Despite being a nail polish hoarder, my Summer palette is usually quite predictable - with an annual coral/ hot pink mani and cobalt /red pedi - so I’ve edited the latest nail releases into a palette of rainbow brights in attempt to extend my nailicious horizons. Hopefully you’ll spot one or two you like the look of…
ORANGE | Bourjois La Laque, Orange Outrant is an orange coral, softer than full-on orange and sassier than straight up coral. Opaque in one coat, yup.
LAVENDAR PINK | CND Vinylux, Crushed Rose looks rose pink and lavender in different lights. Adore this colour, which applies like a dream. I’d only tried CND nail treatments before and will definitely give more of the polishes a go. This one is from the Garden Collection, which includes the most beautiful cornflower blue. Designed to be worn with the CND weekly top coat.
TEAL | Barry M Sunset, The Way You Make me Teal is a rich greeny blue that works beautifully on both tanned and pale hands. From the Daylight Curing collection, this works best when used with the matching top coat (not essential in my opinion).
PEACHY CORAL - Morgan Taylor, My Carriage Awaits is a bit deeper than it looks here on camera, more pastel coral than peach and an incredibly pretty shade from the Cinderella Collection (love this new movie if you haven’t already seen!). I paired it with a soft pink from the same collection in an ombre mani here, where the colour looks more true.
YELLOW - NYC, NY Taxi is the most perfect banana yellow, opaque in two medium or 3 thin coats. It’s a little softer and warmer than it looks here, a proper banana (or taxi!) shade. Don’t overlook NYC due to its low price - they have some of the best nail formulas around and a lovely wide, curved edge brush.
CORAL RED - Nella Milano, Fiery Flamenco is a sizzling hot red with a hint of raspberry and coral that applies like silk. Pretty sure Marilyn would have loved this one. Swatched alongside her sisters in another ombre mani here.
HOT PINK - Barry M Speedy Quick Dry, Get Set Go ain’t no Barbie, but a deep hot pink that’s gorgeous on both fingers and toes. I often switch up red lipstick and nail polish for hot pink in Summer - it just makes me feel more…. Summery! This is one of the new shades from the Speedy Quick Dry line-up, which does just that.
LEAF GREEN - & Other Stories, Welding Green is a surprisingly wearable leafy green, which I think would look incredible on deeper skin tones. Personally I’d use this one more for nail art or an accent nail; it would look great with glitter tips.
SKY BLUE - Models Own, Blue Skies from the Festival Collection is the ultimate - and aptly named - Summer blue. It pulls slightly more teal on my nails than it looks here, but is equally bright and happy… how could you not smile every time you caught a glimpse of this?
Rainbow nails, here I come!
