‘Amalfi Nails’ Are Like a Vacation for Your Hands—Here’s How to Get the Look

Can’t swing a summer in Positano? No problem. The latest nail trend brings the charm of the Amalfi Coast straight to your fingertips. Say hello to Amalfi-inspired nails—a vacation-ready manicure dreamed up by celebrity manicurist Elle Gerstein. Her inspiration? Sunny citrus (think lemons galore) and the iconic cobalt-and-white ceramic tiles found all over southern Italy. The best part: while the design looks straight out of a boutique in Capri, Gerstein says even beginners can recreate it at home with a little polish, a few stickers, and a trusty bobby pin.

What Are Amalfi Nails?

“I was inspired by all of the gorgeous ceramic motifs you see in the Mediterranean, plus the little fruit nail trends—the lemons and oranges—we’ve been seeing,” says Gerstein, who created this tile-tastic nail art for her client. Amalfi nails are composed of colors reminiscent of Positano sunsets, lemon-splashed villas, and blue and white ceramic-tiled terraces. 

How to Get Amalfi Nails

While the intricate nail art might look intimidating, Gerstein swears anyone can pull it off.

The tools you need

“You can do it using regular or gel polish—it’s your choice,” she says. “Grab cobalt, white, yellow, and green polish for the leaves.” If you can’t freehand a little lemon like she did, Gerstein says to use a sticker. “Then use a dotting tool, bobby pin, or even a toothpick to create the tiny dots.” Skim Gerstein’s tips for how to best prep your nails so that they don’t chip.

Ace your base

Once you’ve decided on regular or gel nail polish, choose an opaque nude that flatters your skintone. Swipe on two coats (curing in between if you’re doing gel polish).

Dot, dot, dot

To recreate the tile design, draw on tiny dots. Some nails get only a few dots, other nails get a dotted tip, while others get a full border. The key, she says, is that each nail should be unique. Gerstein uses a dotting tool, but says, in a pinch, the end of a bobby pin or even a toothpick works just as well. “Press the color onto the nail like a stamp, lifting it straight back up to create the perfect dot,” she explains. “Each nail can look different as long as the color theme remains the same to tie it all together.”

Add some fruit

If you don’t want to stress about hand-painting a lemon or an orange (same!), simply use a nail sticker. Her tip for making stickers look even better and more realistic is to paint a little added detail, like a leaf.

Seal the deal

Once your designs are dry, cure if needed, then lock them in with a shiny top coat. “While I did this mani on my client who had rounded nails, the design would work on any nail shape; square would look even more like tile,” she adds. Easier yet, show off Gerstein’s mani at your nail salon and ask them to recreate a similar, seaside vibe.

In any case, the next time you’re bored with your nails, search different motifs and ceramic tiles for instant inspo, Gerstein recommends. Then pour yourself a Limoncello Spritz.