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Once you’ve wrestled with your hair, squeezed into that dress, and shoved your feet into shoes half a size too small, what else will complete the perfect look? Your nails! Your fingernails, when properly groomed, can serve as an inexpensive accessory. They can be fun and quirky or polished and sophisticated. Whatever your style, there is a nail design to match it. Check out some of the hottest nail trends of the year and be inspired!

Minx Nails

These nails, popularized by Beyoncé, are essentially high end stickers. Minx nails give a flawless look you can’t achieve with regular nail polish. You can get virtually any design or picture placed on the sticker and they don’t require chemicals during application or removal. The cost of minx nails, depending on the design, is between $55-$80.

Rhinestones

Looking to add a little sparkle to your life? Try rhinestone nails. These little jewels reflect light everywhere, ensuring that a little piece of you will always shine. Whether you plan on applying them yourself or having them professionally done, you must be careful not to scrape or scratch these fake gems off your nail bed.

Matte Nail Polish

Less is truly more with this look. If you don’t think you need sparkle to shine, this lackluster look is for you. Matte finish became popular on the runways and eventually stuck as a nail trend. Part of its popularity stems from the fact that it looks good on virtually any skin tone.  

Black Nail Polish
This insanely popular look was once considered rebellious or gothic. Black nail polish formerly reserved for rockstars and the emo types, suddenly became a mainstream trend. Popularized by a slew of male and female celebrities, people began to realize maybe black wasn’t so bad after all. (*side eye*) Go figure.

Naked Nails

When you forget what your real nails look like take a couple weeks to appreciate the natural color of your nails. Wearing  a coat of clear polish over your nails protects them from breakage in between polishes. If you haven’t been applying a clear base coat it’s a good way to allow the stains on your nails to disappear.

Accent Nail(s)

Who says all ten of your fingers have to be the same color? Show a little diversity by including an accent nail on each hand to spice things up a bit. If you want everything to coordinate, this is not the trend for you; but if you like to break the rules every once in  a while, go ahead girl! 

Fantasy Nail Art

Escape the hum drum of your everyday life just by looking down at your hand! These nails, although probably not suitable for corporate America, surely make a statement. With fantasy nails, a favorite of Keyshia Cole, you’ll be able to mesmerize people simply by waving your hand. These over the top nails are perfect for special occasions or whenever you feel like taking a bit of a risk.