Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Ahhh, summer is back again. The warmer weather means bye-bye black and navy — hello white and bold brights! Creative Nail Design education manager and nail pro, Danelle Barr, explains how to treat your talons to a makeover this season.
1. Get it white
"A clean white-painted oval nail will be huge," says Barr. "This mod look suits stripey nautical outfits and '50s-inspired silhouettes." To get the look, shape the nail to a mid-length almond shape. Apply a base coat, two coats of white enamel and a shiny topcoat to seal. "The key is to use a high-quality, creamy-textured white colour to achieve an even, smooth texture."
2. Distress signals
If you struggle to smooth on colour like a pro, this is your season to shine: "The application doesn't need to be perfect but it's important to have short, healthy nails to carry it off," says Barr. "Distressed candy-coloured tints look luscious with pastel dresses and lacy numbers." File the nail into a natural shape (it should match the curve of your cuticle) and slick on one coat of translucent enamel — no need to be too careful, this look relies on being "deliberately distressed".
3. Patent pretty
With patent leather accessories on the "it" list this season, a high-shine finish for nails is the perfect fashion complement. "There's nothing subtle about this look. "Pair a super shiny topcoat with matte enamel in white, red or purple shades," says Barr. Buff the nails until shiny and apply topcoat instead of base coat. Slick on two coats of your chosen colour and amp up the shine factor with another layer of glossy topcoat.
4. Bold and beautiful
Wanna have some fun? Then opt for this season's eye-popping blue, orange, yellow, pink or purple. "Look for true primary and secondary colours and steer away from last year's fluorescent shades," says Barr. "This look works on long or short nails and looks great with this season's floral and tribal-inspired outfits." Smooth on a thin layer of base coat, two coats of bright enamel (wait five minutes between applications) and a light slick of topcoat.
5. Custom made
"Don't be afraid to mix colours together to create a unique custom shade," says Barr. "Creative Nail Design technicians worked with Marc Jacobs to create the perfect custom colours to accompany his bags. Try making your own perfect denim: mix blue, white and black. It looks hot!"
