Back to Posts

Nail it for the New Year with these top tips

Stand out from the crowd this New Year's Eve with our round up of the top nail trends for the biggest party of the year. We spoke to Nicola from @NailCoutureLincoln for her take. From subtle to stand out - we have inspiration for all types of clients.

Nail colour ideas for New Year’s

Choosing a nail colour for New Year’s is no easy feat. With hundreds of different shades, Nicola has helped us to make the process a little easier for you and your clients!

Red

“Red nails are an absolute classic and suit every skin tone.” For darker skin, opt for a classic brick red with orange undertones like this shade from OPI. For paler skin, a blue-toned red from The Manicure Company or a rich wine red like The Manicure Company Black Orchid would look amazing.

White

This year’s colour of sophistication, white, represents all things clean and modern. “White looks great on all skin tones and nail lengths, and is the perfect base for nail art”. Try O.P.I Alpine Snow for a pure and crisp white.

Purple

“Purple is having its moment this season with it cropping up in fashion, homeware and nails. Deep, rich shades connote luxury with a hint of vamp. Trust me when we say, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!” The Manicure Company’s new festive collection Femme Fatale has a two lovely purples – our favourite being Seductive Charms. Or why not give Gellux Punk Purple a try as a beautiful alternative.

New Year’s Eve nail trends

Glitter

“A reliable favourite for New Year’s; glitter is always on trend around the festive period.” Nicola tells us. We’ve seen a lot of subtle nods to the glitter trend, our favourite being a thin speckling of glitter over a clear base. Try Gellux Masquerade Ball Diamonds Pearls Glitter to complete this look.

Even more subtle options include a glitter ombre, a French tip, or mix it up with larger metallic flakes like these iridescent sequins.

While subtle glitter is oh so chic, there is still a space for a full impact nail. For an even stronger effect, mix your top loose glitters into your favourite polish colours – like this glitter mixed with a dark or clear base.

Doodles

Grown from the catwalks, this nail trend is incredibly popular for the start of 2020. Using a very thin brush, paint black onto white nails in an abstract style. Looking to up your game? Try drawing a single line portrait for a high-fashion finish.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B42IR3qKPPj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Recreate these Picasso style nails using this slightly off-white gel from The Manicure Company. Then, using a super fine paint brush, paint on the design of your choice in black.

Animal Print

Animal print is arguably the stand out trend from 2019 that’s rolling into 2020. However, Nicola says for New Year’s go bigger and better with glitter, tropical colours and hints of gold leaf.

Try a tortoise shell design on your clients by using The Manicure Company Panache as a base colour and blending different shades of brown in splodges onto the nail. To help create this look we love The Manicure Company Brunette Bombshell and Gellux Naturally Bronzed. Finish off with some black highlights and a super shine top coat. You could even add gold nail varnish for an extra level of luxe.

French Manicure

A blast from the past, Nicola tells us the French manicure is back for 2020, but this time with a twist. “Tip nails with a metallic swipe, festive glitter or a pop of colour. We also expect to see a lot of micro French manicures where the line is as thin as possible along the free edge,” she says.

Our favourite French manicure colours are Flushed by The Manicure Company with Crème by The Manicure Company – a lovely natural off white.

New Year’s nail designs for short nails

Stars

This trend is a super fun and playful way to decorate short nails for New Year’s. Sequins or hand painting both look great. Keep it simple by painting nails clear, or very nude and keeping decals one colour – or use a jewel toned base colour with glitter to add depth.

If hand painting stars, experiment with having some stars off the nail and use glitter to bring them to life. You could also try painting the ring finger a solid colour for a feature nail.

Clean Lines

If your client is short on time, or looking for a subtle nod to nail art, clean lines might be the perfect solution – and this style lends itself well to shorter nails. The best thing about this is that it takes no time at all but looks very high fashion.

Start with a base colour of your client’s choice – any colour will look great. Next, choose your line colour. For New Years, we love a small stripe of glitter directly down the middle of the nail. However, don’t be afraid to try out different colours and directions.

Salon System Valentine's Nails Step by Step

Get ready for the month of love with Salon System nail expert Karen Louise, who has created a heart inspired step by step using GELLUX.

The only 2021 nail trends you need to know

Trends come and go but it’s clear that, when it comes to showing our individuality with our beauty choices, we’re going to be a little restricted over the next few months, thanks to the daily wearing of masks. However, says journalist Charisse Kenion, this makes nails the ideal focus for fun.