It’s not hard to find inspiration when you’re prepping for your next manicure appointment—simply scrolling Instagram will throw everything from colourful French tips to on-trend chrome finishes, and cute seasonally-inspired nail art designs your way. But being creative when it comes to your toes can be tough when it comes to sourcing inspo. While nail art designs dominate manicure trends, toes are more often kept minimal—which means that pedicure trends tend to focus more on colours or textures than on specific designs.
Still, with sandal season now here, most of us are open to trying something new—and there are actually so many options. Ahead, we’ve highlighted some of the key pedicure trends for 2023 (plus what to avoid) with help from professional pedicurist Milly Mason and nail expert and founder of Nailberry, Sonia Hully.
According to Hully, colours are the key trends within pedicure designs and by summertime, it’s usually easy to see which ones are set to be big for the season ahead. “Bright colours have long been a summer pedicure trend and, this year, red, pink, orange and coral are bestsellers,” she adds. “Cobalt blue and neon shades are popular too, but pastels are the newest trend, with lavender, light green, pale pink, powder blue and yellow all in demand.”
“I notice that pedicure colour trends really change depending on the time of year,” agrees Mason. “During the summer months people will branch out and have a pop of colour, but red or nude are classics all year round.”
“Very dark shades aren’t popular, especially in summer, which is when most people have their toes on show,” says Hully. “Though occasionally you’ll spot an edgy black pedicure. With toes, often anything goes!”
Although both Hully and Mason are in agreement that nail art isn’t (yet) a trend within pedicures, both have noticed clients being more open to trying something new and different. “The mood right now is all about experimentation, expressing your creative or playful side and personality,” says Hully. “Statement nails are increasingly popular; often the big toe. We’re adding small, simple flowers, glitter or jewel embellishments to make our pedicures pop.”
2023’s hottest nail trends may revolve around nail art, but complex and artistic designs have yet to feed into pedicure trends. “Nail art is definitely more for manicures, with pedicures the focus is on the colour or finish,” says Hully. “For example, glazed donut pedicures are also trending, as they are with manicures.” Mason agrees. “Nail art can be lost on toes,” she adds. “When it comes to pedicures I’m rarely asked for anything more then plain colours or a French tip.”
“French pedicures are big, whether the classic pink and white look or with a pastel, neon, or chrome tip, which are a top TikTok trend right now,” says Hully. If you’re torn between wearing a plain colour or trying something different, a French pedicure design is a great way to experiment with something different—while still keeping your toes fairly subtle.
One element of the pedicure that will always be on trend? Short nails. “Short, but not excessively short, are most popular – and are best for nails as well, avoiding the risk of nail trauma from longer lengths hitting the inside tip of shoes,” explains Hully. “The most popular pedicure shape is always flat across with the edges on either side gently filed to follow the toe shape.”
Next Up: Experts Agree—These Will Be the Most Popular Pedicure Colours in Salons
