diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.scss.erb b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.scss.erb
index a0a915b7..2b51fae2 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.scss.erb
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.scss.erb
@@ -837,6 +837,9 @@ label {
 .accountApps .accountIcon {
     background-position: 0 -32px;
 }
+.accountNotifications .accountIcon {
+    background-position: 0 0; /* TODO get a real icon */
+}
 .accountInvite .accountIcon {
     background-position: 0 -64px;
 }
@@ -851,6 +854,10 @@ label {
 .accountListItem:hover a {
     color: #424242;
 }
+.accountNotifications.unread a {
+    color: #424242;
+    font-weight: 900;
+}
 .accountListItem:hover .accountIcon {
     background-position-x: -32px;
 }
diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index 37e0007a..14f8aae9 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -45,4 +45,11 @@ module ApplicationHelper
     end
     false
   end
+
+  def user_unread_notification_count
+    return 0 if current_user.nil?
+    current_user.mailboxer_notification_receipts.reduce(0) do |total, receipt|
+      receipt.is_read ? total : total + 1
+    end
+  end
 end