Every year , the design company Pantone selects a color of the year that becomes an absolute trend and is the focus of fashion, graphic and product design. This trendy color will also have its place in nail design and provide modern highlights. The choice of the Pantone Color Of The Year 2021 is special because this time the color institute has selected two colors for the trend year: Pantone 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and Pantone 13-0647 Illuminating.
Ultimate Gray: Effect & Meaning
The color gray combines the dark aspects of black and the light aspects of white - so the color itself stands for balance and harmony. In fashion it is considered neutral and is a timeless classic that radiates a calm dignity and is always modern. Pantone's 17-5104 Ultimate Gray stands for strength, composure and endurance. Traditionally, gray is associated with invincibility and renewal.
Serene gray for your nails
“The clear gray is perfect for nail design because you have many design options with this strong color. In the studio, my customers love the soft, confident nuance. You can simply choose it as a dreamy full cover that looks good in everyday life and at events. It goes with almost all outfits – from a blazer for the office to a sparkling evening dress,” says our nail designer Stefanie. She therefore considers gray in nail design to be one of the few colors that can be equally suitable for work and leisure time. On the nails, gray creates a relaxed elegance that adds color and doesn't appear intrusive. When it comes to nail design, you can choose gray as gel, shellac, (UV) nail polish or acrylic in many different designs. Gray nuances with mica or metallic shimmer provide a certain sophistication . If you want to implement the trend in a modern way, you can choose thermal gels that change between white and gray on your nails depending on the temperature.
Illuminating yellow: effect & meaning
The sun color 13-0647 Illuminating from Pantone shows a wonderfully warm yellow tone. It represents a happy atmosphere and gives it a pleasant liveliness. The beautiful color appears hopeful and courageous with its sunny radiance. The ancient Greeks already admired yellow because of its bright, warm shine - the color has lost none of its appeal to this day. Traditionally, yellow represents cheerfulness and is associated with sensuality and creativity.
Nail designs in cheerful yellow
“Yellow as a full cover is definitely a look for the summer that captures the sun perfectly, but can be worn all year round with sophisticated nail designs. If you can't wear the color on your fingernails because of your job, you have the option of doing a yellow pedicure and taking advantage of the beautiful trend," explains our nail designer. Among the shades of yellow, there are dreamy nuances for the perfect nail design, ranging from neon to pastel , whose hopeful power can create joyful nail designs. In spring, light shades are popular, while in summer it can be a bit bolder. In autumn and winter , yellow gold with mica and shimmer can create festive nail designs.
Pantone trend: nail designs in gray & yellow
This year, two colors were selected by Pantone as Color Of The Year 2021 because they harmonize particularly well with each other and work wonderfully together. While the timeless gray impresses with its casual dignity, the lively yellow stands out with its joyful power. This is exactly the effect Pantone wanted to achieve in these times by choosing these two colors: In combination, they appear strong, powerful and extremely lively. The calm and serenity of gray is skilfully combined with the happy, hopeful radiance of yellow!
Gray & yellow: implement the nail design trend correctly
Our expert has put together three inspiring ideas for you on how you can implement the trendy nail design in gray and yellow on your nails this year. Don't miss the trend and rely on the two fantastic colors of 2021!
- Decorative nail in yellow
You can easily implement the nail design in gray and yellow by designing all the nails on your hand in gray as a full cover. Leave out one finger, for example the ring finger, and apply a cheerful shade of yellow to it. Of course, you can also reverse the design and make most of the fingers yellow and create a gray decorative nail.
- Gray nails & yellow nail art
Would you like to put the new color combination on your nails, but would like to use yellow more discreetly? Then choose gray as the base color of your nails and use yellow nail art. You can apply this individually and easily to your nails using yellow stamping polish and a stencil, for example. Here you have a free choice of motif and can decorate single or multiple nails with it. You can also add hologram hearts or rhinestones in golden yellow for cool winter nails or polymer clay fruit slices (pineapple or lemon) for sparkling summer looks. If you are very creative and want to make your nail art more individual, you can use a nail art pen in yellow and create your very own looks. Our nail designer loves yellow nail art with flower motifs in spring and summer!
- French manicure in gray & yellow
The French manicure is a classic that has been very popular in the studio for years. You can present it in a modern way and make it lively by using the two 2021 trend colors from Pantone. To do this, do a normal French manicure. For the otherwise white French line, for example, choose a gray French for the thumb, index finger and middle finger and a yellow French for the ring finger and little finger.