You know the drill for nail polish by now: spring equals colour. Usually pastel, sometimes a little more daring, but absolutely undeniably colour.
This year, brands have rolled out a rainbow array of options with which to wave bye-bye to the bleak grey flat days and perhaps trigger a little dopamine hit whenever you glance at your nails.
There are three things to note before we dive into the best picks of the season. First, the colours are often cheery, like this year’s Pantone colour “peach fuzz”, which Jill Bartoshevich, OPI Global Director of Colour Equity, says is one of “the biggest colour trends of 2024” — but expect some offbeat shades too. The other colour Bartoshevich says we should be paying attention to? Green. Expect also to see a sweep of canary yellow and many a blue on the horizon.
The second thing? The finish. We are no longer in big heavy opaque territory. Just as we have all collectively shed heavy carapaces of foundation in favour of juicier finishes, nails too have adopted softer, more jelly-like finishes, as seen on the spring / summer ‘24 runways of Helmut Lang and Michael Kors and modelled perfectly by Zendaya at this year’s Oscars. Julia Diogo, nail artist and friend of the House of Dior, is a proponent. “I think people are happy to strip back a little more, to me it seems like a healthy expression of natural beauty.”
The final one? Yes, the trends are fun — but classic glossy reds have never fallen out of fashion and will forever be excellent and on trend (Dua Lipa clearly agrees, and wore her nails a cherry cola red to the Golden Globes).
That said, here are my top nail polish buys at the moment...
Dior Vernis 555 Popeline
If you’re after one polish to update your nails, this optimistic pop of peach is very right now.
Buy now £27.00, Dior
Nonna's Sorbet by Pleasing
Harry Style’s brand now sells its polishes solo, which is great news if you’d like to make this impossibly cheery polish your spring pick.
Buy now £20.00, Pleasing
Bleu Electrique by Hermès
Pricy, but very much a ‘put on display’ bottle, this deep but vibrant blue looks set to be Hermès’ hero shade this spring.
Buy now, Harrods
The Nail Polish Kit by Jones Road
Part of a trio containing a perfect nude and glossy clear, this red is the perfect everyday bright shade.
Buy now £44.00, Liberty London
Thistle Sleep Nail Colour by & Other Stories
If you’re considering going green this season, make it this sludgy sage. It’s remarkably wearable, and flatters olive skin tones especially well.
Buy now £6.00, & Other Stories
Tu-Lips Touch by Essie
This creamy sky blue is the perfect pastel for spring — and the ideal throwback to the ‘90s, when Baby Spice blue was very much the thing.
Buy now £8.99, Superdrug
Amethyst Nail Polish by Kure Bazaar
This amethyst polish reads more like a milky pink with a depth to it — perfect if you want your-nails-but-better. Oh, and the shimmer running throughout is a clever addition for sneaky extra sheen..
Buy now £16.00, Naturisimo
