Behold, butter nails. You’ll know them by now, because the yellow manicure has been everywhere these last few seasons: from butter-y French manis to Hailey Bieber’s lemon-tini set in Mallorca, to the more golden mimosa shades and almost mango tones all over our IG Explore pages. For summer 2026? Nail trends—and cursory glances at the ladies in the salon chairs beside us—have shown butter nails are here to stay.

Manicurist-to-the-stars, Tom Bachik, has been beating the “butter” nail drum for some time. Bachik previously showcased the look on longtime client Selena Gomez’s perfectly-shaped oval nails, painted in a pale butter shade. Slightly vanilla-toned, you can achieve a similar look at home with the help of Chanel’s Le Vernis Ovni shade or Essie All Fun & Games.

“Butter nails continue to dominate for summer because the shade feels fresh, feminine, and effortlessly flattering across a wide range of skin tones,” says nail artist Hannah Taylor, a brand ambassador for The GelBottle Inc. Taylor likes to use the brand’s Sorbet All-In-One as a perfect butter yellow option: a soft, creamy shade that’s buildable. The GelBottle Inc founder and CEO Daisy Kalnina suggests the brand’s warm Queen Bee shade, the bright Banana Split, or layering Iced Chrome over a buttery shade for any glam maximalists wanting to level up the trend. “Butter yellow has quickly become the new neutral for the season, blending seamlessly with the soft tones and textures we’re seeing across summer fashion.”

It’s been all over the summer 2026 runways: From the crochet and ruffle-forward, boho-ian offerings of Isabel Marant and Chloe to the sun-dappled and color-drenched Chanel resort collection where it was paired with frissons of azure blues and minty greens. Fashion designers often offer an It shade (or two!) with each new season, and for summer, we’re being served with a generous slab of butter yellow. Glam, of course, always follows.

The trick to getting this trend right is to ensure it’s the right hue. You want to avoid a certain unappealing spectrum of yellow. Think creamy, rather than mustard or neon, for your set of butter nails. It’s a nod to color, without being too in your face. Butter brings with it a pop of energy, while still feeling subtle and elegant.

And with butter on your fingertips, putting together an outfit will be a breeze too: It sits well against neutrals tones like beige, ivory, and black, while also hitting all the style marks when paired considerately with this season’s other trending tones, like chocolate brown, ice blue, and the sweetest candy pink.

And like any mani, there’s all to play for on the expanse of your nails. For a summer 2026 refresh, why not consider a twist on the classic French manicure with a pale yellow tip? Maybe you could combine two trends and do a butter chiffon, butter chrome, or butter marble. Or, opt for some similarly hued nail art: A delicate little daffodil, some stars, or polka dots. (Decals are absolutely in for the season ahead.)

Plus, as the sun is so capricious in deciding whether it shines or not, it’s an easy way to boost your optimism–just look down at your fingertips.