The One Nail Polish Colour You Need to Try This Season

One nail polish colour has risen above the rest as the colour trend for spring: orange. From fiery tomato red to tangerine, it's the go-to hue for your fingertips and toes over the next few months. If you're ready to push your nudes aside for this statement-making hue, we enlisted Rita Remark, global lead educator for Essie, to share some pointers on how to wear the bold shade and have gathered a few bottles of our fave orange lacquers to try.

Pick your polish

"Every year there are always the usual favourites for spring: soft pinks, soft greens, which are expected so [orange]." says Remark. Peach, she says, is a good softer option, or, if you're after something a bit more daring, try a blazing bright orange. Alternately, a burnt orange or terracotta hue works on most skin tones.

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Let orange be the star of the show

"[Different shades of orange] were spotted on a lot of spring runways," says Remark. "But if you're going to wear an eye-catching shade like orange ... just let the orange be the statement." That means rocking the shade on its own without any nail art and going with a classic manicure: just a few coats of the bold hue with a long-wearing topcoat layered on top.

Prep your nails

"There's no rules on what lengths can wear bright colours," says Remark. "[For example] at the Jeremy Scott show, nails were bright, psychedelic neon pink and orange on long almond nails and at other shows, the style was short, square and tomato red." So no matter the shape, length or style of your nails, there's a shade of orange out there that will look just right on your fingers or toes. Just remember to make the most out of your manicure by sandwiching your hue between a base and top coat.

Do it right

If you're not used to wearing bright colours or you don't often do your nails yourself, it might be best to hit up a nail salon, says Remark. "It's really easy to paint on sheer nude hues at home since they are user-friendly shades, but if you're going to venture into new territory, leave it to the professionals." And it's important to note that bright colours like orange show chips and painting mishaps more easily than a nude. "As soon as it starts chipping, fix the chip or let it go." She recommends opting for a long-wearing gel formula if you're prone to chips or having the colour on hand to fix up any potential wear and tear.

Orange Nail Polish