Sunset Nails Are In: How to DIY + Design Ideas to Try

Sunset nails are taking over this summer, and the girlies are not holding back. Pink, orange, coral, and gold blends are showing up in chrome fades, jelly textures, aura details – you name it. These shades pop on tanned skin, soak up beach-day sun, and bring full vacay energy to every set.

Want the glazed sunset look everyone’s obsessed with? Here’s how to DIY it – plus 20+ manis that bring the heat. Are you ready? Let’s scroll.

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A Quick DIY for the Most-Wanted Sunset Mani

Before we get into the inspo, let’s start with the mani that’s all over your feed – the blended glazed sunset look. It’s glossy, warm-toned, and yes, totally doable at home.

This one comes from nail tech @nailsbyalsn, who shared a TikTok tutorial that’s blowing up for all the right reasons.

💅 How to get the look:

1. Reshape: start by filing your nails into an almond shape – it’s been trending hard this year and gives the whole look a soft, feminine-coded finish

2. Pick your base: go in with a sheer or milky base to give the blend something smooth to sit on. For a salon-like result, try Cirque Colors Georgette or OPI Funny Bunny – both work great for chrome layering.

3. Blend your colors: here’s the fun part: instead of polish, she used eyeshadow. Dab pink, orange, and yellow pigments onto the nail using a sponge or brush – focus the fade toward the center for that sunset effect.

@nailsbyalsn sunset chrome mani for the summer🧴🧡☀️ items linked on my Amzn sf and story!! (aff) @Murad Skincare SPF 30 will be 30% off the 16th and 17th for Prime Day 💞 #primeday #gelnails #diynails #amazonfinds ♬ HOT UPTOWN – Camila Cabello

4. Dust on the chrome: once the pigments are placed, dust over chrome powder to lock in the glow. It smooths everything out and gives that mirror-like sheen that makes the colors pop.

5. Top it off: seal it all with a glossy topcoat and cure under a lamp. You’re done.

This is the mani that’s taking over for summer – low-effort, high payoff, and fully sunset-coded.

The Prettiest Sunset-Inspired Manis

1. Chrome Finish

As we mentioned earlier, this look is totally DIY. Chrome meets sunset-core when you blend pink and orange (aka the go-to sunset shades) and then dust on chrome powder for that high-shine finish. It’s bright, eye-catching, and totally scroll-stopping.

Pink and orange sunset mani with soft blends — @victorianatdha

2. Skittle Nails

Colorful skittle French Mani — @kuypernailart

A skittle French or a solid mani that runs through every warm tone worth wearing – lemon, mango, coral, and hot pink. It’s playful, bright, and fits the colorful trend that’s huge for summer. Think rooftop drinks, early sunsets, and girlies who save everything to their “vacay mood” folder.

Pink and orange skittle manicure — Pinterest

3. 3D Nails

Pink and orange French mani with 3D designs — @chibimoon.nails

Summer, sunsets, and 3D manis – that’s the agenda. For a look like this, pair sunset blends with ripple textures, sculpted florals or raised chrome details for a layered look that’s flooding the feeds. The juciy colors and dimension make it a go-to for your next summer set.

Pink and orange nails with 3d florals and gold chrome details — @nailedbychristiana

4. Aura Fades

Orange and yellow French mani with aura effect and floral accent — @nails_by_jenna.k

Aura gradients in peak-sunset shades – yellow, tangerine, red, magenta, take your pick – then push the saturation up or mellow it out.

Pink and orange ombre nails with white stars — @peachinails

Drop in trendy extras like celestial accents, 3-D petals or hibiscus art, and boom, the set’s primed for soft-focus edits and every picnic selfie.

Red and yellow sunset aura nails — @glossy.studios

5. Swirls & Stripes

Pink and orange French nails with swirls — @heluviee

For the nail girlies craving an artsy spin on sunset nails – swirls and stripes, please.

