[Favorites] Summer 2012 Nail Polishes

This summer, I will likely have my nails painted either nude or turquoise.  Nude and turquoise nails go with almost everything in my summer wardrobe, and they look casual and beachy.  I do like to mix it up occasionally with bright or red nails, but I always wear sheer or cream-finish polishes in the summertime.  These are my top 7 favorite nail polishes for Summer 2012.

My Favorite Nail Polishes for Summer 2012 :: Essie Cloud Nine, Orly Gumdrop, Maybelline Racy Red, Essie Splash of Grenadine, Zoya Maya, Zoya Malia, Nicole by OPI All Kendall-ed Up

Essie Cloud Nine :: This is sheer milky white.  It's not streaky - at all.  It makes my nails look naturally whiter and shinier.  Other good nude polishes for summer include Essie Mademoiselle, China Glaze Inner Beauty, and Wet n Wild Megalast Sugar Coat.

Orly Gumdrop :: Turquoise or aqua nails complement my summer clothes and add a bohemian element to a look.  Orly Gumdrop is a light turquoise than leans more blue than green.  I also like Essie Turquoise and Caicos and China Glaze Kinetic Candy.

Maybelline Express Finish Racy Red :: Red nails make a casual summer outfit look more classy.  This is the ideal shade of red for me.  Essie First Dance is a similar color.

Zoya Malia :: I like bright purples and bright blues, and Malia is somewhere in between.  Wet n Wild Megalast On a Trip is similar but leans more blue.

Zoya Maya :: Coral nails are a summer classic, and coral makes most skin tones look more tan.  Maya is a pink coral with a jelly-like finish.

Essie Splash of Grenadine :: I adore this light plum nail polish.  Bonus: it complements my pale, cool-tone complexion.  Maybelline Love Me Lavender is a dupe for this.

Nicole by OPI All Kendall-ed Up :: I love wearing bright pink in the summer, and I think this may be the perfect fuchsia to complement my skin tone.

Maybelline Racy Red, Essie Cloud Nine, Orly Gumdrop || Essie Splash of Grenadine, Zoya Maya, Zoya Malia, Nicole by OPI All Kendall-ed Up

What are your favorite summer nail polishes?

[NOTD] Orly Gumdrop

I love to wear turquoise and aqua nail polishes in the summer.  I think turquoise complements most of my summer wardrobe.  Below, I'm wearing Orly Gumdrop, a light blue-green polish.  I think it leans more blue than green.  It lasted me four days before wearing or chipping, but on that forth night, it started chipping off in chunks.

Orly Gumdrop (direct sunlight)

Orly Gumdrop (indirect sunlight)

I wore two coats of Gumdrop with the Zoya Anchor basecoat and New York Grand Central Station topcoat.

[NOTD] Zoya Tosca

To commemorate the first day of summer today, I wore a fiery red nail polish, Zoya Tosca.  Tosca is a pink-leaning red with a flash of orange shimmers.

Zoya Tosca

Zoya Tosca

As always, I wore one coat of Orly Bonder then two coats of Tosca, topped with one coat of New York Color Grand Central Station.

[NOTD] Sinful Colors Cinderella

Sinful Colors Cinderella is a sky blue polish with iridescent pink glitter.  The sparkles transform this ho-hum polish into something special.  I bought this for only a dollar, but it is still a deal at its full retail price ($2).  I found this at my local Walgreens.

I apologize for this slightly blurry picture, but it still captures Cinderella's true color and sparkles.

Sinful Colors Cinderella

I wore one coat of Orly Bonder for my basecoat and one coat of New York Color Grand Central Station for my topcoat.

[NOTD] Essie Splash of Grenadine

Essie Splash of Grenadine is one of my favorite nail polishes to wear in the summertime.  It is a bright medium-tone plum pink.  It looks great in two coats, and its consistency is a cross between a cream and a jelly.  It is shown below as two coats over Orly Bonder and topped with New York Color Grand Central Station.

Essie Splash of Grenadine

If you are looking for a similar polish, I posted comparisons to Splash of Grenadine.