Spring is such a great season – with the birds chirping and the flowers blooming, how does one not get inspired to smile and throw on a cute dress to enjoy the scenery. There’s just so much color outdoors you can’t ignore. The great outdoors during this time of the year can really serve as color inspiration for your nails. Let mother nature be your guide.

I couldn’t decide which  of the 5 colors I wanted to paint my nails the most so I decided I would paint them with every color. I didn’t stop there, I added paint drops of each color on a different colored nail. The more color the better!

Colors used:

Spa Ritutal Nail Laquer in Airhead

Sephora by OPI in Brainiac

Revlon nail Enamel in 917 Plum Seduction

Avon Nailwear in Lagoon

Maybelline Express Finish in 900 Go Go Green

Unshiny, matte nails? Sounds strangely interesting. I found this beauty tip while reading the February issue of Glamour Magazine, and now I’m curious to see what it really looks like.

1. Start with base coat. “Mattes have a reputation for not lasting as long as regular polishes,” says Kimmie Kyees, Rhianna’s manicurist. Base coat helps polish stay put and prevents annoying yellow stains. I like to use a base coat anytime I paint my nails because I usually paint them colors that tend to stain like red or black.

2. Even it out. Matte tends to dry fast so do two thin coats of polish to fill in streaks – no need for topcoat. OPI also has a line of matte nail polishes. $8.50 at amazon.com)

3. Matte what you’ve got. You don’t have to ditch your favorite shiny colors to wear this trend: just get yourself a bottle of matte topcoat. Let your regular shade try, then apply one layer on top. Glamour recommends CND Super Matte Top Coat. ($8 bebeautiful.com)

4. Try the new french mani. A great monochromatic look Kyees recently created for Kim Kardashian: Do two matte black coats over the entire nail, then brush clear, shiny nail polish just along the tip.