Glitzy Metallics, Pearly Pales, and Fiery Brights: Shades for Nails Making a Splash Into Summer!

After the long, dark days and short, dark nails of winter, hands and feet everywhere can rejoice that the colors of spring have arrived!  This season we’ll shed our heavy layers and make a fresh start.

Ultra-feminine dresses, glossy candy-colored accessories, a modern trench, absolutely anything metallic, tailored sportswear with a shot of bright color, and an extreme pair of shoes (from the lowest ballerina flat to the ultra highest wedge) are just a few key pieces to place on your wish list this season.

Black and other super-deep toned polishes reigned supreme as the hottest color for nails throughout the fall and winter. Chanel’s “Noir” and OPI’s “Lincoln Park after Dark” reached cult status, adorning the trendiest hands and feet.

The buzz surrounding black finger tips, a trend that was embraced by women of all ages, set the stage for nail color to be seen as an ultimate accessory.  Flashing black or intensely dark colors on your nails and toes may have gotten you as much attention as if you were carrying the “it” bag of the season.

Now it seems as if all shades are vying for the title of spring’s “new black," and everyone from beauty editor to fashionista on the street has their own opinion as to what the newest, most coveted shade will be. We set out to uncover the most exciting colors this season and here’s what we spotted:

Will shiny silver nails take over where black left off?  First spotted on the runway at the Louis Vuitton Spring 2007 fashion show last fall, silver seems to be the color that best sums up the luxurious and modern spirit of this year’s best fashions.

We’ve been seeing a bevy of metallic toned dresses and accessories sashaying down red carpets over the last few months, so the shift towards a metallic manicure and pedicure comes at the perfect time for those of us craving a little star treatment.

“Rinse Charming,” a beautiful, gleaming silver by OPI, seems to be the polish du jour, getting mentions by beauty editors in both Vogue and Blueprint magazines as their favorite polish leading the trend.

Other sparkly contenders includes L’oreal’s “Sultry Silv,” Creative Nail Design’s “Silver Anniversary,” and “Stardust” from the Lippman Collection.

Ready to give this trend a whirl?  Keep in mind your silver nails will make a real statement on their own, so for daytime treat your metallic manicure as you would any metallic accessory and keep the rest of your look clean and simple.

Then, in the evening, really let your silver tips sparkle by pairing them with other metallic pieces or ensembles in warm pinks, deep purples, lush grays, lemon yellows, and gunmetal tones that are so “of the moment” this spring.

Love metallics, but find yourself drawn more to the gold and copper side of these mineral-inspired shades? “Gold is the new black,” says Creative Nail Design’s founder Jan Arnold to Marie Claire magazine in the March 2007 issue.

Their “Pharoah’s Gold” is a metallic gold polish that Arnold believes is can be worn with “all colors for all occasions.” Other gold rush contenders include Cover Girl’s “Goldmine” and OPI’s “Brisbane Bronze,” a shimmery bronze inspired by the free-spirit of the Austrailian landscape.

Spring 2007 is being described as the “season of the dress.” Today’s dresses have a coquettish twist - they’re modern, they’re flirty, and they are ultra-feminine. The return of one-piece dressing brings with it a sense of ease and lightness to your wardrobe.

So lighten up your nails, as well!  Pale, pearl shades that mimic the inside of a seashell are a beautiful accoutremont to this latest style.  Chanel’s “Allegoria,” Nar’s “Please Me Pink” and “Temptation,” Revlon’s “Sweet Nothings,” as well as Shu Uemeura’s “Shimmering Sun,” are pale shades with subtle pearl finishes that reflect light.  These shades have timeless sophistication - they're like wearing a strand of pearls without the fussiness.

For a more casual, clean nail color, nude-tones and sheer apricots look fabulous as the mercury begins to rise. Nar’s “Nude Nightie,” Estee Lauder’s “Peach Sorbet,” and Essie’s “Cool-lots” are all good bets. The orange undertones of sheer apricot give a fresh look to a French manicure.

Everything in accessories this season, from bags to jewelry, look as if they’ve been sugar-coated at the candy factory. Patent leather shoes and bags, bright, shiny enamel jewelry, and reflective fabrics all appear to be dipped in pure, saturated color. Give nails and toes the same super high-gloss colors.

The brightest stars include Chanel’s “Heat Wave,” Lancome’s “Code Red” and “Tai O,” and Deluxe Beauty’s “Star Daisy." Top them off with Yves Saint Laurent’s "La Lacquer" three-in-one or Covergirl’s “Blown Glass” for a mirror-like, high-gloss finish.

With the return of brilliant blues, fuchsias, purples, and yellows to haute couture, it’s no surprise that extreme colors for nails are making a comeback, as well. Rumors are spreading that certain starlets, tired of the black nail craze, have turned to deep blue and purple polishes to give their manicures an extra edge.

Revlon’s Dark Pleasures line is sure to please.  Their shades “Midnight Affair” and “Blacker Lacquer” are deep jewel-tone versions of blue and purple, while Essie’s “St. Barth’s Blue,” Maybelline’s “Twinkling Turquoise," and Hard Candy’s “Jailbait” are paler, though equally adventurous choices.

Better yet, take the “yin” approach to the black polish’s “yang” and paint your nails with Creative Nail Design’s “Hyper fresh."  This pure, opaque white polish is sure to turn even the heads of your most ultra-dark polished friends.

Ready for a new look, yet still madly in love with your black as midnight manicure that was so attention grabbing over the holiday?  Don’t fret!  Deep colored nails are still super hot - especially as a contrast to the brightly colored, modern- day sporty looks we saw on the spring runways.

This time around, dark shades get a little kick with surprising undertones of another color.  Nar’s green-black “Zulu” is a polish Vogue magazine referred to this season as “subversively chic,” and Dior’s “Brown Velvet,” a deep, warm brown, looks fabulous on toes peeping out of a pair of clear, lucite wedges...

But Won’t Your Toenails Get Jealous?

No, thanks to Du Wop’s toe polish, a polish developed and marketed to be used exclusively for your pedicure!  The colors, brillantly named after famous footwear such as “Flip Flop” and “Sling Back,” are designed specifically to flatter feet, are quick drying, and contain tea tree oil - a natural anti-fungal fighter.

Nail Polish Remover as Aromatherapy?

Nail companies are slowly but surely becoming hip to the fact that smell plays an important role in how consumers choose brands.  Nail polish removers, often an offender to the olfactory sense, are now being reformulated by some smart companies.  Not only do these brands smell better, they are safer for your nails to boot!

Spa Ritual’s Conditioning Lacquer Remover, a specially-formulated vegan lacquer remover with complex, non-drying sugarderived solvents, features Italian Red Mandarin essential oil to energize the sacral chakra.  Available through your local spa - type in your zipcode at sparitual.com to find the nearest location.

Celebrity Deborah Lippman’s own polish line is available through Neiman Marcus.  Her remover, aptly titled “the stripper,” is lavender scented and acetone-free.




Born with a natural sense of style, Julie Hoylen is a fashion stylist and consultant working in the New York City area. Julie's professional experience in both the fashion and music industries has allowed her to develop a unique perspective on personal style that keeps her clients turning to her whenever they need help defining their look personally or professionally. 

Julie is the Lifestyle Editor and Chief Style Maven.  You can see the latest from Julie on Live In Full Color.