NUDE NAILS - DO YOU DARE TO BARE?

Nail Foundations (image courtesy of becomegorgeous.com)

(article published for TStylesU)

Although I’d never brave completely bare nails - polish is a necessity at all times as far as I’m concerned - nude polishes have been a big hit this year, and are the beauty junkie’s au naturel alternative.  

“Opaque formulas are great because no nail shows through, so it’s an updated, stronger way to wear nude,” says nail pro Deborah Lippmann. The new season nudes look sleek and elegant, and give the illusion of lengthening fingers, to give an overall more feminine look. 

Green celebrity nail stylist Jenna Hipp’s collaboration with RGB polishes, ‘Nail Foundations’, takes the concept of nude nails that one step further, with polishes designed to match and compliment your skin tone. Celeb Miley Cyrus was suitably impressed with the fleshy polishes, tweeting earlier in the year about how obsessed she was with them.

Miley Cyrus sporting Nail Foundations (image courtesy of hollywoodlife.com)

This take on the trend is one of a few eye-grabbing ways to pull off neutral nails this season. The catwalks for Autumn/Winter 2012 included understated versions such as Essie manicures in ‘Brooch the Subject’ for the DKNY show. And more striking looks came from the catwalks of Thakoon and Dona Karan, showcasing nude nails with dark tips. 

Images courtesy of vogue.co.uk

My manicure this week was inspired by my search for statement nude nails, and so I’ve gone for a barely-there polish ‘Naked as a Jaybird’ by Jessica, and added a touch of pizzazz by layering Urban Outfitters’ ‘Studio 54’ over the top. 

My manicure using Jessica's 'Naked as a Jaybird' and UO's 'Studio 54'

To recreate this look, you will need to apply two coats of your chosen nude polish, after priming the nails with a protective base coat. I went for a yellow-based biscuity shade, to compliment my ivory skin tone.

Naked as a Jaybird by Jessica (image courtesy of Gerrard International)

The next step is to use your glitter polish to paint a thin, sparing layer of glitter flecks over the nude base, making sure not to go overboard with the amount, as this can appear clumpy and will create too much focus on the glitter rather than the neutral base.

Studio 54 glitter polish from Urban Outfitters (image courtesy of  urbanoutfitters.co.uk)

Once dry, add your top coat for a glossy finish that will also stop your manicure from chipping prematurely. And voila! Who’d have thought, nude and statement would be two words seen in the same fashion sentence. 

My manicures/pedicures featured are courtesy of the amazing Julie-Anne Forde, at The Beauty Box.

Chloé x