicure is sure to transport you there.

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Dollar Signs

Short nails with neon pink dollar sign manicure — @gotg0ld / Instagram

Seeing dollar signs? Us too. And they're unmistakable in this bright pink hue.

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Monogram Mani

@imarninails / Instagram

If you're a material girl (or guy) living in a material world, this manicure is for you. The acid pink base and bright yellow LV monogram is giving us serious Y2K vibes.

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