Nailing it: The Hottest Shades and Trends this Season

Nail trends are as big on the runways as make-up and hair these days, with colours, patterns and nail shapes changing with each season. And brands like CND are taking things a step further and leading the way in 3D design, creating elaborate designs that have included chains, full crystal embellishments and even mini machine guns.

Of course as with any kind of couture beauty, there are elements of fun, fantasy and a creative expression that isn’t meant for life outside the runway, no matter how great it looks.

The good news is that there are loads of trends happening which are wearable and also easy to achieve, regardless of whether you’re a nail aficionado or not. I’ve rounded up a few of the fashion packs favourite shades for the spring/summer season below:

Nudes: A perennial favourite, each season nudes appear on the runways and this year there seemed to be a particular shade that kept popping up. OPI Bubblegum Bath (€12.95) was spotted at Reem Acra, Derek Lam and BCBG as the nude polish of choice. The soft, delicate pink is a particularly flattering shade for shorter nails although if you’re in the market for a more neutral tone, Samoan Sand, also from OPI and Nails Inc Basil Street (€16.50) are my go-to shades.

Red: Following on from the red lip trend, red nails were seen at shows including Zac Posen who chose to match both the lip and nail shades for an effective statement look. There are absolutely mountains of beautiful red shades out there but ones I always find myself going back to are Chanel Vernis in “Holiday” (€23) and Clinique Different Nail Enamel in "Red Red Red" (€16). 

White: Remember the days in class when you’d get so bored you’d paint your nails with tippex? Well, that’s what the white trend reminds me of, but of course the official take on things is that minimalism is back and white nails whether worn matte or glossy are in. In general I find that white and certain pastel shades require a decent base coat to come across as truly opaque and the one I’d trust most is Butter London’s Nail Foundation (€20).

Cobolt Blue: Vibrant and punchy, cobalt blue looks great if worn on fingers or toes and popped up on the runway of Reed Krakoff. I love Essie’s Butler Please (€10) but Maybelline Color Show in Sapphire Siren (€4.49) and Ciaté Skinny Jeans (€11.50) are also great shades.

For those who are feeling artsy or would like to experiment with more intricate manicures for a special occasion this season offered up a few simple but effective nail art trends including:

• Metallic Foil in either gold or silver, lightly placed on sections of the nail for a luxurious finish
• Negative space manicures, where just a small part of the nails was painted and the rest left completely natural
• Double French tips, the classic white tip was joined by an even finer blue or black tip for a monochrome finish.

Are you a fan of nail trends and nail art? Do you have any tips to share and what is on your nails RIGHT NOW?!