Help Mom Spruce Up for Her Special Day With These Mother’s Day Nails (2025)

There are countless ways to make your mom feel special on Mother's Day: You could serve her breakfast in bed, write her a heartfelt Mother's Day card, or bake her a sweet Mother's Day treat. But if you're looking for something unique, why not give her the ultimate gift of relaxation? A day of pampering is a priceless gesture she'll truly appreciate! Take a cue from Ree Drummond, who says her dream Mother's Day gift would be "any spa treatment, like a three-hour pedicure—that would be heaven!" Another beauty-based gift any mom would love? A soothing, custom manicure with a gorgeous Mother's Day nail design! Though small, a fresh set of floral nails or colorful French tips can make her feel polished and put together—especially if she rarely treats herself to a manicure.

As the exciting time between spring and summer nears, you'll want to opt for nail colors and designs that reflect this transitional period. Pretty pastels, gorgeous greens, and glitter accents reflect both the soft, new beginnings of spring and the bright and fun vibes of summer. Like our hard-working mothers, the nail ideas on this list are dynamic. Here, you'll find dainty floral accent nails as beautiful as the bouquet you'll hand to her on her special day and even ombré watermelon-inspired nails that almost look good enough to eat. The best part? You don't have to choose just one Mother's Day nail design! Rock a subtle silver French tip on one finger and a beautiful butterfly on the next. No matter which manicure you choose, we know you'll find one that accentuates your Mother's Day outfit in the same way you and your mother complement each other.

For more ways to pamper her, check out these ideas:

• These Under-Eye Patches Are a Skincare Must-Have
• These Silk Pillowcases Will Give You That Much-Needed Beauty Rest
• These Are the Best Hot Roller Sets for Voluminous Curls

You can't go wrong with a neutral manicure. Make it a little more fun by adding a layer of chrome powder on top of a nude pink nail for a touch of shimmer.

A spring holiday like Mother's Day calls for all things floral! Start with a nude base, then get creative with a rainbow of floral decals on each nail. Vary the placement, shapes, and sizes of the flowers for a fun manicure.

Why buy Mom a bouquet from the store when she can wear her favorite flowers on her nails instead? This bright, garden-inspired nail art contains different shapes and sizes of flowers on each accent nail, complete with bright green stems and leaves for an added pop of color.

Let the shades of spring inspire you to branch out from your usual French manicure to one featuring pretty pastel tips! Alternate each nail tip with a different bright hue for a fun flair.

A mauve manicure is always lovely for the spring, but the addition of gold outlined butterflies makes it so much more fun! This look feels fancy but is super easy to do at home with just a few stick-on butterfly nail decals.

Using real dried flowers and clear polish, your mom can have her bouquet and wear it on her nails, too! You can even add accents like gold tips or polka dots to contrast with the natural shades of the flowers.

Cherry blossom season may be over by Mother's Day, but you can still enjoy their beauty by painting them on your nails! Start with a nude pink base and use a tiny brush to create small and medium pink and white flowers. Complete the blossoms with a dark dot of pink in the center and sage green leaves.

Mother's Day is right around the corner from watermelon season, so it's the perfect time to use the fruit's color pallet on your nails. To recreate this nail art, apply pink and green nail polish in two different sections on your nail and use a brush to lightly blend them at their meeting point for a gorgeous ombré effect.

Let your manicure reflect the love you feel for Mom with this sweet layered heart nail art! Switch things up by using the same shades of pink to do different designs on each nail, like a double layered french tip, layered heart, and mini heart decal.

Think abstract with a minimal manicure that takes advantage of negative space. Pick one or two pretty pastel shades and use a detailed brush to paint geometric shapes and patterns that follow the shape of your nail beds.

Let this stunning green flower-studded manicure be your reminder that Mother Nature deserves to be celebrated on Mother's Day, too! These nails take inspiration from our planet's stunning green color pallet, with a different shade on each nail covered with simple gold and white daisies.