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From Velvety Petals to Dewy Blades of Grass—April's Trending Nail Colors Evoke All the Spring Foliage

By Swedan Margen

From Velvety Petals to Dewy Blades of Grass—April's Trending Nail Colors Evoke All the Spring Foliage

You may have heard that April showers bring May flowers, but the month that inspires endless springtime sayings also delivers inspiration for nail polish shades that capture the joy of the season. Whether you prefer to keep your nails clean and minimal or decorate them with eye-catching nail art and 3D details, the right nail polish shade can serve as a springboard for spring nail inspiration. We're halfway through the month of April, and we're keeping tabs on the polish colors that will define it.

Now, with the help of a celebrity nail artist, the trends have earned their names (and a spot on our spring-manicure inspiration board). Below, we're sharing our findings with you, as well as several of the nail looks that have us scrambling to schedule our monthly manicure appointments. Scroll ahead to see every nail color for April worth trying before the month has reached its end.

A petal pink manicure by Stephanie Holland

Which Nail Colors Are Trending for April?

What better way to celebrate blooming florals, bright blue skies, and the return of whimsy in our wardrobes than by wearing manicures that are just as colorful and eye-catching? This April, celebrity nail artist for Sally Hansen Stephanie Stone tells us the month will be all about getting playful with nails. "We've seen so much adventurous nail art coming out of Coachella, and I have a feeling these dopamine nails are going to be embraced well through the summer," she says. While creamy, neutral shades will still be on the scene as we head into the warmer months, you can fully expect to see an uptick in lively, energetic hues combined with the season's best nail art trends like rainbow French tips, berry polka dots, and lavender chrome.

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According to Stone, the rainbow-French-tip trend combines the classic with the experimental. "You can achieve it with a micro-French to be more discreet or wear it on long square tips to get a look that really makes a statement. The key is using bright colors that really pop!" says Stone. Her favorite polishes for this are from Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Electric Feels collection: Neon Nitro ($6), a creamy neon green, and Peachy Flare ($6), a coral-peach color. Micro polka-dot manicures will also be making the rounds in April. "Last year's inverted color polka dots on each hand swept over the internet faster than Dubai chocolate. However, polka dots have stood the test of time and still resonated with the nail art lovers, this time in the color choices of a rich berry and soft cream," Stone continues.

To pull off berry polka-dot nails, she recommends using two polishes from the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Flower Powder collection, Dragon Fruit Crush ($6), for a fuchsia flush of color, and Vanilla Bean Vibe ($6), a shimmering white. Additionally, Stone shares that the lavender chrome manicure is the ideal choice for the individuals who like wearing a simple statement nail and that Sally Hansen's Ube-Delicious ($6), a shimmering purple, is "art in a bottle." For a subtler lavender finish, Stone likes Whirlway Wildflower ($6) for matte dry-down and a chic satin look.

Pure Honey

A honey yellow manicure by Iram Shelton

Sunny manicures are on the rise this spring, and honeyed polish shades that reflect the rising temperatures are inspiring a shift from the butter-yellow tones we've seen in the last year. While many of the viral yellow manicures in our feeds recently have been creamy and opaque, honey-colored nails have a splash of orange for added warmth that's highly complementary of all skin tones.

Get the look:

Zoya, Nail Polish in Bee
DND, Gel Polish Set in Honey

DND

Gel Polish Set in Honey

Leafy Green

A spring green manicure by Mateja Novakovic

Year after year, we notice creamy green nails emerge just as the world around us begins to bloom once again. This April, our nails will evoke everything from the dew-tipped blades of grass after a spring storm to delicate buds just before they bloom with muted green nail polish with white undertones. The finished look is light, airy, and energetic.

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From Velvety Petals to Dewy Blades of Grass—April's Trending Nail Colors Evoke All the Spring Foliage - Vanity Fair Fashion