While piles of snow still litter the sidewalks and temperatures are painfully and persistently in the teens and twenties, it sure feels like spring is a long way away. But the calendar says it's March and if you've been shopping in the last week or so you've probably seen lighter colored clothing on the racks and even some bathing suits (gasp!) - a tell tale sign that spring can't be far away. In the nail polish world, pastels and lighter shades have resurfaced as reliably as the crocuses and daffodils. But there are some non-pastel trends happening right now in nail polish for spring 2014.
I selected five nail polish trends I think are standouts this season. For each trend, I'll share a polish in my collection and list some options along with information about where you can find them. I've also created a Spring 2014 Nail Polish Trends board on Pinterest that I'll keep updating :)
Chrome Multi-Chrome/"Liquid Future"
Regardless of whether you like the way it looks on nails, I think everyone can agree that color-shifting anything is just plan cool. It's something right out of the "future" in Back to the Future 2 and we're seeing more and more of it in clothing, shoes, and accessories - nail polish included! And indie nail polish brands are doing it the best these days. This is color-shifting nail polish to the max with a chrome finish that turns your nails into liquid future. Liquid. Future.
Ozotic 506 (no longer available) over black
KBShimmer Pigment of Imagination, Shade Shifter, and Urban Camo, $8.75 each from kbshimmer.com
Dance Legend Chameleon collection, $8 each from dance-legend.com
I Love Nail Polish (ILNP) Ultra Chromes, $12.50 each from ilnp.com
Picture Polish Aurora and Solar Flare, $16.50 each from llarowe.com
Polish Me Silly Love the Hue, Mesmerizing, Holy Shift, Toe-Tally Cosmic, and Guilty Pleasure, $7.50 each from Etsy
Matte Glitter
Matte (aka non-reflective) glitter brings an artsy look to your nails. It's instant nail art with no headache (well, except for when it comes to removal!)
Maybelline Blue Beats, $2.99 from Harmon Face Values
China Glaze Surprise collection, coming soon!
Cirque Kaleidoscope and Electric Circus, $13 each from cirquecolors.com
Dance Legend Caviar Polish collection, $9 each from dance-legend.com/en
JINsoon Polka White, $18 from Nordstrom
Maybelline Street Art collection, $2.99 each from Harmon Face Values
Nubar Crushed Candy collection, $8 each from bynubar.com
Sephora Formula X Xplosives Top Coats, $12.50 each from Sephora
Nude and Neutral Shades
Rewind to last September when spring 2014 looks walked the runways at fashion weeks 'round the globe. Nude nails dominated. While at the time I was not impressed, from this came a plethora of nude and neutral nail polishes with great opaque formulas for spring 2014.
OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around, $8.50 from Ricky's (received for review)
butter LONDON Shandy and Trallop, $15 each from Ulta
L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Collection Privee, $5.99 each from Walgreens
Marc Jacobs Beauty Baby Jane and Fluorescent Beige, $18 each from Sephora
Maybelline Color Show Dare to Go Nude collection, $2.99 each from Bed Bath & Beyond
OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around and Taupe-less Beach, $8.50 each from Ricky's
Orly Naked Canvas and Dare to Bare,
Sephora X Monumental, Invincible, and Standout, $10.50 each from Sephora
Zoya Naturel collection, $9 each from Zoya.com
(Not So School Bus) Yellow
Gretchen Weiners Nail polish manufacturer have tried to make yellow nail polish happen for a few seasons now, and I think at last yellow is having it's moment due to two contributing factors: 1. formulas that don't suck and 2. they don't look like the Magic School Bus. While yellow is still considered a non-traditional nail color, go ahead and rock it. Because you're awesome.
OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana, $8.50 from Ricky's (received for review)
butter LONDON Cheeky Chops, $15 from Ulta
Illamasqua Blow, $17 from Sephora
Nicole by OPI Sand In My Shoe (texture), $7.99 from Duane Reade
OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana, $8.50 from Ricky's
Sally Hansen Insta Dri Glow With It, $4.99 from Ulta
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Mellow Yellow, $2.49 from Target
Wintergreen
It's a bit ironic that a color called "wintergreen" is trending for spring! This bluish mint (toothpaste?) green has sprung up in many spring collections this year and is a bit of a rebellious way to wear a pastel mani.
Zoya Dillon, $9 from Zoya.com (received for review)
American Apparel Office, $6 from American Apparel
Dermelect ME Au Courant, $12 from Ulta
Essie Fashion Playground, $8.50 from Ricky's
étoile Fizzy Cucumber, $18 from etoilepolish.com
Sally Hansen Insta Dri Jade Jump, $4.99 from Ulta
Sephora Formula X Unmistakable, $10.50 from Sephora
Sinful Colors Mint Apple, $1.99 from Duane Reade
Zoya Dillon, $9 from Zoya.com
So there you have it! What do you think - do you agree? Did I miss any? Check out the spring nail polish trends Pinterest board for more swatches!
What's your favorite nail polish trend this spring?
OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around, I Just Can't Cope-acabana, and Zoya Dillon were received for review. Read my disclosure policy here.