Put your finger on the pulse of the season with textured nails, neutrals and metallics.
GOOD FOUNDATION
Begin by grooming your hands. Ensure that nails are filed, hands moisturized and cuticles neat. Trim nails if necessary and use a buffer to smooth ridges. Once you are pleased with the shape and look of your nails, it’s time to think about colour. A neutral base with a pop of bold colour works best and will make your nails stand out.
NEUTRAL BASE
It’s a good idea to apply your base coat a day in advance to allow the polish to harden fully. For best results opt for a nude, white or clear nail polish. Apply two coats on nails and let dry. If you’re doing your nails for a special occasion like a wedding, set aside some time when you won’t be engaging in any activities that might chip or ding your polish.
SPLASH COLOUR
With a fine-tip brush paint freehand stripes over the base coat in your accent colour. An alternative method is to apply masking tape as a guide to ensure distinct lines. This is where you can get creative and go for a chevron pattern, horizontal stripes, vertical lines of varying widths or whatever strikes your fancy.
MAKE IT LAST
Finish with a top coat. Let it dry. There are several shortcuts to get nails to dry fast including using a hair dryer, airing them in the sun or chilling them in a bowl of ice water. Alternatively, choose quick-dry polish or drying drops (added to your top coat). For long lasting and durable manicure, gel or shellac are best.
RUNWAY INSPIRATION
Our Favourite Looks from the Fall Runways that Suit Every Occasion From Work to Play
Use a nail sticker or stencil on stiletto-shaped nails to achieve this look created by CND for the Blonds. Opt for bright colours with a touch of sparkle.
To get the understated but classic look at Oscar de la Renta simply paint nails with a nude polish followed by clear gloss.
It’s an easy addition to a French manicure! Paint the bottom half of the nail in a pastel colour to achieve the look from essie at Rebecca Minkoff.
At Greta Constantine nails took their cue from clothes with a tarnished and antique look. Just make sure the nails are matte and metallic.
Want more fashion? This original article first appeared in the Fall 2016 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
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