5 Spring Nail Colours

The time to shun darker, vampy nails for lighter and brighter tones is fast approaching. Spring is finally in our sights and the weather seems to be taking a turn for the better (touch wood), but my nails are already in predictable pastel mode. Here are the five polishes I've been wearing in rotation, for Spring.

Nails Inc The New White Nail Polish - Swan Street

The New White collection from Nails Inc was a big deal last year, but I'm still well and truly head over heels in love with Swan St. A milky, mint shade that's not too green, it's a very fresh, clean colour that looks so flattering on the nails. Some beauty buffs say that the formula is pants, but I find two coats does the trick, with three providing totally even coverage. Thankfully, the fat, curved brush helps to apply the colour quickly and easily and the polish is fairly fast drying, so you don't have to set aside a whole hour to paint your nails.

Essie Nail Enamel - Fiji

Essie Fiji is a classic. The soft, ballerina pink is a sophisticate's dream and always looks chic, no matter what you wear it with. Ideal for boosting the look of a tan in sunny weather, I love to wear it for holidays especially, as it's a less harsh alternative to a stark white shade. Notoriously laborious to apply, it does require a high level of patience, though. As the formula is so sheer, it's certainly not a one-coat wonder and can be a streaky nightmare to begin with. If you're rushed for time, you can get away with wearing two coats, but three will ensure a perfect finish.

Bourjois So Lacque Glossy Nail Enamel - 15 Peace and Mauve

Another pretty pastel, but another annoying formula, I'm afraid. I absolutely adore this cool-toned, lilac-laced shade and get a lot of wear out of it, so I couldn't possibly exclude the bottle from my line-up. But, being honest, I have to slather it over a white polish first. As the polish is so thin and watery, it streaks like a #$!*&, but that does mean it dries quickly between coats. I'm not really a fan of a light wash of colour on the nails which it is great at creating, so I just cut corners and layer it over a white first. An opaque look can be achieved with four to five coats alone, which leaves nails with the  effect you can see in my swatch below (no white base used).

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint - Lychee

If anyone asks me for high-street, nail recommendations, I always point them in the direction of Barry M's Gelly Nail Paints. Not only is the shade range just beautiful and vast, but the formula takes the effort out of application. Painting nails doesn't have to be a beauty chore, after all! Whenever I want to move away from pastels, but still stay understated, I'll reach for a nude and one of my favourites is Lychee. A nice neutral that doesn't lean too pink or yellow, it's a great colour when I want a subtle nail that doesn't draw attention away from an outfit. The self-levelling, thick lacquer simply smoothes on and provides an opaque finish even in one coat. Just like a gel manicure, the finish is smooth, shiny and has great longevity.

Butter London 3-Free Nail Lacquer - Cake-Hole

Verging on neon, Cake-Hole from Butter London is one of my favourite hot pinks, despite looking more red/coral in my swatch. An alternative to pastels for Spring, it's the perfect pick-me-up and instantly brightens your mood. The brush isn't anything special, but Butter London's polishes are specially formulated without any toxic nasties, including Formaldehyde, Toluene and DBP. Having such a smooth, liquid formula, the varnish applies so well and looks flawless in just two coats, with no lumps or bumps to ruin your manicure. Interestingly, the creme colour looks and feels almost rubbery to the touch when dry (before applying a top coat), which I wasn't expecting when I bought it, but now rather like!

What are your favourite nail colours for Spring?

AGB X