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2016 was another year in which the Nail Polish market had a strong growth. This beauty segment grew by 6% showing for the 5th year in a row a consistent development (source: Kline). Here are some key insights from 2016 and 5 biggest trends for the 2017 nail art market.

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2016, key take aways from the Nail Polish Market

2016 was another outstanding year. The Nail polish industry has evolved in a solid manner, providing to all customers several new opportunities. From basics to pure innovative products, everybody could find its way. What should we keep from this segment?

Long Lasting Nail Polish
One of the biggest focus in the past 12 month was the aptitude for brands to propose long lasting nail polish, that could be used at work and during party time. The Long-wear nail polish category has been growing by triple-digit since 2015 and it was still a big focus in 2016.

Nail Treatment, beauty and health aligned
This is a background trend growing little by little and with a strong relevancy in 2016. Women are no longer looking for beautiful nails if this means they are not treating them well. Customers have taken full consciousness of their wellbeing and health. Nail polish can be considered something intrusive in your body and you want to make sure you apply a safe product. Moreover we realize that the beauty of your nails is not only the color, it is also their shape, thickness and resistance to the conditions of your daily life. Brands like Sisley who are one of the pioneers in Nail treatment offers interesting formulas to treat your nails while they look beautiful. This segments represents one of the strongest growth for the French beauty brand. People are also looking more and more for Organic nail polish or at least “low synthetic fuel-driven substances” that pay attention to environment and health. So far it is not always easy to find efficiency and beauty on this but at least customers are keen to buy responsable brands.

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Nail Polish Removal options – Innovation at stake.
This is an interesting trend for this year, that concerns more the beauty salons and professionals. Some personal or private people solutions are also in development. Nail polish removal is an area of growing concern for salon professionals and their customers, due to the increased use of gel and long wear polish. New removal options range from peel-off base coats to steamers making the Removal category the most innovative right now, in the entire nail care market. Brands are creating unique removal techniques that won’t damage nails like the use of acetone or filing often does. They will use steam for example thanks to a steamer machine. The steam that is created helps to remove gels and acrylics more easily. New types of removal products include The Painted Nail’s Steam Off and Gel II’s Steam Gel-Polish Removal System.

Being one of the most dynamic beauty segments, Innovation is always at stake. Color is for sure something key, not only from a personal perspective but also from a trend choice. In order to help you navigate next year, here are top 5 trends in Nail Art for 2017.

Top 5 Trends of Nail Art for 2017

What can we say about next year trends on nail polish and nail art? After several years of complete fantasy and destructuration, the new deal next year will drive us through a direction of sharpness and precision. Shapes, lines and colors will be impeccable. Precision of a line, a nail shape or a dual color will be respected at the millimeter. Less is more but always glamourous.

1- Accurate nails is a must

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Weird shapes and blurring colors are over. 2017 will propose accurate nails. The shape and look of your nails will be perfect, almost with a scientific precision. All edges require great attention for the perfect result. The main idea is to minimize the elements and the design which allows to play with plain colors and also to highlight the shape of your nails. Obviously you will need to have impeccable healthy nails. This trend comes directly from the idea of precision, quality and “all things driven by design” that helps in architecture, interior design and fashion. You can play with soft colors but also with different colors in each nail. By allowing a certain fantasy you will find an interesting contrast.

2- Delicacy and Poetry for your eyes

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While the world goes tuff, people goes soft. Life is already sometimes hard so people wishes to find a better balance and surround themselves with beauty. In the 18th century artists rediscovered nature as a main source of inspiration. More than 300 years later, nature is still a strong aspirational idea to showcase. In 2017, nail art will keep exploring this trend with a hint of poetry, delicacy and cleverness. Flowers, birds, natural impressions will take over your nails. Patterns will be small but present. it might be a small detail, or a floral signature but in all cases it will be done with good taste and a certain set of colors.

3- Almond is the new shape

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Square, round, claws-like shape…. your nails can take different shapes and different aspects. In 2017 the mainstream shape will be almond. This specific shape allows to align femininity with  a natural softness. You can be sexy without being over-sexual. You can be feminine and still keep it simple. You can go to work with it and still party in the evening. The almond shape nails also allow to extend the fingers by giving them a long, fine and elegant look.

4- Soft colors, skin colors, organic colors

Every year, or every season, Pantone company releases the new color trends and here are the 10 top colors for 2017 Spring-Summer. From colors that are bright and vivid to those that convey a sense of earthiness, Pantone top 10 colors for spring summer 2017 are reminiscent of the hues that surround us in nature. In conjunction with New York Fashion Week, the PANTONE Fashion Color Report provides a comprehensive overview of fashion designers’ use of color in their spring 2017 collections. Featuring the top 10 shades seen on the runway, the PANTONE Fashion Color Report is an open window to future trends.

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In terms of nail polish, earth tone colors will be translated in order to bring a natural feeling and still keep the interest of colors. Here is a color trend nail polish palette, showing how the nail polish industry would translate the seasonal colors into their product.

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It is interesting to carefully analyse the new 2017 Pantone notes. Why this coming back to natural, organic, earthy-linked color palette?  People are looking to find meaning to who they are and to what they do. We want to reconnect with nature and to our own nature. After a fast start of the years 2000 in which speed, efficiency and immediate satisfaction were important, now people are looking for a more relaxing tempo. We want to be surrounded by certain elements that would help us to not-forget our human nature and the fact that we are part of this planet. So the main focus are on colors that are less blatant and more subtle. Nature is a true inspiration because it allows to find this interesting subtlety that is required.

5- Red is the new Red

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Certain things are strong elements in a girl wardrobe. When it comes to nail polish the star of the stars is RED. The red color is the ultimate icon of femininity and red nails will always bring an effect. Now the all question is which red? Well in 2017, RED can be multiple but in all cases you will choose a deep red. Red with substance in which richness will be at ease. Red will not be bling-bling or “fluo-over-the-top”. You will always choose a certain elegance. 2017 Reds will be playing with light, texture, always with an impeccable result.

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As we can see, 2017 will be a beautiful year for nail art and nail polish. Trends are rich, facetted, yummy and elegant. Women will express themselves in a natural yet feminine way. It will allow a soft approach of life and overtime you will look to your hands you will remind of our beautiful inner-nature. Life is beautiful.

José Amorim

Info sourced at Pantone, International New York Tines, Harpers bazaar, Elle.com, Refinery29.com, Lacquerbuzz.com and mailartmania.com. Images are for illustration purposes only. Some pictures used came from http://www.lacquerbuzz.com, http://www.nailsartmania.com, http://nailzcraze.com