I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things to do when I have a little extra cash and some free time is to get a manicure. With the weather getting colder why not treat yourself to an inexpensive pick-me-up at your local nail salon? (I know I will) When picking your trendy fall shade, remember: the darker the better. Save the pale pinks, corals, and pastel colors for the warmers months. The big colors this fall are chocolate brown, forest green and deep teal.
Here are some useful tips from Women’s Health magazine to help you stray away from pale nails and achieve the most fabulous fall manicure:
1. Choose a Flattering Hue
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It is important to select a shade that complements your skin tone.
- Light skin tones look great in purples or reds
- Medium skin tones can rock blues or metallics
- Dark skin tones can pull off golds or deep reds
- All skin tones look flattering in coral and grays
2. Keep Them Short
- Nails should reach the ends of your fingers and be square with rounded corners.
- Doing so makes any nail color look great and you can have that more modern look.
3. Soften Up
- Make sure to buy a new nail file with 240 grit count or higher because some of the older kinds are too coarse and can cause peeling and splitting.
- Try: Rudolph Light/Dark Pink Nail File Soft Touch Extra Fine 280/320, $.89, sallybeauty.com
4.Skip the Soak
- Don’t let your manicurist dunk your fingers in the water bowl prior to polishing because the nail plate shrinks back as it dries– resulting in chipping.
5. Make It Last
- To prevent chipping, use a polish-gel hybrid at a salon or better yet, use sheer nail color strips that are the easy at-home option
- Try: Sally Hansen 14 Day Nail Shields, $7, at drugstores
6. Go Green
- Choose cuticle salve as your one eco-friendly product to add to your manicure.
- Apply it nightly to keep cuticles from looking worn out.
- Try: Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, $6, burtsbees.com
7. Remove Right
- Dark polishes require more aggressive removing which is why standard cotton balls won’t do the trick.
- Soak a cotton or rayon-blend pad with remover and press it onto the nail for 3-4 seconds to soften the polish.
- Try: Nailtini Cocktail Napkins Nail Polish Remover Squares, $12, nailtini.com.
If you want to read more about these tips or other beauty trends, please visit WomenHealthMag.com or pick up the October issue on newsstands now!
So ladies what nail colors will you be wearing this fall? What are your favorite nail tips? Share with us! We’d love to know!