Will You Have On Trend Nails This Autumn?

I can't believe it's the beginning of August already - although the shops are filling up with AW17 clothes and the glossy magazines are encouraging us to sort out our make-up bags and get ready to dazzle.

Image credit: Nic Senior

According to Harpers Bazaar, Chloe featured the 60's eye heavily in this year's show whilst Giambattisti Valli featured blood red lips.  Neither of these trends are too much of a stretch for most make-up bags, particularly if you are lover of the iconic MAC shades Ruby Woo or Russian Red. Personally I've never mastered the 60's eye and still struggle with eyeliner but I've read good reports about Bobby Brown Gel Eyeliner for those of us who just can't get the lines straight!

Vogue says that this season's lip look is 'just snogged' and that it's perfectly OK if your lippie looks a bit, well, smeary.  Very handy for us mums who apply their lipstick with a child in one hand whilst desperately searching for car keys.  Worryingly, they also include 'bleached brows' as a look and 'over-liner' - lining your eyelid with a contrasting colour.

Image credit: Pixabay

If you can't be faffed with all that, there's 'Groomed Minimalism', groomed brows, curled eyelashes and a slick or gloss or there also seems to be an outbreak of 'rose' for eyelids, lips and cheeks.

Image credit: Pixabay

If you are more of a mani / pedi girl, the statement mani is back. According to Vogue there were checkerboard nails at House of Holland, crystal-studded talons at Gucci, chainmail accessories at Ryan Lo and pressed flower designs at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi.

At Milan Fashion Week, Elle Magazine found tiger stripe press ons at Emilio Pucci, bejewelled talons at Gucci and 60s tan manis at Moschino.

Whilst none of those designs seem particularly appropriate for the renewed school runs, a manicure or a pedicure is something we can all manage - even at home - perhaps by getting inspiration from one of Ellisons Professional Manicure Kits.

And, in case you've forgotten the key steps for a professional looking manicure at home, here's what to do:-

1. Remove old nail polish with a gentle nail polish remover.  Acetone nail polishes will work faster but non-acetone removers are kinder to skin.

2. Shape your nails.  Clip and gently file into shape with a gently abrasive emery board or crystal nail file.  Smooth the tops and sides of the nails with a slightly abrasive buffer but don't overdo it as the polish won't adhere as well.

3. Soak your hands and nails in a bowl of warm water.  You could add a little facial cleanser or shampoo to the water.  If you're going to trim your cuticles, soaking is necessary but only for around 3 minutes.

4. Apply callous/cuticle remover. When cutting away the thickened skin around the nail, applying a bit of cuticle remover will help.

5. Remove excess cuticle and callouses around the nail. Using the cuticle pusher from your kit, gently push the cuticle back away from the nail, but don't push it too far because it can damage nail growth or fray the cuticle.

Don't clip into the cuticle, just nip off the free edge with a pair of metal cuticle nippers. Don't overdo it because the cuticle helps protect the nail bed.

Image credit: Lele Breveglieri

6: Moisturize with a rich hand cream all over the hands and cuticles.

7. Prep for polish. Remove any leftover moisturizer on the nail with a cotton pad dipped in nail polish remover. You need to make sure that the nails have no oil left on them.

8. Apply base coat. If you have weak or brittle nails, use a base coat of ridge-filling nail polish to shore up the nail. A base coat also protects nails from staining (especially important if you prefer red nail polish) and prevents chipping. 

9. Apply your nail colour in layers, allowing each layer to dry between coats. Two coats of colour polish followed by a top coat to add gloss should do the trick.

10. Check for and clean up any mistakes—and you're almost done! It takes time for nails to fully dry, so be patient. A fan helps, but don’t use heat or your hair dryer or the polish will chip and peel. Also, don’t put your nails too close to the fan or you’ll end up with bubbles in your polish.

11: Reapply moisturizer! Keeping your hands and the nail area healthy-looking requires moisturizer. You can't have great nails and hands without this essential product.

Using the right tools will make a great difference and it's worth investing in a good set, especially when you consider how much you are likely to save on professional manicures.