(Beauty)
Heat waves have forever paired impeccably well with bright, vivid nail polish colors, and don't you worry: Summer 2020 collections offer plenty of the sort. But mingling with the standard hot-weather fare are some curve balls to boot, featuring namely residual Easter egg shades and freshly emerging holographic hues.
The tropical yellows and oranges were predictable, yes, but a glittery multichromatic mani reminiscent of a starry night sky? In July? You can't claim you weren't surprised. Holographic nail polish is just one of the wild cards to come of this season (also included: transparent "glass" nails, gold leaf paper, and water print).
Despite their timelessness, solid-color nails have taken a back seat to painterly designs and rainbow pairings. These five trending shades, while perfectly pretty all on their own, were made for playing with. Cue the summer nail art experimentation.
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Summer 2020 Nail Color: Aquatic Greens & Blues
Spotted At: Essie's Moroccan-inspired summer 2020 range, Zoya's Splash Collection, JINsoon's gender-neutral collaboration with Transguy Supply, and ILNP's At Sea Collection.
Why It Works: Pantone's color of the year is Classic Blue but the summer iteration of 2020's beloved cool hue draws inspiration from oceans and pools. Many of the season's new ranges are named after water — Zoya's "Splash," ILNP's "At Sea" — and feature rich cyans, turquoises, and bright blue-greens.
Summer 2020 Nail Color: Citrusy Yellows & Oranges
Spotted At: Butter LONDON's spring 2020 trio, Pear Nova's Trip to Tulum collection, and YouTuber Kathleenlights' tropical Sweet as Summer collection for Lights Lacquer.
Why It Works: Lemony yellows and vivid oranges are eternally summer appropros, but even more so in the age of vivid neons and in-your-face colors. 2020's trending citrusy shades are evocative of a tropical vacation.
Summer 2020 Nail Color: Mellow Pastels
Spotted At: Olive & June's Into You lineup and Essie's Sunny Business Collection.
Why It Works: Spring's pastel obsession is quickly shaping up to be a multi-season trend. These baby-soft hues are just fine on their own but perhaps better when worn together, a muted rainbow at the tips of your fingers.
Summer 2020 Nail Color: Pale Purples
Spotted At: Paintbox's new Like Lilac + Like Muse Power Couple, Orosa's Cool Heat Collection.
Why It Works: Purple has officially (unofficially) dethroned Millennial pink. Toned-down takes on the cool color — think: lilac, lavendar, and periwinkle — are having a major moment, so try pairing the garden-party shade with its darker counterpart à la Paintbox's newest Power Couple.
Summer 2020 Nail Color: Multichrome
Spotted At: OPI's summer 2020 Hidden Prism collection and ILNP's Daydream Collection from spring.
Why It Works: Shade-shifting makeup — exemplified by Pat McGrath's new Mothership VII Divine Rose II Palette and Urban Decay's Naked Ultraviolet Palette — has given way to a celestial nail obsession. Earlier in the year, a mesmerizing video of a multichromatic nail look by @yeswhatnails went viral. This summer, OPI's Hidden Prism collection is making it easy to recreate sans manicurist.
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