Bloomingdale's has the better range for building a routine rather than buying one polish. Londontown's Gel Like Nail Polish Set at $36 is worth it if you want the glassy gel effect without a UV lamp, it self levels. CHANEL's LE VERNIS Longwear Nail Colour at $34 is the classic red I keep repurchasing, thin enough to layer for a sheer wash if full opacity feels like too much for summer. HERMÈS Les Mains Hermès Nail Enamel at $66 has the nicest brush here, wide and flat so it covers the nail in two strokes.

Nordstrom leans toward the clean, no fuss side of the trend. Nailberry's Nail Polish at $17.10 is the best value in this whole roundup, breathable and long wearing without the price of the prestige names. Londontown's Diamond Shine Top Coat at $20 is the real trend piece, a high gloss top coat is what makes any color look current this season, more than the color itself. Christian Louboutin's Rouge Louboutin Nail Colour at $55 is a fun splurge for the red sole reference on your hands, though it is really just a very good red, not a trend exclusive.

The mistake people make chasing nail trends is buying a bold new color every season instead of investing in one great top coat, which is what actually makes any polish look current. Skip the kids' Nailmatic set if you are shopping for yourself, it is priced and formulated for children's nails and performs differently. The Hermès and Chanel polishes earn a splurge mainly for the brush and wear time, not because the color differs dramatically from a drugstore red. If you take one thing away, spend on the top coat this summer, a glassy finish over a basic color reads more current than a trendy color under a flat one.