Nailing the au naturel look
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THIS summer, nail trends have gone super-bright with oranges, blues and yellows to give hands a shock punch of colour. But over on the other side of the rainbow spectrum, pale and interesting made a comeback on the spring/summer catwalks.
To complement fussy floral and sheer chiffon trends, designers went back to basics on nails with divine pale pinks.
On the upside, it’s a versatile nail colour that will work with all your summer wardrobe. But the downside is that nails need to look immaculate to carry off pale chic – so put a manicure on your to-do list before you start spending at the nail bar.
“The simplest manicure will revolutionise hands and nails and make us feel instantly better,” says Rosie Watson, author of new book Manicure and Pedicure.
“Making nails look good takes 20 minutes every week, with another 10 minutes added for varnishing, so finding the time shouldn’t be a problem.”
TALON TRADE SECRETS
Want to know how to create a manicurist’s professional touch at home? Rosie reveals her top tips for gorgeous groomed nails:
1When cleaning beneath the nail’s free edge, do so gently or you could damage the delicate skin that joins the nail plate to the nail bed, thus reducing the surface area of the nail bed.
2Gently buffing the nails with a fine-grain buffer will help to smooth unsightly ridges, but be sure not to over-buff as the nails will just become thinner and weaker.
3A soft leather shammy can really make the nails shine as if they have a varnish on, so if your profession does not allow nail varnish, try this instead for the same look.
4Treating cuticles regularly with a massage oil or hand cream will help keep them pliable, and gently pushing them back weekly will keep them out of the way without having to cut them off completely.
5For weak, damaged and fine nails, use a very fine grit board, which allows for a smooth, but light, removal of nail and a clean shape.
SHOP FOR NAIL CHIC
If you want to bypass the nail-salon appointments once in a while, or simply want to start giving your talons some tender loving care, you will need a few bare essentials.
Put these manicure goodies on your beauty shopping list: Nails Inc Professional Manicure Bowl with Striptease, £10 (www.nailsinc.com); Nulon Cuticle Treatment Cream, £3.69, Superdrug; Ms Manicure Stylfile, £2.99, Boots; Fabulous in Five Illuminating Buffer, £2.99, Superdrug; The Nail Doctor Bright and White, £8.99, Boots.
All-in-one manicure kits are great for kick-starting a nail manicure routine. Try Nailoid Results French Manicure set in pink, £6, from Boots, or Nails Inc French Manicure Collection, £20.
If your nails aren’t up to scratch just yet, cheat your way to natural nails with fake manicured talons such as Kiss CustomFit Self-Stick French Nail Kits, £7.99, Boots, or Elegant Touch Get Real Slim Tip Pink, £6.99, Superdrug.
DIY MANICUREIf you want beautiful natural nails, it requires more effort than brushing on a quick-drying pink polish.
Rosie says: “Performing a home manicure saves time and money, and is relaxing and satisfying.”
She has this step-by-step guide to make you – and your nails – look and feel fabulous in less than half-an-hour:
If your nails are already painted, dampen a cotton-wool pad with acetone-free nail-varnish remover and remove the old colour. If the vanish is not completely removed, dip a cotton bud into varnish remover and remove any excess.
Apply a small dot of cuticle remover or cream to the cuticles and rub in. At this stage, the cuticles will be hard, so it is essential to soften them before manipulating or removing them.
While the cream is sinking in, perform a hand and arm massage using cream or oil.
After a thorough exfoliation, rinse and soak the nails in a bowl of warm water for five minutes to soften the cuticles before work on them begins. Pat dry.
Use an orange wood stick to gently push back the cuticles.
While the nails are still a little soft, file them to reduce length and shape the free edge. It is vital not to file a dry nail as too much of the nail’s surface can be removed.
Shaping the nails should now be easy. All you have to decide is whether to go square, round or oval.
The last phase of the manicure before applying polish is buffing. This ensures that the nails’ surface is smooth, shiny and free of oil or cream which could encourage the varnish to lift and chip after application.
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