My twin sister texted me from a San Francisco nail salon the other day. Standing in front of endless rows of polish, she had no idea which shade to choose. "Which colors are 'cool' right now?" she asked. Well, after our half-joking conversation, I researched this season's nail polish trends, and ever since I've been noticing (and admiring) these gorgeous colors on pretty girls around the city. Nails are on fire this spring!Which color, below, do you like best? What color is on your fingers and toes as we speak? (My nails are currently orange, but my next color will be mint:) xoxo
Six nail polish trends: Very pale pink (or even beige), mint, lavender, bright orange, fuchsia and orange/red. (Find similar colors here, too.)(Top photo of my sister and me. Polish layout by Em for Cup of Jo. Flower photos, cropped, by Paris Apartment, Flora Abundance, Kari Herer, Tongue in Cheek, Oh Happy Day and FlirtyFleurs.)



i like all the color in the first pictures. that pale blue, purple and pink are great
ReplyDeletei'm currently loving essie's turquoise and caicos!! it took me 2 weeks to hunt it down in manhattan so i must not be the only one :)
ReplyDeleteI would wear the oranges and reds! I also love the pale pink and nude colors:)
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Oh I just love Essie, such a beautiful selection of colours :) That's a very sweet collage you've got going on Joanna! x
ReplyDeletealex, so pretty for the beach! i love love love that mint.
ReplyDeleteAfter at least a decade with various iterations of vamp on my toes last weekend I tried the orange red, similar to last photo. It has been popping up on blogs and in magazines and I love it! It made me instantly feel revived and fresh and like summer was just around the corner. Highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteI currently have Essie Tart Deco on my toes with OPI Only Gold for Me on top. I've noticed a lot of neon yellow too this year and while I've liked it on other people I'm not sure if I can pull it off, but I do have a bottle waiting at home...
ReplyDeleteI love the first and second colors! I normally wear darker toned nail colors, this is perfect for spring.
ReplyDeleteI am the girl who randomly walked up to you in the playground last week with my friend :) and I mentioned you in my blog post: http://www.toastandnutella.blogspot.com/2012/03/you-can-have-life-you-want.html
I enjoyed meeting you! You have been such an inspiration to me over the years, thank you.
i'd go for the pink. or the red. i'm not too adventurous when it comes to nail colour. when it comes to bright colours i only go for the red (a more vivid one or a darker one). right now i have 'latte 2 go' from h&m. however, a few weeks ago i got all crazy and bought a coral one! it looks more BAM in the nails than i would expect (considering the view from the bottle) but it was fun (coral red from women' secret). but most of the times (even though i don't have much time to just sit down and try not to paint my whole hands!) i just go with pearl/soft pink,/almost just transparent - mainly to keep me from bitting the nails. shame on me!
ReplyDeleteThe pale pink color is my favorite by far!
ReplyDeleteI love Essie's "Eternal Optimist" - it's the prettiest color of pale pale pink. It might even be the first picture for this post. I generally love all those colors. I'll have to pick up a few more on my next trip to Target.
ReplyDeleteoh and this goes only for the fingers! the toe nails are always bare or with transparent/pale pink. too much maintenance otherwise!
ReplyDeleteFlesh-tone nails are also on trend for spring; although somehow I find the look a little bizarre.
ReplyDeleteCurrently wearing Essie Tangerine. Nice mix of red and orange!
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to get a bottle of mint polish. Will get one soonest.
ReplyDeleteI love my Essies, but right now, I'm wearing China Glaze Hunger Games--Smoke and Ashes on my toes, Agro on my fingers.
I love the mint, plus it reminds me of LOOOONG ago in the 1990s when Hard Candy pastel nail polishes were all the rage...
ReplyDeleteI've been hoping for a post like this :)
ReplyDeletethat's interesting, those are not really the popular colors in Portland right now. I went to the salon last weekend and just told them to give me the most popular color and the painted them dark grey, almost blue! It seems to be what everyone is wearing around here. Maybe it is because our Spring starts so much later than other parts of the country!
ReplyDeleteWhat I always wear (when I wear it): ruby red! Goes with the rubies in my engagement ring!
ReplyDeleteOoo I think I'm going to buy them all!! I love each one of those colors!! =) I have pink on right now!!
