Nailed it! Top trends and new nail styles for the summer

Nails are so ‘now’ it’s impossible to ignore the endless possibilities that literally lie at our fingertips. Whatever your style, this is one trend that everyone can try. Work the latest catwalk colours with a super slick manicure whether you opt for your nearest nail salon or dare to do it yourself.

You better shape up

Nail the basics and decide whether you’re oval, squoval, square, round or almond. It’s easy to reshape using a good quality emery board, avoid going near the nail scissors if you can – this way you can tidy up jagged edges without ending up with all different lengths.

Hip to be square

Bright colours work well on shorter, square tips and prevent your colour choice overpowering your outfit (let’s face it we can’t re-do them each evening to match tomorrow’s wardrobe choice). If you fancy swapping square shapes for something more reminiscent of the eighties, smooth out those harsh edges and go for pretty almonds instead. Perfect paired with this season’s pastel shades, this way you can pull off longer nails without scaring the rest of the population with claws that could draw blood.

Blurred lines

Experiment with a smudged effect for salon-worthy results that are easy to achieve at home. Choose two or three colours that complement each other and gently blur your brush strokes using a sponge eye shadow applicator when the polish is still wet. Apply a similar technique with just two colours to create an ombre effect.

Fear you’ll get frustrated with this fiddly technique? Simply paint each nail an alternate colour and introduce a thick glitter polish to add plenty of pizzazz to your paws.

All that glitters

Glittery tips in the style of a traditional French manicure are a great halfway-house when all-out bling just won’t do. Available in most colours you can dream up, match with your favourite coloured accessories or get guaranteed glam with traditional gold, silver or copper. Drag over the top of your current shade and layer on thicker at the top or the bottom of the nail for graduated sparkle.

Finishing touches

Treat yourself to a rich, moisturising hand and nail cream to keep skin smooth and soft, especially as the seasons start to change and go the extra mile to make your hands ‘les mains’ attraction with a few cute midi rings. Quick-drying polishes are widely available but if you’re very impatient, place your fingertips in cold water to take the heat out of the polish and speed up the drying process (just don’t forget yourself and reach for the towel – they will still smudge!)

Finally, seal in your design with a super glossy top coat and avoid doing the washing up at all costs for longer lasting nail perfection.