12 eye-catching Pride Month-inspired nails to celebrate June – you can even DIY them!

Pride Month is here and it’s time to slay the house down boots. After all, what’s a queen without some bedazzled nails?

We know that getting manicures might be a tad costly at times, so we’ve curated a list of 12 nail art ideas that we believe you can DIY in the comfort of your own home, ranked in increasing difficulty.

So, what are you waiting for? Pop off and give your nails a glow-up this Pride Month!

Easy

1. Skittles manicure

Skittles-inspired nails have long been popular among nail art junkies for how effortless it is to achieve this style that bears such fun results.

Simply layer about two coats of neon polish of a finish of your choice, and layer it with a clear top coat. Use one with a velvet finish to push that iconic semi-matte “Skittles look” further.

2. Rainbow glitter

If you have a tad more time to spare and wish to spruce your “Skittles manicure” look further, you can buff in some coloured glitter pigment powder atop the base shades and top it off with a glossy top coat.

Alternatively, you can layer on glitter top coats in the same shades as your base colours if you don’t have dip pigments readily available.

3. Pastel creamsicle

Neons too loud for you? Try this pastel creamsicle look. These Paddle Pop-like hues offer a more muted look, making them extremely wearable.

Simply layer about two coats of pastel shades of the rainbow and seal in it with a top coat of your choice. Our recommendation—matte top coat—for that super animated look.

4. Simple rainbow hearts

If simplicity’s your game, this one’s for you.

Show off your pride with adorable little heart accents—in rainbow tones, of course—atop a clear or sheer base, or even experiment with the TikTok-famous Korean “blush nail” look if you’re feeling extra flirty.

Related read: “Blush nails” are making a huge comeback — here are 20 loveliest looks to get you inspired

Intermediate

5. Rainbow gradient chrome

Here’s something simple and work-friendly, but with an added edge of a gradient look. To achieve this, you’ll need a couple of shades of chromatic nail powders.

In the order of the colours of the rainbow, buff in two shades per nail, paying close attention to the centre where the two colours meet to ensure a seamless transition. Top it off with a velvet top coat for a pearlescent shine.

6. Slanted French manicure

She’s giving The Powerpuff Girls—sugar, spice, and everything nice.

This iconic style has now been adapted with colours of the rainbow for an adorable, yet chic, twist. First, coat your nail with a nude base polish, before painting on, in a diagonal fashion, pastel and neon hues of the rainbow.

Glaze it up with glossy top coat for a cartoony effect.

 7. Pink hearts

Pride doesn’t have to be confined to rainbow designs and motifs. You can also celebrate the month of love and acceptance with hearts. Lots of ’em.

Try a heart keyhole look with the assistance of nail vinyls or templates, or an elevated version of the French manicure, with a mixture of white and pink tips, speckled with heart accents on select nails.

Related read: “Glass nails” are the new trending manicure that will make you feel just like Cinderella

Advanced

8. Rainbow fire nails

Fire nails gained traction with the E-girl aesthetic popularised by TikTok, and now, we give you a rainbow pastel version of it.

Using a detailing brush, paint streaks of “flames” on top of a nude base for an extremely edgy hipster design. Finish off with a glossy top coat.

9. Rainbow gradient French manicure

At first glance, this might seem a tad daunting, but with patience and a steady hand, we’re sure you’ll be able to rock this look yourselves. And the payoff is stunning.

First, prime your canvas with a nude base shade. Then, using a nail vinyl, cover the centre of your nails, exposing only the tips, and paint strips of the colours of the rainbow on a makeup sponge, before stippling it over the exposed tips to create a rainbow gradient.

Finally, peel off the vinyl, and complete your artwork with a glossy top coat.

10. Rainbow water-marble

Inspired by the age-old water-marble effect, this look features a bold prideful statement with the use of neon colours.

Layer by layer, paint on each colour in your preferred order of appearance with a detailing brush in a wavy pattern. This creates a subtle swirl reminiscent of water-marble nails.

11. Rainbow flowers

Y2K strikes yet again. And we’re not mad at all. Recreate this adorable look with a nude base, before using a detailing brush to paint each individual flower on.

This might be fairly time-consuming, but with nails like that, you’ll surely light up any room you walk into.

12. Rainbow galaxy

Talk about being stunning and glam—this look is surely to die for. On top of a glittery nude base, paint on a magical rainbow swirl to create a galactic aura that looks like a unicorn had just pranced right across.

Then, top it off with silver stars using a detailing brush and a dotting tool before lacquering it in a glossy top coat.