Spring Nail Color Ideas + How My Gel Nails Last an Entire Month

Hey friends! I’m back with a post I’ve done in the past for other seasons that you all seem to really enjoy: spring nail color ideas. I’ve had constant gel manicures for about four years now (crazy, I know — no breaks at all either!), so I’m always looking for new color ideas to keep things fresh and unique. Keep reading for spring-appropriate colors and designs to ring in warmer weather on your nails, as well as my secrets on how I get my gel nails to last an entire month!

“HOW DO YOU GET YOUR GEL TO LAST AN ENTIRE MONTH?!”

Guys, I seriously get this question all the time. To give you some background on my gel polish history, I always get them done at the salon and mine last crazy long — I’m talking four weeks, people. I know that’s not very normal, but I’ve heard oily nail beds cause your gel to wear off faster. I don’t think that’s something you can control (if you can and have tips to share, let me know!), so my tips include:

1. Never pick or peel.
   Never, ever, ever. I know this is a guilty please for so many people, but fight the urge! Refrain from rubbing your fingers along any thick or loose edges, and just don’t touch them in general honestly. Even if a tiny piece flakes off on it’s own, leave it alone. Sometime a quick top coat on the chipped section can help prevent it from continuing to peel, so give that a try!
2. Avoid over-saturation.
   By this I mean don’t soak your hands if you don’t have to. Like when washing dishes, use a sponge with a handle instead of one without, don’t submerge your hands in soapy water longer than necessary (or at all of you can avoid it), and so on. This may sound a little dramatic, but if making these small changes lets you get more out of the money you spend on gel manicures and lets you save money by not having to get them as frequently, it’s worth every penny in my book.
3. Refrain from general wear and tear.
   This sounds like a given, but don’t scratch rough surfaces, pick at things or run your nails along anything that could cause that top sealant layer to break down.

PRO TIP: Request gel polish changes only instead of full-on manicures at the salon each time to save some extra money. The dollars saved builds up over time and is totally worth it!

I’d have to say light blue, navy and sage green are the nail colors I get the most comments and compliments on out of every other color I’ve ever worn on my nails. Blues, especially baby blue, stands out on all skin tones and totally pops against your outfits, which I’m really into. I’m a huge sucker for pastels in general, and baby blue is at the top of my favorites list! Definitely give it a try if you never have!

I love a good soft pink. This shade is so delicate and natural and is a great color if you’re wanting something a little more subtle, but still fun for spring. I always manage to throw a good pink in every few times I get my nails done because it just feels like me, you know?

People say it’s a fashion crime to wear white before or after a certain time of the year, but I don’t believe in that stuff. I think white is a neutral color you can fearlessly rock year round, but I think it’s especially fun for the start of spring to jump into light hues full force. If you’re someone who likes your nails to always match your outfits and color scares you a bit, this is the way to go. It makes you look tan too, which is a huge perk!

I think this one’s a crowd favorite, right? The color mint was HUGE a few years back (maybe circa 2011?) and it’s kind of stuck around ever since! I love the cool tones of this shade and it just reminds me of dessert, which I’m not mad about.

Gorgeous, right?! This is a color I always manage to squeeze into the spring months every year because it’s just too pretty to pass up — so feminine too! Like blue, this color pops on all skin tones as well.

Yellow unfortunately doesn’t compliment my pale skin well, but I think it’s so pretty — especially for those of your with medium to dark skin tones! It’s also a big statement shade and so fun for warmer weather.

I’m seeing stars EVERYWHERE lately and I’m so happy about it! I’ve been rocking a star ring and bracelets pretty much everyday lately, so saying I’m embracing the trend may be a bit of an understatement. Fun fact: I’m actually always way too afraid to ask my nail person to try out a design because 1) I’m scared they’ll mess up and we’ll have to start over, and 2) I’m worried I won’t like it and will be stuck with it for a month.

If you read my “What to Wear in Spring 2018” post last week, you know polka dots are huge right now. This is a simple pattern to try out since it’s easy to do and hard to mess up — so if you’re a chicken like me and started to ask your nail technician for anything crazy, this may be the route to go!

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What are your favorite spring nail colors? If you have any that I didn’t mention, I’d love to hear them and maybe consider them for my next polish change! Side note: If you’re not already following me on Instagram, I’d love for you to join me over there! I’ve been working really hard on my feed lately (this sounds so dramatic, but we all know how it is) and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been with it! I love interacting with you guys on there and sharing more of my everyday life on my Instagram Stories. :). Thanks so much for visiting the blog today & be sure to check back for a new post on Wednesday!