"Dandelion Yellow" Nails Are Here to Give You an Instant Dose of Happy

In the same way a shot of Emergen-C after a night of drinking can take you from hovering over the porcelain throne to high-fiving your boss the next morning, a nice bright nail polish color can make a bleary day feel a little more happy. The shade that's trending right now isn't too off the mark from the powdered drink mix, either: "dandelion yellow."

The name, coined by manicurist and global lead educator for Essie Rita Remark, perfectly matches spring's earliest bloomer — the dandelion — and is the perfect soft-meets-sunny blend of pastel yellow and orange.

"This version of yellow is much more golden than we're used to seeing — it's like butter," Remark says. "Previously, we'd seen cooler-tone yellows, edging on the side of green or lemon-lime. I love that this shade is trending because it means yellow is now a nail color that has staying power. It's not just a niche, one-season trend. It's more approachable and less of a risk. A color that previously felt polarizing and controversial among nail enthusiasts now boasts variations of hue and more options for those of us trying to find the perfect complement to our skin tone."

Even with zero flowers blooming outside and scarce sunny days left, you can still convince your brain to think warmer thoughts with a yellow manicure. The inspiration and nail polish colors worth a trip (to the store) are ahead.