Beautiful nails are the ultimate girly indulgence, and now the age of the internet has opened up a whole new universe of wild and wonderful designs. But achieving catwalk-worthy talons is easier said than done.

If you're anything like us, you'll spend hours painstakingly trying to recreate a tiny flag or palm tree on your nail, only for it to descend into a smudgy, cotton wool-flecked mess.

Fear not: those in the know are here to help. We've scoured the inspirational promised land that is Pinterest for the hottest nail trends out there right now - plus tutorials on how to re-create each look for yourself. Scroll down for brilliant summer-inspired designs, from exotic fruits to stained glass effects and newspaper prints.

And as an extra bonus, we've thrown in top tips on nail care from the legendary Sharmadean Reid, nail artist and creator of the WAH Nails salon in Dalston. A few months ago, Sharmadean joined Stylist.co.uk for a live web chat on all things nails, and now we've re-published some of her best advice.

Read on for everything you've ever wanted to know on nail art and maintaining tip-top talons. As Sharmadean herself says, "Nail art is here to stay! How can you go back to having plain nails when you know what is possible?"

Summer fruit nail art

The best nail art on the internet with tips on how to recreate the look at home