Look, 2020 was a long-ass year in many ways. Even nail-wise. There were precious few moments to grab a mani, between lockdowns and nail salons playing catch-up with their missed appointments.
And while 2021 held so much promise, it's easy to feel a bit defeated now we find ourselves in yet! another! lockdown!
That moment of choice-paralysis when your nail technician asks "What are we going for today?" and all you can muster in response is "Errr, burgundy?" when what you really wanted was that monochrome inverted French mani you saw on Bettina Goldstein? THE ABSOLUTE WORST.
So grab a tea, have a scroll, and screenshot the best looks we found on some of Instagram's freshest manicurists, because one thing's for sure - 2021 is not the year for wasting your nail appointments. Also, loads of these looks are super accessible, so you might just find something to inspire your next DIY paint job too...
1.Tonal Tips
Struggling to choose between a minimalist mani or pops of colour? Have it all, with tonal V shapes in a chosen colour palette. Whether you opt for pastels, muted colours, neutrals or metallics, this is the perfect compromise. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
2
Acid Cowprint
If that gorgeous monochrome cowprint (check the index finger) isn't enough to satisfy - and we don't blame you - replicate the print in a range of hues to ramp up the energy. Don't be afraid of picking wild contrasts - that's the name of the game here. And, the chunkiness of the pattern means the look can be scaled down with a daintier brush if you've got shorter nails. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
3
Groundbreaking florals
No matter how keen you are to celebrate winter ending, if you don't do it right, flowers can feel a bit passé in nail art. Also, it's super fiddly if you're going DIY.
This pretty Orla Kielyesque 70s vibe is a perfect way round the issue if you're keen to lean into florals for spring. Pick muted tertiary colours like pistachio, mustard and peach, and mix them up when adding flower heads to the tips of your nails, scaling the petals according to the size of the nail. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
4
Double accent nails
While the ring finger has long reigned as an accent nail (at a push, the pinky) - change is afoot. We're heralding the start of a new nail mood: one that takes the index and middle finger and promotes them to the status of accent nails.
To pull this look off, choose a pattern consisting of two colours (or black and white), and complement the accent nails using those same colours in clock form across your thumb, pinky and ring finger. The result is a gorgeously cohesive look which refreshes the whole accent nail vibe by employing tonal methods. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
5
Monochrome
Retro aesthetics is a big mood this year, and the easiest way to nail the look in a mani is to lean into classy B&W designs.
Throw in abstract shapes and a high gloss finish, and you're onto a total winner. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
6
The anti-mani
This look takes the classic French mani rule book - with its cuticle accents and tips - and throws it out of the window. Make sure at least one talon has a classic cuticle (see index finger) and one has a classic white tip (see pinky), and then go hell for leather when it comes to the rest. Because after the year we've had, you've got to make the most of every mani appointment you can get, no? Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
7
Nostalgia
Possibly a reaction to the boredom of lockdown? Maybe it's a lust for easier times, when the only real problem was choosing between Kenan and Kel or Sabrina on Nickelodeon?
Either way, from 80s and 90s prints to logo mania, 2021 will be dominated by nostalgic nail designs. And we're here for it. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
8
Borderline leapord print
Leopard print had a big moment in 2020, but if you can't let go just yet, throw it into the mix with another vibe: the borderline mani. This look makes use of negative space on the nails by painting on a translucent nude, followed by a print along the perimeter of the nails. Combine it with perfectly shaped nails and you've got yourself the chicest power-mani going.
Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
9
Contrast hands
Can't choose between two looks? Hannah Montana it and get the best of both worlds with one look on each hand.
This trend is already rooting itself in salons across the UK, but mark our words, it'll take off in 2021. Tip: pick patterns and colours across a particular theme to give the contrast a sense of cohesion. Wham, bam, you've got the coolest nails on Instagram. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
10
Maximalist multiprint
If you're keen to take the prints that make up your world into your nail art, the trend of maximalist multiprint should help take look to the next lev. The method? Joyfully clash colours, prints and textures around one particular theme.
Artist Anouska Anastasia painted these lengths to celebrate South Asian Truck art as part of a client request, and we think the result is divine. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
11
Metal dribbles
Back in 2020 silver and gold took off as an accent to fresh, natural manis. Now that it's pretty much a mani staple, artists are taking things one step further with textured dribbles using gold foil. Stun. Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
12
Nü texture
We'll be continuing to bid farewell to the default of flat nails in 2021, and nail artists will be set to harness embossing techniques to whip up all kinds of trends, from mock-croc to zebra print, designer logos to wallpaper print. High maintenance, sure. Worth it? Absolutely.
Book your nails session with The Shampoo Lounge by WhatsApp +62 853-3833-3338 or click this
article written by Kate Pasola for cosmopolitan