Nail art for summer

Nail art remains the biggest blockbuster beauty trend and is one of the hottest accessories for spring-summer 2013. Today’s nails are lavish, OTT, and eye-catching. So kick it up a few notches with these 10 hot nail trends that’ll have your fingers looking oh-so-chic this season.

1. Sunset beach palm tropical trend: It is summer—of course first comes the beach. So why not wear the beach on your nails? Tropical scenery on your nails could well give you the feeling that you are soaking up the sun on a beach. With summer also comes late sunsets, so you could incorporate that too, along with the sand, palm tress, seagulls and the waves. Sport this nail art and hit the beach.

2. Fruit and ice cream nail art: Cool off this summer with some fruity finger nail inspiration. The fruit nail art trend can be as delicious as you wish with no shortage of fruit slices like watermelon, pineapple, kiwi, strawberry and citrusy fruits getting painted on your nails. You could also beat the heat with ice cream nail art.

3. Floral art: With spring already here, and summer fast approaching, it's time to create those beautiful flowerbeds on your nails. Be a flower child with vintage-style floral designs. You could try a spray of lilies or go bold with a single red rose. You could even try out a pop-out effect. Perfect for a girls’ day out, whether it is shopping or brunch, this graphic nail art can be paired with a sundress. And, it could be just that hint of colour you need to best accessorise that white outfit. Don’t forget to grab that hat on your way out!

4. Bling and lace art: Unleash the Goth child in you with not just black. This bling and lace nail art trend is the Goth touch your nails will love. It requires very little nail polish and yet, you can add many variations to it by either playing with the colour combination or lacing just the tips. You could finish it off by embedding rhinestones, crystals, studs (which have infiltrated from your clothes and accessories to nails). This gives your nails an edgy vibe that will be sure to catch attention at a cocktail do.


5. Funky french manicure: French manicures are classy, so why not accent them with some artwork? Inspired by the classic French manicure, two-tone and reverse manicures allow you to play around with the lines and colours as contrast is your best friend with this little trick. You could also try out a diagonal french manicure and use your imagination to stud stones, paint flowers, paste dots or streak glitter across the nails. This graphic nail art best complements a formal dress and can be worn on a lunch date or even to office.

6. Cartoon nail art: Love retro cartoons? Then why not nail it! Give in to your inner-child by sporting cartoon nail art. Whether it is Spongebob or the Powerpuff Girls, these graphic nails can be worn to the movies or a comic book convention. It can even be paired with a cute prom dress or a regular jeans and t-shirt for a casual day out.

7. Gradient and ombre nails: With this nail art trend, you can be as subtle or statement-making as you wish. The technique to master this gradual fade of colour from dark to light involves picking two to three shades in the same family and creating a luscious swirl effect that is as fun as it sounds. You can mix n’ match the colours to complement your outfit and this nail trend is great for a dinner date.

8. Caviar nails: Beaded nails are my favourite and this hot trend is making waves on runways as well. Don’t worry, this nail trend doesn’t involve fish eggs, but got its name because your nails look like you have little pieces of caviar on them. This one-of-a-kind nail art innovation brings avant-garde nail trends to your fingertips. Featuring pearlescent beads for a 3-D effect, caviar nails are cool and eye-catching, and can be paired with just about anything.

9. Polka dot nail art: With inspiration hailing from the flirty 1950’s polka-dot dresses, this nail art trend is making a statement on finger nails. Polka dots offer a fun contrast to plain coloured nails and are simple to create. Just pick a contrasting colour (white or black is a great option against most colours) and use a nail art pen or thin brush to create the dots. You have the liberty to pick your own colour combination.

10. Animal prints: While PETA might not be excited to hear this, but animal print really never goes out of style and this trend is very popular. Whether it’s leopard, zebra, giraffe, or a combination of all three, unleash your inner kitty cat in the form of sassy leopard spots and animal print nail art. Perfect to go with that LBD.