Pink, orange and yellow mani with gradient swirls — @thenaillologist

Grab those twilight shades and layer solid nails or Frenchies, then slap on bold swirls or stacked stripes for your accent fingers. Playful, punchy, and still serving looks in 86 °F heat.

Pink orange and yellow nails with swirls — @beautyspace_charlotte

6. Sunset Gradients

Pink and orange ombre mani — @lightslacquer

Hot pink fading into orange, coral melting to mango, magenta blending with peach, or flamingo-pink sliding into tangerine – every sunset ombre combo looks unreal against a tan.

The best part? No salon necessary. Just grab a sponge, tap the shades together, and boom: vacay nails unlocked.

Pink and orange blended mani — @lareanetwork

7. Blooming Flowers

Pink, orange and yellow blended nails with blooming flower accent — @lacqueredbyadri

Blooming gel layer is THE move for watercolor-style florals: drip in sunset shades and watch each color bloom. Whether it’s a single accent or woven through a mix-and-match sunset-core set, the result serves pure tropical energy.

Magenta and orange French mani with blooming gel flowers — Pinterest

8. Jelly Finish

Pink and orange gradient manicure — @byangieee

Jelly nails – aka that transparent, see-through finish – are blowing up for summer 2025. Scoop up your fave sunset shades and melt them into ombré gradients, swirl in a bit of marble action, or layer abstract art on top. The only non-negotiable: keep the base translucently sheer and seal it with a syrup-gloss topcoat.

Orange marble mani with gold star accents — @nailslpc.xo

9. Textured French

Pink and yellow French nails with textured flowers — @aadrianaa_nails

Textured French tips are everywhere in 2025, and the trick is clear raised gel swirls layered over your sunset-inspired base. It adds just the right amount of dimension. Want to take it further? Forals are the go-to add-on for that extra tropical flair.

Orange and yellow textured tips with floral 3d accent — @nailsbymx.rs

10. Metallic Accents

Yellow and orange mani with chrome and textured details — @latelieroboutdesongles

Chrome accents are still going strong. Layer gold or silver chrome stars, pop on beach-core shell or starfish charms, or trace metallic swirls across your tips – every shiny extra is fair game when you’re building a full-tilt maximalist sunset mani.

Sheer mani with orange aura effect and gold chrome accents — @pearliepressed

11. Mix & Match

Pink and orange nails with mix and match design — @byangieee

Can’t pick one trend? Stack all of it. Aura blends, jelly drops, side swirls, and split tips – all in pink and orange or pink and yellow, all playing nice. It’s the sunset edit for indecisive girlies who want every nail to hit. Just screenshot this and let your tech do the rest.

Orange and red mix and match mani — @by.belle._

12. Neon Nails

Neon pink and orange nails with florals and aura — @nailsby.hails

Sunset colors, but make them neon – because why settle for soft when you can glow? These soak up every drop of sunlight and look unreal IRL. Whether you go for aura blends, floral accents, ombré fades, or all the trendy extras, these are made for the brightest summer days.

Sunset inspired neon nails — @_nailswithliv

TPI’s Sunset Polish Recs:

🔥 Pink

OPI – Suzi Nails New Orleans
Essie – Mod Square

🍒 Red

Essie – Geranium
OPI – Cajun Shrimp

🍊 Orange

Olive & June – Sweet & Gracious
OPI – Silicon Valley Girl

🍑 Coral / Peach

Essie – Tart Deco
Zoya – Sawyer

☀️ Yellow / Gold

OPI – Sun, Sea, and Sand in My Pants
China Glaze – Werk It Honey!

✨ Chrome

Born Pretty – Mirror Chrome Powder
Daily Charme – Unicorn Chrome

That’s the sunset nail lineup, bestie—color-packed, summer-coded, and ready to save. If you recreate any of these looks, don’t forget to tag us. And for more nail inspo, make sure to follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest. 🌅💅