One of the best ways to look polished and put together is a beautifully manicured set of nails. Your nails advertise an attention to detail that is possessed by the fashion elite. Instead of sticking to the classic nail decoration of a single colour, this year’s nail art trends are a bit more exciting than many nail trends past (with the notable and difficult exception of the ‘nail polish mountain’).

This year’s nail trends are all about colours and shapes, which means that you’ll be trying ton find excuses to flash your beautiful nail art. There’s a lot to love about these trends, particularly their bright hues, which perfectly suit summertime. These are the best nail trends to be seen on the runways, so you can get that catwalk look in everyday life.

Metallics

As we’ve seen on the runway and in most beauty publications, metallics and glitter are going to be big this season. Why should nails be any different? The metallic look is ideal for your nails, as it adds a touch of elegance and sophistication with minimal effort. This look also quickly transitions from day to night, which is ideal when you’re on a tight schedule.

Blushing Nails

This feminine trend is all about making your nails look as though they’re blushing (they’re also known as Cheek Tints for that reason). To achieve this look, softy dab a coral nail lacquer in the centre of your nail to create a soft blush that imitates rosy cheeks. This is another great trend for summer because it’s ladylike, soft, and versatile.

Circles

As promised, shapes dominated the finger fashions on the runways. One shape in particular was a recurring theme – the circle. The circle is an excellent trend for nail art, as it lends itself to the natural shape of the nail. The trend suggests a move away from square-shaped nails and a revival of the rounded tips. Experts suggest using the end of a rubber as a dotting tool to create the circles and ensure that they are the same size.

Negative space

Negative space designs are ideal because they require little effort, yet they yield maximum impact in terms of uniqueness. Decorating your nails using negative space designs is quick and easy, but it looks elegant in its simplicity. You can either let yourself go creatively, and scribble your designs on your nails for one-of-a-kind nail art, or chose a simple design like the one below to maximise the negative space.

Gradient

Last year, it was the ombré nail. This year, it’s a gradient nail. This is the best way to combine colours to create an updated take on last year’s trend. The graduated colour scheme looks sleek and eye-catching without being too overstated. On the runway, we saw a lot of bright coloured gradient nail art that was reminiscent of the 80s. However, for a more useful everyday look, we recommend a more muted colour scheme.

Trend to avoid

You’ve seen the nail trends that are trendy and sophisticated, so we thought we should also show you what not to do. Kim Kardashian recently posted a photo of her nail art, and while Kim is normally a trendsetter in beauty terms, this is a trend we don’t appreciate. It’s impractical, unattractive and (dare we say it) gaudy. This is one trend we hope not to see more often.

What do you think? Would you wear this nail art?