nail art

Amp up your striking white nail varnish look with gold studs at the base for a simple but impactful touch. Opaque white nails packs quite the punch, but it also tends to show mistakes a lot more than other hues. So to make sure it looks its best, first file your nails for a perfect shape and trim your cuticles to ensure clean lines around the edges.

To create the look, I started off with Butter London Nail Fertilizer (£18.50) as a nutrient-rich base coat. Then, I painted on two coats of Chanel Le Vernis in Eastern Light (£18) for pure white coverage. While the varish was still wet, I added a gold stud from Topshop Nail Rockits Stud (£10) a three way nail art pen, nail polish and 3D studs. To finish, I topped this look with Essie Good to Go (£8.99) to seal in the stud and give my nails a glossy finish. If you have any messy edges, go back with a brush dipped in polish remover to clean up any stray marks or lines.

Japanese gel nails have fueled both the nail art and gel manicure trends that have hit salons across the globe, and in case you're looking to get your own gel nail art treatment, we have helpful tips to make the most of your next appointment. I hit up SpaNail in New York City to experience Japanese gel nail art first hand. The intricate designs and hand-painted details are just the tip of the iceberg. The gel formulation lasts for as long as you want to wear your nail art with a shiny finish that keeps your manicure looking fresh. Not all gel manicures are created equal, so to learn how get the most out of a Japanese gel nail art session, when you keep reading.

Nail art is no passing phase, which is why we turned to Stephanie Lavery, the editor in chief of Nail It! magazine, to tell us the dos and don'ts of artful manicures. She dishes on all sorts of nail tricks and tips, from at-home to professional polish jobs and even nail safety.

British nail care brand Ciaté is known for taking the nail-art trend from the streets to the comfort of your own home with its easy DIY kits, like this Very Colourfoil Manicure Set (£14). The end result is a colourful and intricate design that looks far more complicated than it really is. To see how to use this genius kit, just keep reading.

When it comes to double-take manicures, like this full-lashed eyeball nail art look, Ke$ha is no stranger to the out-of-the ordinary. But this isn't the first time the singer shared her love for the eye-catching design. Earlier this year, Ke$ha showed off an impressive set of eyeball nails (pictured below), which were pointed at the end to resemble the real deal. Other stars have also presented their own takes on the microtrend. Sophia Bush painted an Eye of Ra symbol as an accent nail a few months back, and Alexa Chung showed off an evil eye nail art look early last year. Would you set your sights on this style?

With all the new makeup launches, it's pretty clear that turquoise nail varnish is the must-have shade for Spring and Summer. Not only does this blue-green colour pop against Springtime pastels, but also, it looks even cooler set against a golden sparkle.

For this mermaid-inspired look, I used the teal-hued Paul & Joe Nail Enamel in Caribbean (£10), along with the gold-glittered Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow (£13
.11). Start off with a base coat like Butter London Nail Foundation (£15), and then swipe on two coats of the turquoise varnish. Next, dab the gold glitter polish on the base of the nail to create a gradient effect. Once you have your desired look, seal everything with a top coat like Essie Good to Go (£8.99) for fast-drying shine. Even if you're not soaking up some sun at the beach, one glance at your nails will take you there.

For even more nail art and polish trends, be sure to check out our ultimate nail guide!