The Sardine Manicure is Summer 2026’s Unexpected Nail Art Trend
Something fishy is happening in nail art—we look into the a-lure-ing trend.
We have officially reached peak sardine. First, it started with our diet: The tiny saltwater fish is packed with protein and omega-3s to support your hair, skin, and body (it was so popular that there was a shortage across America). Then, it was a fashion accessory, seen on beaded bags and breezy dresses. Now, you can proclaim your love for sardines on the very nails they helped grow: Meet the sardine manicure. It’s positively alluring (or should we say, a-lure-ing?).
“Am I crazy or are [these sardines painted on the nails] really chic?” nail artist Jen Seales says of the sardine manicure she created on a client. Her take on the trend included a sheer nude nail base with unique white, blue, and green fish on each finger. Manicurist @Aminails._ loves the trend so much that she’s tried it on a pink cream base, French manicure, and more.
But sardines aren’t the only take on the fishy trend that people are getting hooked on. Hang Nguyen, aka the Hang Edit, hopped onto the trend with a photorealistic take on the cardinal tetra fish. “The fish shape fits perfectly into the shape of a natural nail,” Nguyen muses about the aquarium mainstay. “Nail art tools such as magnetic polish and chrome have made it easy to replicate the iridescent shiny scales for a realistic finish, which is why it's trending right now.”
Dallas-based nail artist Cameron Short (known as Really Niche Nails on social media) credits a post on Reddit as the inspiration for her viral press-on fishing lure set. “As a traditional artist, I didn’t want to just copy the original work,” Short says. “I took one look at the original and started searching frantically for photographs of real fishing lures all over the internet.”
Regardless of which aquatic species is stikes your fancy (shells were big earlier this summer, too!) there’s really only one thing to be said: Go fish.
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