Our beauty team's July nails radiate summer chic - and half of them were actually created at home

July has arrived and with it comes a whole host of new nail trends, but in case you're looking to narrow things down to a few tried and tested shades and designs, our beauty team has already settled on this month's manicures - and they're as chic as they are varied.

Following on from their wedding-themed May nails, the team have now turned their attention to all things summer, embracing both bright, sunny hues and more subtle finishes. The latter are proving very popular right now, with sheer nail polishes and soft looks, like coconut cream nails, dominating this season's nail trends. If you were hoping to follow suit and perfect your at-home manicure routine, we can help you there, with two of our colleagues having skipped the salon this month. If BIAB nails are your go-to, though, the rest have opted for vacation-ready hues and designs with the popular builder base.

So, if you're stuck for July nail ideas and want to opt for a look that has already been taken on a test drive, so to speak, these are the four manicures our beauty colleagues are currently sporting - along with their favourite at-home nailcare essentials.

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The 4 bright and subtle nail looks our beauty team are wearing this July

With bright, sunny colours and juicy sorbet nails being synonymous with the summer and subtle, barely-there looks also trending, there's truly no right or wrong when it comes to your July manicure. You have free rein, whether you want to go for a fiery coral or a soft lemon yellow French tip.

In case you require a little inspiration, though, our beauty team have already got their July nails sorted, having each picked a different shade or design to kick off the summer season with.

Our July nailcare favourites

If you're planning to do and maintain your nails at home this summer, we've rounded up a few essentials, including fortifying base coats that deliver a sheer, au naturel look, to ultra-pigmented, one-and-done polishes that afford a bright, summery look in minutes.

Sennen's 'Lemon Meringue' nails

"When it came to my July nail appointment, I had two manicure designs in mind – yellow French tips and polka dots," says Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett. "So, what does one do when they simply can’t choose? Get both, of course. I combined the two nail art designs and created a manicure that I’m dubbing 'lemon meringue nails.'

"I opted for a soft pastel yellow for the French tip before adding the subtle white polka-dot details. Not only are they incredibly cute, but they also feel perfectly apt for the summer months – the one time throughout the year where I like to have a bit of fun with my nails."

Aleesha's hot pink almond nails

"It seems like endless heatwaves at the minute, so I wanted to lean into the hot weather with a bright colour this month," notes Digital Beauty Shopping & eCommerce Editor, Aleesha Badkar. "So it was goodbye to my usual beloved neutrals and a dramatic hello to this hot pink.

"I went slightly shorter with the length to make this switch a little less scary, and I have to say, I've been loving it. And the compliments have been rolling in..."

Naomi's at-home micro French tips

"After months of back-to-back gel appointments, I found myself really craving a break and keen to embrace some of these more 'naked' nail looks that I've been seeing everywhere lately," says Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson. "Initially, I wanted to sport a sheer nail polish, but my nails were looking a tad worse for wear, and the white edges were so uneven. Thus, I decided to try my hand at a little at-home French tip to try and cheat the look of natural, perfectly groomed nails - whilst also coating them with strengthening formulas.

"I'll admit, I was not hopeful in my painting skills, as French tips are notoriously hard, but as you can see, the finished result actually isn't half bad. I applied Manucurist Active Blur as my base before using a soft cream as the tip shade, rather than a bright white, as I thought this would look more realistic. The short length of my nails meant that I could just carefully brush the colour along the very edge, in more or less a straight line, rather than having to create a precise curve. Then the pièce de résistance: two more coats of Active Blur. This created a soft blend between the tip colour and base and made any slight wobbles or unevenness in the lines look far less noticeable. I then finished it off with the brand's Sunshine top coat, and I must say, I'm loving how they look - and have actually got quite a few compliments on them."

Fiona's 'naked' nails

"Isn’t it great when a trend aligns with something you’ve been doing all along, and you can be both a) completely yourself and b) a chic person who knows what’s up?" Quips Digital Beauty Editor, Fiona McKim, "This, happily, is what’s happened with my nails, which always spend about half of the year short, shaped and bare - because I can’t be doing with constant appointments and don’t always enjoy the feeling of long, gel-smothered talons. And now for 2026, those in the know say it’s clear nail summer!

"Pamela Anderson’s a fan, Sienna Miller was at it at Wimbledon - and little old me is feeling justified in her longstanding love of a good old-fashioned buff and sheer top coat. My latest discovery, to really set things off, is Chanel Le Base Camelia, a strengthening treatment that subtly brightens the nail but is transparent enough to be forgiving of a dodgy DIY paint job."