When your hair is freshly styled, your nails are perfectly manicured, your outfit is on point, and your makeup looks just so, you feel a million bucks (so to speak). But, for those of us who work from home and/or at a computer, you see your fingers quite often as you type, so a manicure can really “spark joy,” as Marie Condo would say! We’ve discussed runway trends this spring and summer but we haven’t covered trending nail colours and designs. Here’s a quick look at the spring-summer 2022 nail trends.
Pastel manicures
Even though Easter is now a distant memory, you don’t have to leave behind the cheerful pastel shades – at least not with your manicure. Pastel shades are the in thing this season so think lemony yellow, pale turquoise, mandarin, peach, lavender, mint, light pink, and light teal. All the lighter shades of yellow, green, pink, and blue will be on trend this season.
The half-moon shape and new takes on a French manicure
During New York fashion week, Blake Lively debuted a half-moon manicure after working with nail artist Elle Gerstein. In the look, she had taupe nails but the part of her nail where the half-moon nail bed would have been was coloured in light pink. We’ve also seen models and celebrities rocking a new take on the French manicure where, for example, the nail is a more natural colour and the tip is painted hot pink. There are also more variations on the tip such as a “wavy” tip, a “heart” tip, or a tip with writing. Another trend is painting an abstract shape along the tips and down the side of each nail.
The traditional French manicure
Just as French manicures were popular in the 90s, the classic French manicure is also in style. If you don’t want to go bold and new with your French manicure, you can opt for a traditional one or even add a lace nail or two to your look. Lace nails are a delicate nail art where a nail artist uses a stencil or hand paints details on the nail like a doily. They’re a popular choice for brides too, but keep in mind any trends like this one might be dated.
Embellished nails
We are seeing trends of nail embellishments like crystal tips, crystal-encrusted nails, fun patterns like zebra stripes, floral designed nails, and nail accents like flowers, smiley faces, and other shapes being added. This nail trend is harking back (again as with the fashion trends) to the 90s.
Along this same trend is the micro manicure, where you have a simple manicure in a neutral colour like a soft pink and have a minimal embellishment like a tiny heart in red on each nail or a Turkish eye painted on a few nails.
Shimmery nails
Remember when we did balayage on our hair? Well, now the trend is to have dimensional shimmer on our nails! Metallic shades are very popular with undertones of pastel colours.
Glass-like nails
Another trend is having clear acrylic tips added to your nails so that they appear clear (think 70s and 90s jelly shoes) with embellishments like designs, glitter, rhinestones, or simple accents like squiggly lines or polka dots. It’s a good job we’ve been well-practised at handwashing since Covid times because these nails could be difficult to keep clean!
Neon nails
Are neon pink, orange, and bright red striped accent nails and a cornucopia of colour up your street?! No problem. Just like on the runway this season, neon is also in fashion for our nail beds. You can simply paint each nail a different colour, add a striped accent nail, or have all one colour, the choice is yours.
70s stripes
Stripes are also in fashion this spring-summer. You can go with neon stripes for a more 80s and 90s look or opt for variations on brown, orange, electric blue, or yellow for a more 70s feel.
Gold accents
On the runways this season, we saw black nail polish with gold embellishments. Some looked like gold leaf had been pressed into the paint and others had more solid gold accents like golden trinkets. Other trends had gold lines down the nail that looked like Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold.
Blue ahoy and natural green
Over winter, we saw blues and greens trending and these same colours have been updated for spring. The blue is deeper and richer – think royal blue or denim blue – than it was last winter and the greens are less pastely and more solid and dark.
Natural and neutral nails
For those who don’t want to follow “trends” so much, the good news is natural nails are also in fashion. Simple chic neutrals are in style such as very light pinks and taupes that pretty much look like your own nail.
Classic red
No matter if tiger print, disco-ball nails, or coffin nails go in and out of style, one nail trend that always remains classic is the classic red option. Spring summer is no exception and the red, bold nail is never totally left behind. If you want to opt for a little more glam than the natural nail, but don’t want to go too trending, you can always play it safe with red and match up your lippy too!
The takeaways
What do you think of this season’s nail trends? Are there any you love and want to try? Which ones could you live without? How are you wearing your nails this season? Let us know and share your favourite nail trends with us on Tria Beauty UK’s social media.