ReplyDeleteLemanie's Randomness Blog
Thank you for linking to that Mint color! I got that as a pedicure last summer and have been looking to buy it ever since, but have not had any luck finding it!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the orange and the mint. I've actually been wearing orange a lot this season.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
mon amy
I've been going back and forth between essie's "turquoise and caicos" and chanel's "orange fizz." Both shades are so bright and happy. They provide just the right pop of color. But I'm definitely eyeing that mint...
ReplyDeleteoooooh I love all of those colors! Right now, my fingernails are bare, but I'm going to paint them "Electrify" by China Glaze...it's in the Hunger Games collection and it's a gold/red glitter polish!
ReplyDeleteMy toes are currently neon pink...quite a change from my usual berry color.
I, too, have a great orangey color on my nails! This one has a great subtle pink undertone for an exotic vibe! Can't wait to change them to pale pink.
ReplyDeleteI've got on "Orange Curacao" by OPI at the moment, but am wanting to try out a new pink I saw on a woman at the bakery the other day. :)
ReplyDeleteKatie
love this post! i have versions of all these colors at home, so i'm excited to be "stylish" this year. :) currently, i've got mint on my toes and lavender on my hands!
ReplyDeleteI just got lavender at my last mani, and I loved how pretty it looked! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteWhich one did you sister go with? I'm a clear girl myself. So boring.
ReplyDeleteI always try to risk with fancy colors... but I end up with pale pink, red or coral in summer. I'm not original... but those are my faves!
ReplyDeletewo, this is the first time i've ever been on the hip train, LOL! I've got the mint on right now :)
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely into the orange-red colors!
ReplyDeletehttp://bronsonbloopers.blogspot.com
Right this minute I'm sporting Essie's "Capri" color on my fingers and toes. I'm also really partial to O.P.I.'s "Monsooner or Later." Both are really lovely orangish-red shades.
ReplyDeletemy toes are lilac. polish on my fingers makes me claustrophobic.
ReplyDeleteI can't stop rocking Lollipop and Clambake by Essie. Orangeish red, I can't quit you! I do also like the lilac color though, but probably only for fingers, as it would make my super pale feet look like they were frostbitten!
ReplyDeletehi kathryn!! it was so nice to meet you :)
ReplyDeleteJM, the mint is soooo awesome. and danni, thanks!!
ReplyDeleteOf those choices, I'm going with mint.
ReplyDeleteI also highly recommend Essie Turquoise and Caicos. It's not at ALL what I would normally wear (I've never worn anything that wasn't somehow pink or orange-based, other than pearl, even on my toes) but it's a great color. I put it on in February when I needed a pick-up and some a spring feeling, and it really cheered me up. (I actually felt a little rebellious in it, somehow. Maybe because I rarely wear color on my fingers at all.)
Just looked back at the comments and see I am not the first to recommend Turquoise and Caicos! It's readily-accessible where I live, but in New England most people don't wear nail polish.
ReplyDeletelux, my sister ended up choosing a very pale beige-y pink to match her skin tone, kind of like the "flesh polish" trend, which sounds creepy but actually looks great! :)
ReplyDeleteMandee, that's so fascinating! i wonder if polish trends are weather dependent. :)
ReplyDeleteMandee, that's so fascinating! i wonder if polish trends are weather dependent. :)
ReplyDeleteI bought that lavendar color from Essie and it turned pink on my toes and nails! They look tie dyed. None of my other Essie colors do that... It's so weird.
ReplyDeleteI'm wearing this one these days... and I absolutely love it ;))
ReplyDeletehttp://www.melaniemoe.blogspot.de/2012/03/wecker-430.html
Essie's Sand Tropez is my favorite lately for a nude polish...its amazing!
ReplyDeletePastels, pastels, pastels <3 I love the very pale pink, the mint and the fuchsia. I am wearing coral at the moment and my latest purchase is a silver one.. like real silver, wonder how that will turn out :)
ReplyDeletex Megan
Love these, my mum let slip that she has ordered me a mint one for my birthday! Cannot wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteI wear all three of the pastels all the time, but I'm dying over the orange-red trend right now. And I've never been a hot pink person but I'm thinking more and more about it :)
ReplyDeleteI love the colours for spring and Essie is my favorite. What do you think about the nail art trend? http://violetboutique.ca/2012/03/manicure-trends/
ReplyDeleteWow, all these nail polish colours are just gorgeous! You picked well, Jo! But I definitely do love that lilac and pale blue colour a lot. And also the orange and red! Actually, all of them! x
ReplyDeleteKate {Something Fabulous}
http://thesomethingfabulous.blogspot.com
I love these colors! I'm wearing mint right now.
