That Other Accessory

I absolutely love getting my nails done because to me nails are much like a must-have accessory--they are the finishing touch that complete a look.

I also enjoy writing and informing my girlfriends and readers about new products and services on the market like I did when I reviewed gel manicures and the opening of the first H&M store in South Florida (BTW Miami Beach will get its own H&M in 2012.) I have a few more reviews coming your way soon!

OK--back to nails!

One of the most FAQs I receive is: what are the hottest nail colors of the moment, so naturally today's topic is about the most popular colors for nails this spring/summer season.

I have to be honest sometimes I pick a color solely based on its name, instead of the actual color, but c'mon can you blame me?

Most polishes nowadays have incredibly sexy names, but I promise my list of colors is based on actual trends of the moment and not their names :)

Nude: This color seems to be taking over everything in the fashion world and, so it's really no big surprise that it's also a trend for your nails. I highly recommend applying a high gloss top coat to give it some shine that will set your nails apart from the rest of your hand. My pick: Naked by Lippmann. This is a classic nail color and it's great to wear for job interviews and weddings.

Brights- I'm talking about blues, greens, yellows and oranges.

Blues are going to be hot and heavy during the spring, but will be less visible as summer nears, however I have to include my second favorite shade of the year on this list: 

For Audrey by China Glaze: it's a Tiffany & Co. blue shade inspired by the character of Holly Golightly played by Audrey Hepburm from one of my all-time favorite flicks Breakfast at Tiffany's <3

Greens: Gargantuan Green Gape perhaps OPI's most popular shade of green that will have other ladies feeling "green" when they see you in this color.

Yellows: This summer's must have nail polish is also my favorite color of the moment: Chanel's Mimosa.  And I promise you that you will be happier when you rock this color on you nails.

Corals/Reds: This is the perfect color for the entire summer Too Too Hot by Essie-- a mixture of a sizzling red and a fiery coral.

Pretty in Pinks: will bring out the color of  tan your which is why my pick is Dior's pink boa.

Purples: look good on all skin tones and this is a great color that can be used year round, so buy a rich color and you can also wear it during the fall and winter seasons like this shade:Violet Diva by Estee Lauder.

Gunmetal Grays: I'm personally not a fan of frosty colors as much gunmetal nail polish colors are, but I do think this color serves as the perfect balance between girly and edgy and so my pick is Freja by Zoya.

Another big trend in nails this season is the shattered nail look popularized by OPI, in which you can use any nail polish color as your base and all you have to add is the shattered polish on top. This is the less pricier version of Minx manicures which can cost up to $40.00 in a salon.

I'm sure by now you are all familiar with the ombre hair craze, which consists of dark roots and hair color offset by sunkissed tips. I believe Drew Barrymore was one of the pioneers of this trend in her Cover Girl commercials and I'm a huge fan of the look.

So it's a good thing that this trend has made its way onto our finger nails. It's also quite simple to acheive. All you need is a bottle of your favorite nail polish color and a bottle of  a white nail polish. You will also need a piece of paper and a brush where you can mix the colors as you start to lighten the colors on each  of your finger nails. Start by painting your pinky nail in the shade of polish you chose and work your way down your hand. You're also going to add one drop of the white polish onto the existing mix, and gradually add one more drop of white polish to the mix than the nail before it.

Easy, huh?

Feel free to submit any pix of your manicures by tweeting me @yourgotogal

"I pretty much make time for that weekly manicure." Yancy Butler