At Home Nail Trends For Spring 2021
2021’s nail trends have followed suit with our social lives: they can be performed at home. The luxury of getting a manicure done is much less available financially and spatially nowadays. Even while the most that my nails will be seen in public is at the grocery store, doing my nails has always made me feel a little bit more put together, some much-needed consistency in what has become a tumultuous time. Since we’re staying home this year, 2021’s nail trends have mainly focused on simple playful colors rather than complex nail designs.
First up is bubblegum pink. This rich, vibrant pink adds some much-needed brightness to our days. Bubblegum pink is an interesting trend because while it’s an eye-catching hue, what is really intriguing is its reminiscence of a classic retro era. You can also play with this trend as much as your heart desires. From abstract designs to a solid pop of color, different styles such as a twist on the classic French tip, and with different pink values, the trend itself is so simplistic that it is just inviting the creator to add interest.
Next on the wave of tonal nail trends, we have the multi-toned nail sets. The only specificity that this trend entails is that there are at least three different colors. It’s time to dust off that nail polish collection- the more you have, the better off you’ll be!
Matching colors to each other can help your manicure feel more like a set, rather than a mix-match of colors on your fingers. The main variants are choosing between a set of values or of tones. If it’s tones, then taking one base color such as blue and all of the shades within it will be your defining set.
If you’re basing your manicure on values, that means that there is an opportunity to explore with color. Every color is up for the taking. One thing to keep in mind with this one is that if you’re playing by the rules, each color should be a similar value. Basically, if you were to take each of the colors and convert them to black and white, they should all range within a similar gray tone. This just ensures that the nails feel cohesive and whole even though they are different colors.
Rules are meant to be broken though. So use whatever you’ve got, and do whatever you desire. There are brands that have come out with tonal nail polish sets, which can be helpful if your nail polish selection is sparse. Olive & June and Static Nails have some outrageously gorgeous sets that they’ve come out with.
These organic, abstract nails take groovy and make it modernist and sleek- a beautiful blend of old and new.
"There's been a wave of a retro revival through manicures that give a nod to the '60s and '70s aesthetics," nail artist and OPI educator Sigourney Nuñez told the blog Shearshare in an interview. "This is expressed through rustic shades paired with pastel brights and graphic, swirly patterns that are therapeutic to execute."
This design is easier than it looks, too. No extra tools are necessary for this one. All you need to do is tilt your nail polish brush onto its side to create clean lines. Although, if you’re anything like me, an acetone brush or Q-Tip could be very useful to keep nearby.
If you are going to the nail salons to get your nails done (no judgment here, local nail salons need business too) this trend is super helpful in keeping appointments fewer and further between, and costs to a low. If you keep the negative space near the nail of the bed, the grow-out gets hidden within the design.
2021 is another year of uncertainties and unpredictability. Even so, keeping some state of normalcy, or even taking extra care of yourself throughout troubling times, can help with keeping an ease of mind. Put some polish on the new year, and keep your head up with these trends!