We consider springtime a vibe, as opposed to a season. You're wearing your favourite white eyelet blouse, enjoying the afternoon sunshine beaming through the window, and drumming your glossy lavender fingernails across your desk as you daydream about your patio brunch plans. From where we're sitting, there's absolutely no reason that you shouldn't have that feeling — bright and spring-y, with a fresh manicure to match — as early as February.
While we sadly can't change the forecast, we can round up the nail polishes to get you in a warm-weather mood sooner. From mainstays like lemon yellow and icy lilac to more unexpected shades like muted sage and rainbow glitter, you'll find 2019's biggest spring nail polish trends, ahead. Scroll through to find the bottle you should buy and wear now, before everyone else catches the fever.
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Frosty Pastels
Pastel polish for spring might not be groundbreaking, but the fresh, frosty take we're seeing this season takes our favourite softer shades and makes them sparkly. "Chantecaille has a new sheer polish called Nova, and it's absolutely divine," says celebrity manicurist Michelle Saunders. “It's a twinkling rose that will give you that spring glow we're all craving after a long winter."
Chantecaille Celestial Nail Sheer Top Coat in Nova, $24, available at Space NK
Lemon Yellow
If you're looking to dip your fingers into spring, it makes sense to start with your manicure. "We recently posted a mani in this shade — Sun Bleached by CND — and everyone was loving the reintroduction to yellow," says Sarah Gibson Tuttle, CEO & founder of Olive & June. "It's in the pastel family, but the sunshine shade feels fresh and current."
CND CND Shellac Gel Polish in Sun Bleached, $16.95, available at Jealous Nails
Icy Lilac
Trying to break out of your baby-pink comfort zone? Try a cool-toned lavender. It's similarly soft, but gives that fresh-picked flower vibe. "An icy lilac is so gorgeous for spring," says nail pro Skyy Hadley. "My favourite polish is Pale Sand Paradise by Lauren B."
LAUREN B Nail Polish in Pale Sand Paradise, $14.29, available at SkinStore
Confetti Glitter
If the New York Fashion Week runways were any indication of the manicure trends on the horizon, we're going to see sparkly polishes trending in a big way through April. "I'm leaning into the glitter trend," says Tuttle. "It's universally flattering any time of year, but the shade I'm especially into this spring is Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday confetti gloss."
Deborah Lippmann Luxurious Nail Colour in Happy Birthday, $18, available at Indulge Beauty
Sage Green
From Kendall Jenner's eyeliner straight to our fingers and toes, green will be a major player in the spring 2019 colour palette. Nail pro Sigourney Nuñez tells us the manicure look will be a muted, mossy green. "This pastel green shade — OPI's How Does Your Zen Garden Grow? — is inspired by the serenity of nature," says Nuñez. "It's timeless, but also super on-trend right now."
OPI Nail Lacquer in How Does Your Zen Garden Grow?, $13.05, available at FeelUnique
Periwinkle Blue
Nail pro Emi Kudo likes her spring nail shades to fall somewhere in the middle of moody winter tones and punchy summer brights. "During the winter, you see a lot of deep shades, and in summer, it's brights and neons," Kudo explains. "Spring is that fun in-between. And blue polishes are the perfect transition colour to take you between seasons — especially this periwinkle shade from Zoya."
Zoya Nail Polish Innocence Collection in Aire, $7.7, available at Zoya
Slate Gray
A slate grey manicure works when the "Feels Like" temperature says winter, but you're restless for springtime whites. "I love a grey polish pre-spring," says Hadley. "Smith & Cult's Opaque Cement looks great on all skin tones, and has a lighter look than your average nude."
Smith & Cult Smith & Cult Nail Polish in Subnormal, $18, available at Space NK
Neon Peach
According to Nails Inc. pro Thea Green, the brightest shade we'll see trending this season is a spin on coral, Pantone's colour of the year. "We wanted to formulate a similar shade for spring," explains Green. "Our latest shade duo — Kiss My Peach — is the perfect hit of spring for your fingers." Even more fitting, it actually smells like peaches.
Nails Inc. Kiss My Peach Nail Polish Duo, $15, available at John Lewis
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