Nail art might not be as outrageously out-there as it once was (when we drew on everything from spots to stripes to snowflakes), but we obviously still love a little manicure action, seeing as new colours keep on hitting those beauty counters.
Below is just a handful of nail newbies … and for those of you not ready to forgo flashy fingers anytime soon, fear not – these new releases feature a few impressive special effects, delivered in only a few swipes. Read: no fine arts degree necessary.
Bobbi Brown Nails, $23, from department stores from June 8
Bobbi Brown’s nail polishes have always been highlights of her limited-edition seasonal collections (like the delicious Nectar from her current colour story). The shades are always spot-on and the formulation a dream to apply: it layers on thinly and builds up well, to a glossy finish and a week’s worth of wear (if you top-coat it a couple of times along the way).
Happily, Bobbi is launching a permanent range of 10 shades – some golden oldies brought back by popular demand (Navy, Valentine’s Red, Bittersweet) and a few brand-new ones, like Nude Beige – as would be expected of the makeup artist who knows all about the perfect neutral.
Chanel Reflets d’Eté Le Vernis, $39, from department stores for a limited time
You can always rely on Chanel to bring it when it comes to nail polish. This latest collection of lacquers (part of Reflets d’Eté, its ‘summer’ collection) is no exception.
Eastern Light – a shimmering white that popped up in another colour story a year ago – is back, along with four completely new hues: Pink Tonic (creme fuchsia), Tutti Frutti (coral with gold shimmer), Mirabella (creme orange) and – my personal favourite – Sweet Lilac (a creme that is exactly what its name says).
Sally Hansen Triple Shine Nail Colour, $9.95 each, from pharmacies
If a nude nail is your default position, move along, there’s nothing to see here. Because Sally Hansen’s latest range is all about fun and flash.
There’s an array of (mostly) bright shades and a variety of glitzy finishes, from pearly to shimmery to glittery. You’ll especially love this range if you’re into aquatic tones, which is a strong theme throughout the 27 shades – perhaps inspired by the star ingredient, guanine, a pearl essence found in ocean life, used here to infuse polishes with extra iridescence.
Ciaté Tweed Collection Paint Pots, $20, from Kit for a limited time
If you like glitter but just wish it were a little more grown-up, this one’s for you. Ciaté was inspired by the type of tweed favoured by Parisian fashion houses (as opposed to English grandmothers) when it mixed varying shapes and sizes of multi-coloured glitter – both matte and metallic – into these six bottles.
My favourite is the super-chic Couture Noir (above, left), a mix of black, silver and white glitter strands that makes you think of a classic Chanel jacket. Tip: all polishes have a base of clear so layer them up several times to get a full tweed-like effect.
OPI Sheer Tints Top Coat, $19.95, at David Jones and selected salons
These jelly-like top coats – in blue, pink, yellow and purple (the colours look more intense in the bottle) – can be worn alone for a pretty tint, layered over other polishes for a shade-shifting effect, or used for a super-easy, ultra-pretty ombré look, as shown in this video:
Kat x
Tell us, Primpers, what are your favourite nail colours right now?
Are you running out to buy any of the above as we speak?