For many of us, a new month means a new mani. Whether you’re heading into the salon for a fresh set of gels or DIY-ing with nail polish at home, choosing a new nail colour is always joy-inducing, right? As the weather warms and the rest of summer stretches out before us, I’m all for manifesting that sunshine with a dopamine-releasing colourful manicure (and a pedicure in time for holiday season, may I add) while tapping into the trends for summer months while I’m at it.
Lately, we’ve seen a lot of nail trends doing the rounds. We can’t ignore the pearl and chrome nails that have been dominating our feeds of late—alongside chic and colourful French tip manicures. But sometimes, it’s nice to go back to basics with those timeless summer nail colours that will see you through all occasions.
To find out which nail colours will be popular in June, I asked celebrity nail technician, expert, and Bulgari Hotel’s resident manicurist Iram Shelton, to share the nail colour shades that she’s being requested right now. Get ready to screen-grab these for your next nail colour refresh and shop the exact polishes that Shelton recommends to create the looks.
7 Nail Colours to Try This June
1. Blue
“Blue is a huge hit at the moment, and like last year, OPI’s Nature Strong polish in shade ‘Shore is Something” has done it again,” says Shelton. “This vibrant pop of colour is all you’ll be needing this summer. It’s so beautiful and really lifts your mood. It’s a colour that will definitely make you feel summery.
“With that in mind I have recently shared a baby blue by Chanel in shade Muse and that has also been one of my go-tos,” she adds. “It flatters the skin and is a great alternative for those who aren’t into strikingly bold colours. Although this is only available in lacquer, it leaves a beautiful gel-like finish.”
Shop the trend:
CHANEL
Le Vernis Nail Colour in Muse
£29
OPI
Nature Strong Nail Lacquer in Shore is Something!
£18£11
GUCCI
Vernis à Ongles Nail Polish in Baby Blue
£24
2. Neutrals
“We’re never going to get away from neutrals,” says Shelton. “Whether it’s the sheer nudes to the fully pigmented skin tone nudes, they’re here to stay. I think there’s a current obsession around being effortlessly chic that we’re now reverting back to shorter, more natural looks,” she notes. “This isn’t just with nails mind you. It’s with fashion and makeup also. Less is more and I really like that.” Shelton‘s favourite neutrals are some of OPI’s classics, including Bubble Bath, Put It In Neutral, Baby, Take a Vow and Bare My Soul. “These are my go-to shades always,” she says.
Shop the trend:
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath
£15
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Put It In Neutral
£15
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Bare My Soul
£15
3. White
“White is a must for summer, especially for toes,” says Shelton. “You know you’re ready for your holidays when you’ve got freshly painted white toes.” Indeed, white is the ideal pedicure colour, and it will always go with any outfit, no matter what you are wearing. Plus, a bottle of white polish is ideal to keep on standby for French manis, too.
Shop the trend:
DIOR
Vernis 007 Jasmin
£27
OPI
Nature Strong Natural Vegan Nail Polish
£18£7
RIMMEL
Long Lasting Gel Nail Polish in 001 Basic B
£6
4. Pink
“How can we not be into pink?” asks Shelton. “It’s a feel-good colour.” The best bit about pink nail polish is that you can choose from a range of shades. “Whether that’s a bright and bold hot pink or a baby pink, it’s entirely your decision. OPI I Quit My Day Job is a beautiful pink which looks great on all skin tones. It’s the perfect shade for summer.”
Shop the trend:
HERMÈS
Les Mains Hermès in 070 Rose Indien
£45
OPI
Infinite Shine in I Quit My Day Job
£13
NAILS INC
Chiltern Street Gel Effect Nail Polish
£15
5. Red
“Red is a classic and will forever be trending. It’s such a sexy colour that will definitely make you feel good. My top reds are Hermes Rouge Casaque. It is a super-pigmented lacquer and leaves a gorgeous high-shine finish,” she says. OPI Big Apple Red and Cajun Shrimp are also amongst her favourites for summer red. “Big Apple Red is a true red and Cajun Shrimp is more of an orangey red! Both are stunning,” she adds.
Shop the trend:
HERMÈS
Les Mains Hermès in 064 Rouge Casaque
£45
OPI
Infinite Shine Long-Wear Nail Polish in Big Apple Red
£18
OPI
Infinite Shine Long-Wear Nail Polish in Cajun Shrimp
£18£12
6. Milky
Our love affair with milky nails isn’t going anywhere this month. “My holy grail for this is OPI Funny Bunny,” says Shelton. In fact, this is the exact shade that celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt used on Hailey Bieber’s viral doughnut-glaze nails. “This is another iconic shade that is lovely for those who love white nails but just don’t want anything too bold,” says Shelton.
Shop the trend:
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Funny Bunny
£15
NAILS INC
Time to Glow Glow-Enhancing Nail Perfector Polish
£9
MANUCURIST
Milky White Nail Polish
£14
7. French Tip Accents
Not a colour, but a whole look that’s set to be hugely popular this month, says Shelton. While we’re seeing plenty of colourful French tips, a classic white French feels fresh. “I feel incomplete if I’m not wearing French on my toes,” she says. “It can look beautiful on hands too, of course, but it can make your feet just look super pretty!” And there are so many versions of French tips to try. “Pops of colour are so fun for summer, but when you’re going away on holiday and don’t have an outfit planned it’s best to go for a classic French manicure as it’ll go with absolutely everything,” says Shelton.
Shop the trend:
CHANEL
Le Vernis in Isomniaque
£29
MANUCURIST
Nail Art Brush
£16
KISS
Voguish Fantasy Nails Disco Ball
£9
This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
EXPLORE MORE: