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Hail the Nail! Trends for 2013 and How To Get the Look

Sideways french manicure, pale nail, half-moon--we take a look at nails and what looks will be hot this year!

Alison Alhamed
Alison AlhamedEditor in Chief, MODERN SALON
Read Alison's Posts
January 7, 2013
3 min to read


It's a new year, and though we're excited to see the changes in hair and fashion in the coming seasons, one thing that makes us extremely excited is that 2013 continues to be the Year of Nails!

2012 was the year of shattered/crackled polish, nail appliques, and a spotlight finger, but what will be hot this year?

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Nail blogger Katie Saxton, who is also the president of Custom Nail Solutions (an artificial nail product for nail beds) says the below styles will keep your clients' nails in tip-top shape and ensure they are ready to steal the spotlight wherever they go.

Two-Tone French Manicure: To do this design, paint nails any color and let dry, then add a French tip with a contrasting polish. Perfect for holidays (pink and red for Valentine's Day, green and red for Christmas, you get the idea.)!



Sideways French Mani: Who said racing stripes were just for cars? Painting nails with a coat of polish and adding a different-colored vertical stripe on either the right or left side of each nail is hot, hot hot!



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One-Of-A-Kind French Tips: Changing out the traditional white tips for animal print accents, colored tips, funky wrapped tips, polka-dot tips and bejeweled tips is a fantastic way to express individuality. Pictured here? Some glitter and glam.



Colored Metallic Nails: Jazzing up nails with metallic polishes in colors like blue, red, and purple can be sassy and classy. Is your client wearing a little black dress? Her nails can be her greatest accessory.



Vibrant Orange: Painting nails in shades of orange like tangerine and orange-red is a daring look that looks great on tan skin (recommend for your vacationing client!) and also adds that pop of color as we transition into warmer months.

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Real Gold Top Coats: Although more expensive than a typical clear topcoat, the gold flake topcoat is so glitzy and glamorous that it is well worth it! To mix things up, add a gold topcot just on the ring finger for a memorable spotlight nail.



Half Moon Manicure: This classy manicure is perfect for a formal event or cocktail party. To do this style, paint nails, let dry, then cover the bottom halves of each nail with a half-circle, making certain a semi-circle protrudes from the bottom of each nail. Add a coat of a different-colored polish over the covering and the rest of the nail, then take off the covering and let dry.



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Edgy Accents: Manicures featuring “bloody” tips, jagged tips, suspicious shadowy tips, and mysterious dark and dripping tips to show off a daring and adventurous side!




Pale Nails: Adding a coat of pale pink or neutral polish is a subtle and simple way to keep nails primped and pretty.

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