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The Perfect Nail Colors for your Summer Break

Royall Bryan Student Contributor, Christopher Newport University
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CNU Contributor Student Contributor, Christopher Newport University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CNU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As the school year starts to come to a close, we’re all super busy. Planning vacations, buying summer clothes, preparing for internships… It’s all one thing after another. But what’s the one thing you can do to relax from the hectic workload you’re facing?

That’s right, give your nails a fresh coat of paint! Whether you choose to do your own nails or you go get them done (because, if you’re like me, you’re horrible with a nail polish brush), here’s a list of some of the colors that are best for you to choose from to make your summer days a little brighter.

Mint

A classic color that some might argue is specifically for spring, I’m here to tell you that mint is perfect for summer. Depending on which shade you choose (I recommend a light, bright shade that is a little pale), mint is a color that goes with a lot of other summer colors.

Orange

Orange is definitely the color that reminds me of the sun, and what better shade to represent the warm, bright season of summer? Browse the neon section of any nail polish brand and grab yourself an orange – something that will stand out so well with that gloriously tan skin you’ll be getting.

Yellow

Another sunny color, yellow is a bit controversial. Unfortunately, some say yellow doesn’t look good on all skin tones, but lucky for us, yellow is a color that comes in a variety of shades. Personally, I’d recommend using a medium shade, one that’s still bright but isn’t so dark it borders on orange-y.

Magenta

I feel that the color pink is too ambiguous because shades of pink like blush and rose are more Spring-y than I would recommend wearing during the summer. Magenta is the perfect blend of red, pink, and purple that it’s bright enough to give that pop everyone always looks for with their nail color. It’s also dark enough that it won’t necessarily clash with many of the bright colors you’ll be wearing throughout the season.

Turquoise

Even though turquoise is normally seen every summer, it’s definitely a staple shade. Symbolic to the color of the ocean water we all want to be swimming in, turquoise works well with many other colors and gives off a peppy feel.

Nude

I have my own little rule that I follow: “A nude nail is a classy nail.” Honestly, nude goes with everything. In fact, you don’t even have to have a nude color that matches your skin tone. The beauty of nude is that it literally goes with everything. Nude is a subtle color, and you can either use it as an accent nail or as the majority color. For summer, I’d recommend a lighter, paler nude, but not too pink. Try to stay on the light tan side and it won’t blend into your skin too much. There are also some light caramel shades available, too, so be on the lookout for those.

Summer is almost upon us, and before you go rushing to the beach or to whatever exotic place you’ll be visiting – or even sitting in your internship wishing you were at one of those places – being able to stare at nails these colors will help you get excited for all the season might have to offer.

Stay classy, Captains!

You can categorize Royall as either Leslie Knope when she has her color-coded binders:



or Hyde whenever Jackie comes into a room before they start dating:



There is no in-between. 

Royall recently graduated with her B.A. in Sociology & Anthropology from CNU and now studies Government & International Relations at Regent University. She also serves as the Victim Advocate and Community Outreach Coordinator for Isle of Wight Co., VA in Victim Witness Services. Within Her Campus, she served as a Chapter Writer for CNU for one year, a Campus Expansion Assistant for a semester, Campus Correspondent for two years, and is in the middle of her second semester as a Chapter Advisor. 

You can find her in the corner of a subway-tiled coffee shop somewhere, investigating identity experiences of members of Black Greek Letter Organizations at Primarily White Institutions as well as public perceptions of migrants and refugees. Or fantasizing about ziplining arcoss the French Alps.