My Summer Nail Edit: The Colours I’m Not Ready to Put Away Yet

Apparently, we’re supposed to be thinking about autumn nails now.

Brown.

Burgundy.

Deep plum.

Very sophisticated.

Very seasonal.

Not happening yet.

😂

I have spent approximately five minutes enjoying my summer nail colours and I refuse to pack them away just because someone has put a jumper in a shop window.

August is still summer.

And my nails are behaving accordingly.

🍑 Peach Is Having Its Moment

If there is one colour that has followed me through this entire summer, it’s peach.

Peach blush.

Peachy lips.

Peach fragrance.

And now?

Peach nails.

There’s something about a warm, juicy peach manicure that looks gorgeous in sunshine.

It has enough colour to be interesting without screaming across the room, and it works beautifully when I’m wearing gold jewellery.

I particularly love the slightly brighter peach shades that almost wander into coral territory.

They’re cheerful.

They’re summery.

And I’m not finished with them.

🩷 Barbie Pink Isn’t Going Anywhere

There will always be room in my life for pink nails.

This should surprise absolutely nobody.

But summer is when I particularly enjoy the brighter versions.

Hot pink.

Watermelon pink.

Bubblegum.

Those slightly ridiculous shades that immediately make your hands look more fun.

A bright pink manicure with a glossy top coat requires absolutely no nail art to make a statement.

It’s basically the nail equivalent of putting on sunglasses and deciding you’re fabulous.

🍒 Cherry Red Is My Summer-to-Autumn Cheat

Now here’s where I’ll compromise with August.

Cherry red.

It still feels bright enough for summer, but there’s just enough richness to hint at what’s coming next.

And red nails are one of those things that somehow manage to look polished even when the rest of me isn’t feeling particularly polished.

Jeans and a T-shirt?

Red nails.

Summer dress?

Red nails.

Hair in a bun because I’ve given up negotiating with the humidity?

Red nails.

Instantly intentional.

🥛 Milky Nails Are the Palate Cleanser

Sometimes after weeks of colour, I suddenly want the exact opposite.

Something clean.

Something glossy.

Something that makes my nails look like they’ve naturally decided to become considerably prettier overnight.

Enter the milky manicure.

Soft white, sheer pink and creamy nude shades are perfect when I want my nails to look done without making the colour the main event.

They’re also brilliant when I’m between two louder manicures and can’t decide what I fancy next.

Think of them as the sorbet course of nail polish.

Very sophisticated of us.

😂

💙 I’m Making a Case for Blue

Blue nails and I have an inconsistent relationship.

Sometimes I see a bottle and think:

Absolutely beautiful.

Then I put it on and wonder whether I’ve accidentally joined a children’s television programme.

But when the shade is right?

Summer blue is gorgeous.

Soft sky blue.

Pool blue.

Turquoise.

Even a really deep ocean blue can work beautifully at this point in the season.

The trick for me is finding something that feels bright and fresh rather than primary-school paintbox.

✨ A Little Shimmer Is Allowed

I know chrome and elaborate nail art get all the attention online, but sometimes I just want my nails to sparkle slightly when they catch the light.

A shimmer top coat over a colour I already own is one of my favourite ways to make an old polish feel different.

Gold over peach.

Pearl over pink.

A subtle iridescent finish over a milky base.

Suddenly the bottle that’s been sitting in the drawer for two years has a second life.

Which, as we’re discovering this summer, is becoming one of my favourite beauty tricks.

💅 I’m Shopping My Nail Polish Stash

This is where August’s little beauty philosophy comes in.

Before buying another summer nail colour, I’m looking through the ones I already own.

Because nail polish might be one of the worst categories for:

“I definitely don’t own this colour.”

Followed by:

“Oh. Apparently I own this colour four times.”

😂

So I’m pulling out the forgotten bottles.

I’m rediscovering old favourites.

I’m actually wearing the shades I bought because I loved them.

And if something has gone completely unusable, I’m dealing with it rather than allowing it to live indefinitely in the back of a drawer.

My August Nail Wardrobe

If I were narrowing the whole thing down, these are the shades staying out:

Peach — the star of my summer.

Hot pink — because obviously.

Cherry red — my bridge into autumn.

Milky pink or white — when I want something clean.

Summer blue — when I’m feeling adventurous.

A shimmer topper — because everything is better with a little sparkle.

That’s more than enough to see me through the rest of summer without buying an entirely new nail wardrobe.

Will that stop me looking?

Of course not.

I’m a beauty blogger, not a miracle worker.

Autumn Can Wait

The burgundy polish will get its turn.

There will be dark nails.

There will be berry shades.

There will almost certainly be something involving plum.

But not today.

Today I’m squeezing every last drop out of summer beauty.

So if anyone needs me, I’ll be somewhere deciding between peach and hot pink…

…and inevitably choosing pink.

Love,
Hayls x