I used to be pretty straight-laced with my polish choices: never the hands, just the occasional pink or red pedicure. Now I’m a bit of a polish fanatic, and have a drawer set dedicated to a rainbow of choices in my dressing room.
During the cooler months, I’m lacquering up with navy blues, deep reds, grays, and glossy blacks. But when summer rolls around, I’m all about the brights.
Pretty corals and hot pinks are standard– nothing says summer like a peach or a bubblegum manicure– but every now and again I mix in an ocean turquoise or a neon green.
Some tips for a long-lasting manicure/pedicure:
- The freshest way to wear nails now: clipped short, squared and slightly rounded edges. No talons!
- Basecoat and topcoat! (Several brands make a 2-in-1 version.) The base will keep the color secured to the nail bed and will keep the color from staining (especially important when using a bright red or a crazy cobalt blue).
- Small coats are best. Thin, thin, thin. The polish may look streaky at first, but the cover will improve as you layer coats. Thin coats also dry faster, which decreases the dreaded Chip Risk.
- Topcoat every other day to make a mani last and shine things up.
A few of my go-to summer hits:
Clockwise from top left: Essie Secret Stash, CND Coral, OPI Canjun Shrimp, OPI Ogre-the-Top Blue, China Glaze Tease, Butter London Snog and China Glaze Purple Panic.
Sometimes I’ll rock a bright/loud/weird (hi, yellow?) color on my hands, but most of my bolder choices go on my toes. A bright green pedicure doesn’t seem as double-take inducing as a manicure of the same color, right?
Ooh! So jealous of your nail polish drawer. This might inspire me to snap out of my nude polish phase (which has been going on since February!). I agree with you, green on toes… yuck.
I always have my toes painted, but I hardly ever paint my fingernails! I can’t seem to keep it from chipping within a day, and then all my hard work goes down the drain.
I love crazy colors on toes- I’m wearing neon yellow right now! It sounds weird, but it actually looks really good with my tan!
Great post!
I’m jealous of your nail polish stash, too! I love that bright blue color- is it China Glaze?
I’m a total nail polish whore- I have like every Essie and OPI color that exists. Working slowly but surely on my CG collection… And Alissa- that blue color you’re referring to is Eyes Like Sapphires. 🙂
love all the colours xxxxx
Wow!!! What a collection. Wish I had the time and space for all those pretty colors. I never would have thought some of these colors would work, but they really do. Great Post!!