ReplyDeleteI actually have that EXACT same color of fuschia on right now! I guess I'm just a sucker for a trend ;-)
ReplyDeleteI am wearing bright orange with my ring finger painted a bright pink! Who says you can't color block your nails? Totally fun and not as obnoxious as it sounds :)
ReplyDeletePerfect!! We're nail polish fiends.
ReplyDeletewww.publicistsinpeplum.blogspot.com
Rockin some minty polish right now!!
ReplyDeletewww.iloveublank.blogspot.com
I tried to do mint, and it just did not work for me. Something about that color with my skin made my fingers look fat? Oh well. I love love the orange and pink!
ReplyDeleteOrange is my go-to color for summer. It's such a fun pop of color, and makes me smile when I see it on my toes. I'm not a huge fan of pastels, but the pale pink. beige is always a classic, too.
ReplyDeleteI totally appreciate this! The pale pink has always been a favorite of mine. Now I am super happy to know it is in!
ReplyDeleteMy toes are turquoise with a stripe of glitter and my fingers are dark purple. I love that bright pinky colour! I tried the pale colours a few months ago and they didn't work for me either. Maybe this summer with a tan :)
ReplyDeleteI'm wearing a strong fuchsia color and love it. For the first time in my life I also use color on my toe nails (inspired by your orange nail polish photo on your toes) and have to say, I feel sexy ;)
ReplyDeleteI think I want to try orange next
LAVANDER! :)
ReplyDeletexx
www.pretpenser.com
www.pretpenser.com
www.pretpenser.com
I can never decide! I have a mint, pink, grey and lavender combo at the moment with gold tips! Possibly a little too obsessed with nail polish :)I just posted an image of it: http://www.dressedfor2.blogspot.com.au/
ReplyDeletejust yesterday, i painted my fingernails orange, it's obvious, and my toes tour de finance. and my roommate use my mint candy apple to do her hands. apparently i am very on trend and didn't even know it!
ReplyDeletenot to brag but I've been wearing mint and lavender for the last few years haha...people always tell me "pastels would never look good with my skin color" glad people are jumping on board :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of the frequent polish change. It's one of the quickest, cheapest and most painless ways to update your look.
ReplyDeleteLove the mint! That might be next on my list. This week I'm digging the beige.
I also stood in front of the nail polish display a week ago debating which to choose for my toes. I ended up with a bright orange-red, but next time I'd like to go coral on my toes, mint on my fingers. Such fun colors this season!
ReplyDeleteRight now I have a pale pink on my nails! But they're desperately chipped and begging to be repainted, so I think I might go with a nice hot pink or mint green (or lavender, it's a great spring color!) I really just can't decide!
ReplyDeleteI have such a hard time choosing a color at the nail place that you'd think the decision was a matter of life and death. Seriously. I'm really loving all the pinks and bold red/oranges this season. Right now I have Pure Red from estee lauder on my hands. It's the perfect spring/summer red - it's just a bright and happy color and after last week's weather in NY it made me feel optimistic. I really like the pastels too. the lavender is so dreamy.
ReplyDeletePink all the way for me...my favorite color, hands down! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI'm planning on going with a minty color for my trip to Arizona, I'm wearing lots of coral and think the mint is a perfect pairing. I'm also really loving the lilac too! Usually i'm so indecisive i end up going with Opi's rainbow connection because its a sparkly mix of fab colours!
ReplyDeleteLove these colours! Especially the mint. Very cool- so soft.
ReplyDeleteMy toes are fire engine red right now- I like bright colours on my toes.
My fingers don't have any polish...but I think that mint or soft pink could be just the ticket!
Lovely! This being my first autumn in Australia, though, I don't know...do I wear the same colours as we head into winter that Northern Hemisphereans are wearing as they head into summer? Ahhh! Such problems I have :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely layout. Love the polishes next to those beautiful flowers. I love the mint and the orangey-red myself...
I love nail polish! My finger nails are dark-dark berry with GIANT glitter over the top. Toe nails are alternating gold and silver.
ReplyDeletei'm rocking coral right now, but LOVE the mint color! thanks for the tip! xo.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, so cool, your fave colors and their floral counterpart. I have a light purple on my toes now!
ReplyDeleteI love the lavender!
ReplyDeletelavenderandlaceblog.wordpress.com
I love how popular nail polishes are now! Especially since the colors are all so beautiful. Unfortunately my nails literally repel polish. I paint them, and they begin to chip by the end of the day. It's a curse!
