GET FREE SAMPLES

sign up for our newsletter to get free sample alerts
Photo 1/8
I'm all about bold statements, and here's my latest: Nail art is over.

It's finished. Gone. (But if you must indulge in nail art, these classy nail designs will keep your nails sophisticated, not silly).

If you've been paying attention to red carpets and catwalks, you've also noticed that nail art has made a dramatic decline. Even Katy Perry -- queen of nail art -- wore a nude (yes, nude!) lacquer to last month's Grammy Awards.

This sudden shift isn't really all that surprising. I mean, where was there left to go after caviar manis and 3D decals? The answer: back to the basics, of course.

Maybe it's just me, but I was practically standing on my swivel chair singing, "So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen" to velvet manicures and eye-crossingly busy appliqués. And I couldn't be happier that spring nail polish trends are all about bright bolds and pretty pastels.

To get you back into the classic polish pool once more, I tested out all of the new spring 2013 nail polish collections and plucked out the 6 must-have shades. Are you with me in my rejoicing over the death of nail art? And which lacquers are you most excited to get your hands on this month?

Photo 2/8
Pale Blue
Some consider this color Robin's Egg blue, but I like to think of this hue as slightly-cloudy sky blue. Exactly the type of weather that is typical for spring, right? And while these blue hues may fall into the dainty pastel category, the opaque formulas make them seriously striking after just one coat.

1. Oscar de la Renta Nail Lacquer in Larimar, $22
2. Zoya Nail Polish in Blu, $8
3. Esteé Lauder Pure Color Nail Polish in Dilettante, $20

Photo 3/8
Nude
If you buy one color this spring make it a nude. Before you brush it off as the boring tint your Aunt still wears, hear this: Barely-there lacquers dominated Fashion Week and award season like never before, and no one is calling these new shades dull. These are about as bold as neutrals go -- eye-catching, opaque, and some even have shimmer.

1. Butter London Nail Lacquer in Cuppa, $15
2. Esteé Lauder Nail Polish in Nudité, $20
3. Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Careless Whisper, $17

Photo 4/8
Lavender
I've never met a lavender polish I didn't like. So you can imagine my glee when I found at least one type of light purple in all of the spring nail polish collections. My desk looked like 50 shades of violet. There are pink-ish lilacs, rich lavenders, and even gauzy amethyst -- plenty to try until you find your fave.

1. China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Tart-y for the party, $6.99
2. L'Oreal Paris Nail Color in Royalty Reinvented, $5.99
3. Essie Nail Polish in Go Ginza, $8

Photo 5/8
White
This isn't your wimpy bridal white. I'm not talking creamy off-white, egg shell, or even blush antique. This is like White-Out white, which sounds unappealing (and yes, like something you pick up at Staples instead of Sephora) but trust me, this shade is stunning on most skin tones, especially medium to dark. If your complexion is currently somewhere between Snow White and Tilda Swinton, nab this shade now and paint it on after your next spray tan or vacation.

1. Victoria's Secret Nail Polish in Role Play, $10
2. China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Dandy Lyin' Around, $6.99
3. OPI Nail Lacquer in My Vampire is Buff, $8

I'm all about bold statements, and here's my latest: Nail art is over.

It's finished. Gone. (But if you must indulge in nail art, these classy nail designs will keep your nails sophisticated, not silly).

If you've been paying attention to red carpets and catwalks, you've also noticed that nail art has made a dramatic decline. Even Katy Perry -- queen of nail art -- wore a nude (yes, nude!) lacquer to last month's Grammy Awards.

This sudden shift isn't really all that surprising. I mean, where was there left to go after caviar manis and 3D decals? The answer: back to the basics, of course.

Maybe it's just me, but I was practically standing on my swivel chair singing, "So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen" to velvet manicures and eye-crossingly busy appliqués. And I couldn't be happier that spring nail polish trends are all about bright bolds and pretty pastels.

To get you back into the classic polish pool once more, I tested out all of the new spring 2013 nail polish collections and plucked out the 6 must-have shades. Are you with me in my rejoicing over the death of nail art? And which lacquers are you most excited to get your hands on this month?
BY CINYA BURTON | SHARES
VIEW COMMENTS
Full Site | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
TotalBeauty is a property of Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclosure: Evolve Media Holdings, LLC, and its owned and operated subsidiaries may receive a small commission from the proceeds of any product(s) sold through affiliate and direct partner links.