Hello there!
I have loved bright polishes this summer, so I wanted to share my favorites! I traded in my dark plums and aubergine varnishes for bright oranges and cobalt blues, and I have become obsessed with strong colors on my nails during the warmer months. I still wear black during the summer, so adding a bright pop of color to my look with a bold nail polish is easy to do! Here are the shades I've been loving:
1. nails inc gel one coat // portobello lane: This polish has been on my toes since the day I bought it; I just keep reapplying the shade! It's a bright red-orange shade that would look amazing on anyone and looks especially lovely on the toes. I usually apply three coats to get a strong, opaque finish, but you can absolutely get away with two coats if needed. I don't think this polish can actually be opaque in one coat, like the bottle says, but I still love the formula because it's really glossy and creamy, and it's not super thick so it goes on smooth. If you have been looking for the perfect color for the toes, this might just be it! [rp: 15.00]
2. nails inc gel one coat // spring street: I wanted to mention a pastel in this post because I love wearing pastels during the summer, but I like this polish because it is different from the baby blues and pinks which are great for spring. I love this sherbert peach shade because it can look more professional and is more wearable than other bright colors, but it isn't plain or boring. It is a little streaky, so it does need three coats, but once it's on it looks lovely. [rp: 15.00]
3. barry m gelly nail paint // damson: After Sally Hansen changed the formula of Pacific Blue, I thought I would never find a bright, opaque cobalt blue ever again. So when I stumbled across this shade while wandering through a Boots in the UK, I thought I would see if it could compare to one of my favorite polishes. And it does! This polish is so creamy and opaque; it isn't streaky, and it applies beautifully in two coats. The formula is great, the color is beautiful, and I can get a whole week's wear when I use this polish. It has quickly become one of my all-time favorite shades. [rp: 5.00]
4. barry m gelly nail paint // sugar plum: I am not usually a fan of pink polishes, but this one is right up my street. It has purple undertones that make it look really different than other pink polishes and makes it a really fun shade on the nails. I also love this gelly formula! It glides on the nails beautifully, isn't streaky, and lasts for ages. If you want to pick up some really fun colors for the summer, barry m has a great range of shades. [rp: 5.00]
5. opi // you're such a budapest: This is absolutely, most definitely, in my top five favorite polishes of all time. I cannot get over how gorgeous this color is and how perfect it looks all year round, with just about everything. It's a periwinkle polish with a soft shimmer, but the shimmer isn't noticeable once it's on the nails. There are two downsides to this polish, however: it is somewhat sheer, so it needs three coats, and it is also limited edition, so it can be a bit tricky to get your hands on. But if you hunt it down the work is well worth it, because this color is super unique and stunning too. [rp: 9.00]
6. dior // calypso: Even though this is a polish from an old summer collection, I wanted to mention it because it is absolutely fantastic. It's a red-orange polish, but it is slightly more red than nails inc's portobello lane. It has a gelly finish, so you can see the nail line through the polish. It looks like sorbet on your nails, and I love it! I don't usually like red polishes, so this one is perfect because I think it suits my skin tone more than a classic red and it's very festive for summer. If you want to invest in a polish this season, I would recommend this one. [rp: 27.00]
7. wet n wild megalast // private viewing: For those of you, like me, who love nude all year long, and who don't want to step too far out of their comfort zone, I thought I would mention a nude polish that I think is fantastic and looks really nice during the summer. This shade is a soft pinky nude with a slight peach undertone, so it looks really great on those with lighter skin tones. It applies really easily, and the brush is big which makes application even more smooth. This is one of those polishes that you can take off and apply over and over again, because it goes with everything and looks so effortless. If you wanted to switch out your mauve-toned nude polishes for something more summery, this is definitely the polish to try. [rp: 2.00]
I love bright, bold polishes for the summer, and these are some of my favorites! Obviously I will continue to try more polishes because I love nail polish and I can't stop buying it, so if I find any more life-changing nail colors I will make sure you know!
What polishes have you been loving this summer?
xx BB