ReplyDeleteI really love painting my nails, but I can't decide how they make me appear in a professional context! My job isn't die-hard serious, but I am young and I want to be seen as a professional. Do you have any advice?
ReplyDelete(For example, I think coral, mint, or lilac would be too... girly for work? Ack! Whats a young woman in the workplace to do!)
i love these!
ReplyDeleteI want mint!
ReplyDeleteOne good thing here in Lima is that manucures and pedicures are very affordable, so I keep changing colours all the time. Haven't found Essie here, where I usually get my nails done they use OPI.
I have fallen in love with Essie's Lilac polish although I also adore the pale pink. It's the first time I've ever been able to wear a pale color without it being so shear you could see the nail underneath. Their polishes are just perfect!
ReplyDeleteI just did my toes! They're a dark blue background with painted white daisies, because daisies are the friendliest flowers.
ReplyDeleteCurrently I have the Essie Canyon Coral on my hands n toes.
ReplyDeletei'm currently sporting the fuchsia, but i'd love to try mint!
ReplyDeleteOrange-red has always been a fave of mine!
ReplyDeleteI am so delighted with these product, That’s right the author was really capable to show the feminine beauty with through stones.
ReplyDeleteMy finger nails are currently light turquoise (Essie's Turks and Caicos) and toe nails are Fiji (Essie)--A Cup of Jo recommendation! I've also done at least 3 of these trend colours.
ReplyDeleteMy nails are mint :) they were orange a few days ago, funny how we pick up on trends without even noticing.
ReplyDeleteI've been wearing Essie's various pale pinks and nudes for a while now. They're lovely, and they're.. more forgiving of little chips, which is important now that I have two little ones and not as many visits to the salon.
ReplyDeleteCurrently wearing "Baguette me not" by OPI (love their name choice!).
ReplyDeleteEm.
i have bright ass pink polish on my fingernails & toes. i think this is the first time i have matched. i cant wait to try mint polish, too! =)
ReplyDeletebut seriously, why is it always so overwhelming to choose a polish color when at a salon?? i get this feeling too!
Miyan
www.miyan-overseas.blogspot.com
I'm wearing lavender with my ring finger light pink, so I guess I am on trend! Haha! Love the red/orange one too! x
ReplyDeleteI have Essie California Coral on my fingers and toes right now. I love it for spring and summer!
ReplyDeletelike you, I live on the East Coast (DC), and like your twin, my twin lives on the West Coast (Seattle). So I'm very familiar with texting and asking for advice when it comes to all things small and little ;)
ReplyDeleteI have that orange and love wearing it on my toes in the Summer.
I am loving the bright red/orange colors right now. I just got Essie's Enuf is Enuf and I LOVE it. Super fun and makes me super excited for summer!
ReplyDeletewww.rachaelkhawkins.blogspot.com
Love all the fun and bright colors for Spring. Currently wearing yellow.
ReplyDeletei find nail polish to be such a fun way to dip your toe into changing fashion trends. love.
ReplyDeleteteri
www.bockting.blogspot.com
I love the mint one!
ReplyDeleteI am funny, I never change my toe color- whatever is in style I don't ever care.
ReplyDeleteI always go with a orange/red.
To me it actually looks weird if I have another color on other than the orangey/red.
I love the orange but i have pale pink on my fingers and a bright hot pink on my toes
ReplyDeleteI currently have shellac "Rubble" on my nails, which is kind of a dove gray. I like it a lot! My toes are dark purple. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree on the mint, such a nice color for Easter too! The orange is popping up everywhere right now!!
ReplyDeleteSisters are the best. I love the springy colors.
ReplyDeleteVintagehoneybee.blogspot.com
I've been doing mint with charcoal gray in art deco type designs. Mixes it up and keeps people on their toes... which should be painted.
ReplyDeletePS Just came back from mani/pedi: OPI's Kiss My Tulips on all nails and toes!
ReplyDeletei love mint and lavender on nails. my go-to summer color is coral but that orange looks fun
ReplyDeleteNo way, you're a twin! I'm always excited to learn that people are twins because I am one myself!
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever boy. It is so adorable that I had to replay it a few times :). cheap prom dresses
ReplyDeleteoooooo love your pretty nails!!!! please look at mine if you get a tick x o x o x o - http://hughesingg.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/top-spring-nail-varnishes.html
ReplyDelete