Pretty Pastels
Take a cue from your stash of Easter mini-eggs and the catwalk looks of L.A.M.B., Milly and Dior and go pastel this spring. At ThreeAsFour, Creative Nail Design’s team achieved the ethereal blue by using Anchor Blue layered with Studio White and a top coat of Super Matte.

ELLE’s top picks: MAC Nail Lacquer in In the Buff, $14.50; Anna Sui in N Shade 107, $15; Orly Sweet Collection Lacquer in Gumdrop, $10; Creative Nail Design in Sweet, $11.50; Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 420 Yellow Kitty, $7.95.

Taupe Shop
One of the hottest polish colours this season – it’s what you’ll find all of the beauty editors sporting on their nails – is a neutral taupe-y grey. The moody shade was spotted on the Chanel, Jean Paul Gaulter and Caroline Seikaly runways.

ELLE’s top picks:
Chanel Le Vernis in 505 Particulière, $26; Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Commander in Chic, $7.95; Essie in Chinchilly, $10; Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro in Steel Grey 270, $4.99; Deborah Lippmann in Walking Up in Vegas, $20.

Rainbow Brights
Nails got juicy makeovers at Oscar de la Renta (where models flaunted bright orange manicures) and at Ruffian (where the Creative Nail Design nail techs gave the girls bare-moon manicures using bright purple Plumville edged with Blackjack to mimic the piping in the shoes and clothes).

ELLE’s top picks: YSL La Laque No. 142 in Ultra Orange, $24; Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in 27 Lickety-Split Lime, $5.95; Sephora by OPI Modern Flowers in Go with the Flow-er, $12; Butter London Jelly Collection in Stroppy, $17; Bourjois Paris in Limited Edition Tangerine Fatal, $10.

Heavy Metals
You can skip the jewelry this season when you accessorize with glitzy chrome nails as seen at Baby Phat, Jason Wu and Karen Walker.

ELLE’s top picks:
Nars nail polish in Versailles, $21; Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen in Silver Chrome, $7.95; MAC Nail Lacquer in Originality, $14.50; Orly Foil FX Collection in Rage, $10; Creative Nail Design Colour & Effects in Gold Chrome, $11.50.

Special Effects
Forget pimping your ride — add some major bling to your spring style with Minx Nails as seen on the Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh runways and on Fergie and Rihanna in their latest music videos. This new nail technology from California involves the application of a thin flexible film, much like a shrink-wrap, onto your nail. Results last one to two weeks and manicures (Minx must be applied by a Minx-trained pro) start at $45. To find a Minx spa and to check out the 100 designs available, visit minxnails.com.

ELLE’s top picks: Minx in Golden Lightning, Silver Lightning, Limited Edition Hologram and Pink with Golden Moons.

Read more
Nail polish trends: Spring 2010 slideshow
Spring 2010 beauty must-haves
Beauty investments