Holiday Nails: Top Tips for Summer Holidays, Beach Getaways and Chic City Breaks

Holiday Nails: Top Tips for Summer Holidays, 
Beach Getaways and Chic City Breaks

After booking the holiday itself, there is perhaps nothing more exciting than having your Holiday Nails done, and if you are about to head off on an overseas adventure, now is the perfect time to start planning your holiday wardrobe and coordinating your nails to make sure that you look fabulous from head to toe.

From neon brights and glitter shimmer to classic Christmas reds and tropical fruit inspired summer shades, there really is something for everyone when it comes to holiday inspired nail polish, and with all the leading nail care brands such as Shellac, OPI, Gelish and China Glaze updating their collections seasonally to ensure we’re always on-trend, there are really no limits when it comes to holiday nail glamour.

Like most people, I tend to lose all sense of sensibleness when shopping for my holiday wardrobe, and as a result, I’ve made more than a few fashion faux pas over the years. Thong bikinis, neon pink kaftans, Indiana Jones inspired safari outfits, and 80s ski suits – I’ve done it all, but thankfully, that was all before Social Media became part of our everyday lives, and any photographic evidence has since been destroyed!

Today, I’m a lot more conservative when it comes to packing for my winter and summer holidays and tend to let my somewhat ‘vibrant’ personality shine through my nails instead of my wardrobe. Holiday nails are all about having fun, expressing your unique sense of style (or lack of it!), and experimenting with nail art and colour, but different nail colours suit different trips…

Holiday Nails for City Breaks

If you are heading into the big city on your next romantic trip or girly weekend away, take inspiration from Sex in the City and go glamorous! Red nail polish is the ultimate accessory for chic city breaks, and with 50 shades of fabulous to complement every skin tone and every season, its easy to find your perfect red.  For summer city breaks, you could try ‘We Seafood and Eat It’ which is a gorgeous lobster red shade by OPI, or ‘Fire Cracker’ by Gelish, a bright and vibrant tone of red that looks radiant under the summer sun.

For winter city breaks, you should consider embracing deeper shades of red that standout beautifully against chunky knitwear, darker autumn fashions, and grey winter skies such as ‘Adventure Red-y’ by China Glaze and ‘Bloodline’ by Shellac.  You cannot help but feel glamorous with these stunning holiday nail polishes, and when combined with a slick of matching lipstick, you’ll give Carrie Bradshaw a run for her money!

Holiday Nails for Summer Beach Getaways

If you’re next overseas adventure is taking you to warmer climes and tropical beaches, then your holiday nails should be inspired by the colours of summer. Think sunshine yellows, watermelon pinks, ocean blues, palm tree greens, citrus oranges, and piña colada pastels. Summer holidays mean fun, so you can really go to town with nail polish colour combinations, nail art, nail crystals, and nail stamping, and create a set of nails that will leave you looking and feeling fabulous throughout your summer getaway.

My personal favourites include ‘Banana Clips’ by Shellac, which is like a burst of sunshine on a warm summers day, ‘Strawberry Margarita’ by OPI, inspired by your favourite summer drink, and ‘Water Baby’ by Gelish, a light and refreshing pastel blue.

Traditional French Manicures work beautifully for beach holidays too, particularly if you are on honeymoon, and so if you’re not feeling bright colour vibes, stick with the timeless classic, it never fails to look good, and it goes with everything.

Holiday Nails for Adventure Travel

Just because you are heading off to Climb Kilimanjaro or Hike the Inca Trail doesn’t mean that you should neglect your nails ladies! Most gel manicures last 2 – 3 weeks, and so you can head off on your worldwide adventure and still look your best. 

When it comes to this type of holiday, you can really let your imagination run wild and express your love of colour and travel with nails that showcase your personality. For some inspiration, check out Shellac’s Wild Earth and Boho Spirit Nail Polish Collections, where you find some fabulous shades inspired by modern tribes and mother nature.

The OPI Peru Nail Polish Collection includes some magical shades inspired by the colours of South America, with fun names including ‘Alpaca My Bags’ and ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow Mountains’. These versatile shades will complement your adventure travel wardrobe, and leave you feeling glamorous even when dressed in hiking boots, a poncho, and thermal knickers!

Holidays Nails for Winter Skiing Breaks

I’ll be wearing gloves all day so why should I have a manicure I hear you ask? Well, ladies, I’ve got just two words to say to you, and they are Après Ski! After a day on the slopes you’ll most likely be heading to the bar, and if you’re looking to bedazzle the local ski instructors you need to look your best.

You could go with Christmas Holiday Nails if you are travelling over the festive season or stick with winter inspired hues such as ‘Arctic Freeze’ by Gelish, ‘December to Remember’ by China Glaze, or ‘Winter Nights’ by Shellac.

Wherever you go on holiday, just remember, you can’t change the world, but you can change your nail colour! Go bold, go forward and be beautiful with holiday nails that shine.