Hollywood Institute
The Hottest Trends in Nail Art This Year
Trends come and go, not only in fashion, but in nail art as well. Popular colors change, as do the trends in nail artwork, nail shape, and more. This year had a lot of hot new trends, so here’s a look back at the year’s nail art trends.

Chrome Finish Chrome became a hot trend this year, especially for special occasions and holidays. But this doesn’t mean that it needs to be a metallic color. Chrome finishing powders can be applied to any nail color to give them a metallic sheen that mimics the look of chrome without mimicking the color of it. Negative Spacing It’s long been a trend to give the ring finger on each hand a look that’s different from the rest of your nails. In the nail art world, this is called a peek-a-boo nail. But this year, leaving negative space on that nail became a new and interesting trend. Typically, this is done with gel, using a bare or nearly bare shade, and painting the others in a bright color. You can also do partial negative space, leaving an interesting pattern on the nail that is a mix of color and bare nail. Hand Ensembles Who says your nails need to be the same color? “Hand ensembles” became a popular trend this year, with people using various colors and patterns on their nails to tell an interesting story with their nail art. For example, you could do navy blue, white, and yellow polish, with patterns of anchors and waves for a coordinating, eye-catching nautical theme. You can likely expect to see hand ensembles continuing as a trend into the New Year.

Ombre Ombre became a popular hair color trend a few years back, and this year, they were a huge hit in nail art. If you’re not familiar with what “ombre” means, it refers to a gradual shift from one color to another. In nail art, this can mean going from bare nail at the base to a color at the tip, or going from a very pale tint of a color to a bright and vibrant color at the tip. This subtle shift in color is a great way to upgrade the look of your nails without going too far out of your comfort zone. Rhinestone Accents Sparkle is all the rage this year, and nail art is no exception. Rhinestones can be added to your manicure in a number of ways. Add them as the centers of painted-on flowers, or bling-up the base of your nails. Put them on top of a bright coat of polish, or on a nude-toned nail. However they’re used, rhinestone accents are a great trend for this year. If you’re obsessed with nail art and want to make a career of it, check out nail technology schools in Orlando, FL, Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers to begin pursuing a career in nail technology.