When the weather gets warmer, it’s fun to mix things up with your nail colors. Buh-bye to the dark-red, navy, and black polishes of the moody winter months. You served us well. Hello to the bright and bold colors of spring and summer. It’s your time to shine.
That’s not to say you can’t wear dark colors in warmer months and bright colors in colder seasons, but there’s something that just screams summer when you’ve got a bold manicure. There’s just something cheerful and optimistic about bright colors. And don’t we all need it right now?
For inspiration, I asked some of the most stylish women we know for their favorite bright colors to wear on their nails. See what they said below, and add these to your wish list.
Tamara Mory counts bright-red polishes as one of her go-to colors, along with burgundy, dark red, and nude when she wants something natural. “It’s pretty classic, but that’s what matches most of my outfits and I never get bored of. I usually wear OPI—it’s my favorite,” she says.
“I’m not a huge pink fan, but I love the violet undertones in Desert Rose. It’s the perfect shade to accentuate a nice summer tan.” — @evemeetswest
A nail polish that’s described as watermelon is as bright and summery as it gets.
Let your nails speak for themselves with a fiery red.
OPI’s Telenovela Me About It is inspired by the vibrancy of Mexico City. It’s a dramatic pink that has a little bit of sparkle.
“Yellow is such a happy color! It brightens up your hands and makes you look more tanned. I am clearly obsessed with pastel colors.” — @lauranadineherbert
Nnenna Echem recommends Essie’s Check Your Baggage, a golden and sunny yellow that just exudes happiness.
“I love Barry M and have used this brand for at least 10 years! At the moment my favorite colors are Blood Orange, Pink Lemonade, Açaí Smoothie, Black Cherry, Under the Sea, and Coconut Infusion in Oyster.” — @nlmarilyn. Barry M’s Blood Orange reminds us of vibrant summer sunsets. Unfortunately, this brand of polishes is hard to find in the U.S., but this similar hue from Orly is a good option.
“It’s the perfect cantaloupe orange for summer.” — @evemeetswest
If you really want to stand out, Chanel’s Radiant Arancio is both a bright orange and a metallic.
This neon orange is pretty much brighter than the sun.
Yellow is an underrated nail polish color but is so flattering and fun, especially when the weather hits the 90s.
Echem also is a big fan of YSL’s Kinetic Blue, a happy sky blue. It’s sold out at most stores right now, but this similar hue from Christian Louboutin will give you the same cheery vibe.
“You can easily match light-blue nails with lots of outfits. It’s such a fresh color!” — @lauranadineherbert
“It’s a perfectly bright pistachio light green that sets off any manicure.” — @evemeetswest
“Such a beautiful color. A bit harder to match with different outfits, but it’s an underestimated color.” — @lauranadineherbert
If you’re wary of going too bright, this subtle minty green is a good way to try it out.
Or, you know, you can just go all out with an electric green with a hint of shimmer, like this one.
Even if you can’t make it to the beach, you can feel like you’re there (sort of) with this aqua color.
“It’s perfect for spring/summer and the quite depressing situation right now. It’s fun to play around with some colors these days!” — @thevycsource
“I love all pastel colors in general! But one of my favorites at the moment is definitely lilac.” — @lauranadineherbert
If you dare to go bold, try this shimmery, bright purple from OPI.
This darker purple from Tom Ford will still stand out.
Orly’s pinkish-purple is a sweet neon polish.
A bright-white manicure is super fresh for summer. Bettina Looney recommends OPI’s Funny Bunny, a pearly white that you can keep sheer or layer for a more opaque look.
“I ALWAYS have white nail polish with me whenever I go on vacation. It’s my go-to nail polish for beach days!” — @lauranadineherbert
With this polish, it doesn’t take too many layers to get that chic, opaque look.
Essie’s Blanc leaves a sleek, glossy finish.
This creamy white nail polish will make your nails shine, but it’s also formulated with extra ingredients to strengthen your nails. Next up: These Will Be the Biggest Nail Trends This Summer, According to Experts
