5 Must-Try Nail Trends - Spring 2011 Nail Trends

1. Moon Manicures

 The Tip: Sometimes you need more than a steady hand to get these moon shapes looking crisp. A nail art pen offers you more control if you can't manage a brush!

2. Metallics & Gold Foil

The Tip: Paint a layer of clear basecoat and messily apply gold foil onto your nail tips with a tweezer. Wait until dry, crumble the excess gold foil off, then secure with a layer of clear topcoat. To rock the look with gold polish, use a small piece of plastic to block the parts of your nail you don't want to paint, and randomly reposition it on your nail as you apply gold polish to the tips with short strokes.

3. Pop Art Graphics

The Tip: For really precise graphic nails, we recommend a good Minx salon (find a location here). If you're confidant in your nail art abilities, invest in some opaque nail precision pens and go wild!

4. Neutrals

The Tip: Don't match the nude shade too closely to your skin tone, lest you want to look like you have mannequin hands. Go a few shades lighter or darker, and choose a color with a high gloss.

 

5. Decals

The Tip: Some heavy-duty nail glue will ensure your decals stay put. Layer a fast-drying topcoat over to set everything in place. If you want the look but aren't ready to commit, look for polishes with large pieces of glitter for some subtler razzle dazzle.

 

Shellac layering combinations

The "rock-n-roll darks" Shellac layering combinations are PERFECT for 2011.

Who's trying them out?

Minx Chrome Collection

Available in: Aqua Chrome, Burgundy Chrome, Yellow Chrome, Pink Chrome and Orange Chrome.

Who's wearing them?

Jason Wu to launch a limited CND nail lacquer collection

The 27 year old New York based designer Jason Wu, who is best known for outfitting First Lady Michelle Obama, has collaborated with Creative Nail Design (CND) on a limited edition nail lacquers - Jason Wu Collection.
The colors featured in the collection: Miss Wu – an ashen matte grey that is Wu’s signature color, Brigitte – a gentle pink named after Brigitte Bardot, Veronica – a blood red named after bombshell Veronica Lake and Sophia – a mushroom hue dedicated to Sophia Loren. Last, but certainly not least is the topcoat, named Anna, which contains fragments of silk and gives your nails a tweed-like look.
The price of Jason Wo collection is £49.95.

 The Miss Wu shade created backstage at Wu's Fall 2010 Show.

Spring 2011's Hottest Nail Polishes

Pastels, metallic greys and sleek nudes are all going to be part of the gorgeous 2011 nail trends.  Instead of going sheer this Spring, this year's picks stay rich and creamy - think smooth purples, bright blues, and yummy peach-tinged pinks.  Bright, bold lacquers are making an appearance, and some optically intriguing shades of gun metal are popping up, too. So, get ready to totally transform your digits in 2011 - here is my guide to Spring 2011 nail polishes:

Neutral nudes: 

Naked nails are in this spring and look refreshingly demure, yet provocative, but make sure your polish comes in a high-gloss formula so you don't end up looking like you have mannequin hands.

Baby Blues: 

This pale blue shade is perfect for spring - think Robins egg or Tiffany's box!

Peachy pink:

Come spring, the new 'geige' nail is 'pale peach porcelain' cream wore in different ways: high shine for luxe perfection, shimmer shined with CND's 'Perfectly Bare Shimmer' (like lip gloss for nails) or satin finish to give it the Barbie look. Clean, bare and polished....best on a little length in an almond shape.

Lovely lavenders: 

Purples look great with most skin tones.  Go for smooth colours and high shine topcoat to make your nails stand out!

Gunmetal greys: 

Don't forget those metallics! The future is now!

Edgy topcoats:

Give your polish an extra edge this spring with striking top coats. Get creatibe and try out a top coat that cracks over your color; (Black Shatter, OPI & Katy Perry collection) one that adds a slick, holographic shimmer; or one that adds a gilded layer of nude shimmer.

Sephora by OPI to launch new Glee nail polish collection

A limited edition range of Glee nail polishes are due for release in February where fans will have yet another way to show their support for the show!

Sephora is commited to what's hot right now and these polishes are definately hot!

The collection, which consists of 6 new shades:
Slushied, an opaque blue; Hell to the No, a bright bold purple; Gleek Out, a glittery lime green; Diva-in-Training, a poppy pink; Who Let the Dorks Out, a peacock green; Miss Bossy Pants, a rich raspberry; and Mash-Up, a pearlescent green-gray. Each will sell for $9.50.

The Sephora by OPI collection will be featured onGlee February 8th, and cast member Naya Rivera -who plays Santana Lopez, is already scheduled for a personal appearance at Sephora's Century City, Califorinia store with two of the show's makeup artists.

OPI & Katy Perry new nail polish collection

I am very excited about the new OPI & Katy Perry collection, released this month.  The collection comprises of 5 polishes - 2 metallics, 2 glitters and 1 crackle effect polish.  I am an OPI fan and always on the look out for what's on the horizon, they have not disappointed me!  I had these on back order and received them as soon as they came in stock.  As always, the the shades are cleverly named; and in this collection, are all inspired by tracks from Katy's new album, Teenage Dream.

From left to right:  Last Friday Night, Not Like The Movies, The One That Got Away, Teenage Dream, Black Shatter.

 The Metallics

Left: The One That Got Away (gorgeous dark berry colour) 

Right: Not Like The Movies (amazing gunmetal grey/silver colour)

The Glitters

Left: Last Friday Night (stunning bold blue colour)

Right: Teenage Dream (for girly-girls and pink lovers gorgeous pale pink colour)

......and finally! 

Black Shatter 

This is truly amazing and the one I was most excited about! It's a top coat that crackles and separates as it dries creating a textured effect.  So far I have tried it over Teenage Dream and it really compliments each other.

What does everyone think of the new OPI & Katy Perry collection?