By Katie Saxton
President of Custom Nail Solutions

 
Summer is almost over, which means you’re probably busy shopping for new Fall clothes around BBQs and other outdoor events. Don’t forget to get your nails ready for fun in the sun! 

The following nail polishes and designs will help steal the spotlight:
 
 
1.    Coral Nail Polish: Longing to go snorkeling and coral reef diving? Give your nails their own tropical mini getaway with fabulous and fun coral nail polish. Polishes in coral hues are very popular, so choose one for everyday wear.
 
2.    Glistening Ocean Manicure: One new nail design that is showing up on hands everywhere is a teal blue manicure featuring glittery gold or silver tips. The glamorous teal hue evokes images of shimmering oceanic waves on summer beach days, and the gold or silver sparkles make the manicure perfect for a classy affair.
 
3.    Neon Geometrics: Neon polishes are huge this summer, and the best way to rock the trend is by choosing a dark mani with geometric crisscrossing neon lines. To do this funky nail design, paint your nails with a coat of neon orange, neon yellow, neon pink, or neon green and let dry. Then take thin pieces of tape and place them on the first nail in a geometric pattern. Paint over the nail and tape strips with two coats of dark blue, black, or dark gray, then take the tape off while the polish is still wet. Let dry then add a clear topcoat. Do this process for the rest of the nails and voilà! You have an exciting neon geometric mani that is ready to turn heads at your summer get-togethers!
 
4.    Dark Green: Polishes in olive, emerald green, and dark green are Summer 2013’s breakout trend. These hues celebrate the pretty palm tree fronds you see on your excursions to the beach, as well as the dark green mint leaves in your favorite summer mojito!   
 
5.    Mermaid Tale Nails: This summer, glittery polishes that give your nails a shimmery “scaly” effect will be very popular. To give your nails that “mermaid’s tale” look, choose a polish like one from Deborah Lipman’s “The Mermaids” collection.
 
6.    Lime Yellow, White, And Electric Purple Polishes: Like coral nail polish, polishes in pure white, lime yellow, and vibrant purple will be major breakout hues this summer. These funky and unique polish choices are versatile; they can be worn on a casual day at the beach or paired with your fave black cocktail dress for a summer night out on the town!
 
7.    Bold Textured Nails: “Bloody” vampire-esque tips were huge in Spring 2013, and new brave manicures will also be a major Summer 2013 trend. Amazing new “textured” nail designs are popular this summer season, with manicurists employing fabulous new finishes like leather, crocodile, and speckled bird’s eggs. Nail polish companies are also creating fascinating and unusual effects in a bottle, with the latest one being polish that imparts a concrete-like finish on your nails. Another trick to keep your nails distinctive and bold is to use dark colors, red and burgundy, or metallics. Combine all of theses colors in one manicure for a standout design that’ll bring you many compliments.
 
8.    Multi-Colored Polka Dots: On hot summer days, who doesn’t love yummy ice cream or frozen yogurt coated with colorful candy sprinkles? Celebrate this tasty summer tradition with a cute and stylish multi-colored polka-dot manicure! Paint your nails a vanilla white and let dry, then, using a toothpick, paint little “sprinkle” dots all over each nail using different colored polishes. Let dry then add a clear topcoat to complete the look.
 
9.    Unique Nail Decals, Stickers, and Kits: Nail decals have been around for a while; however, it’s not just about adding a simple sticker in your mani anymore. Now, the more elements you add to your nails, the better. Kits now have leather, paper, colored stones, studs, glitter, feathers, and small pearls. Remember, if you’re doing a lot with your nails, choose a minimalist look for your attire.
 
10. New Nail Shapes: Choose a fresh new nail shape this summer to give your nails the illusion of length. Unique nail styles like almond and oval will set you apart from the crowd and help you steal the spotlight everywhere you go this summer.
 
About the author:
Katie Saxton is a nail beauty and health expert and founder of CustomNailSolutions. The Custom Nail Solutions Nail System provides a perfect canvas for Summer 2013 nail designs.