Please Do Try These At Home: Your Favorite Nail Trends Made Simple

Nails are a big hit this season. From the runway to the red carpet, designers and celebrities alike are touting trendy nails as the hottest must-have beauty accessory of the moment, and it’s not as simple as knowing the right colors anymore. This year, more than ever before, fashionable ladies are sporting complicated nail patterns, painted in seemingly impossible designs– and they’re doing it themselves! If you’re an average working woman, you probably don’t think you have the time to achieve what seems to be complex styles: but you do! Here, Creative Director of Pretty Woman USA, Aija Vilemsonne, fills us in on what’s in this season, and gives us the knowledge to execute these trends at home.

Ombre

“My personal favorite trend at this moment is Ombre. It looks professionally done if you have the patience for it, and all you’ll need are two different shades of polish. I always recommend using a top coat and a base coat, and find that having a makeup sponge handy can help to clean up any mess and tighten up the edges of the colors,” says Aija.

How-To

• · First, make sure that your hands are moisturized, clean, and dry. That’s the first step to any successful manicure, and should be standard practice.



• · Apply your base coat and the base color; Aija recommends two coats, depending on the polish used. This will show as the lower color on your nail, closest to the cuticle.



• · Use a paper bowl to pour a small amount of the second color, the one that will appear at the tip of your nail, and dab a tiny amount on your makeup sponge. Do this slowly and carefully, never applying too much at a time. This will help to keep the mess manageable.



• · This is important: make absolutely certain that your nails are fully dry before applying the second color. Dip the makeup sponge into polish and dab the tips of your nails in quick, short strokes. Make sure to cover the end of your nail.



• · The topcoat becomes a blending tool with this style. It will act as a re-wetting agent to bleed the two colors together, and keep your color lasting and solid.

Stripes

“Stripes are a trend that is slightly more time consuming, so save it for the weekend or a stress-free night. Even though they take a little longer to apply, the look is complicated and beautiful, and looks very well put together in any situation. Whether you’re at brunch or out for a night on the town, stripes can work with any look,” Aija explains.

How-To

• · Test your colors out on your nails beforehand. Make sure that they look good together. To make your stripes pop, contrasting colors always work best. It helps to cut the brushes on the polishes you are using into more narrow versions of themselves, thus eliminating the need to touch up every few seconds.



• · Using the lightest shade, apply a coat of polish to your nail, allowing time for drying.



• · Depending on the size of your nail, apply about two stripes of darker colors on either side of the nail, leaving space for the original color’s stripe.



• · Apply a second coat of the original, lighter color, but only on its designated area. Touch up the darker color with an extra coat over those particular stripes.



• · Allow ample time for drying. In this exercise, the top coat can be your worst enemy if you are not careful to make sure that your nails are completely dry. Once you’re sure, add the top coat for an added sheen and protective layer.

French

Aija says, “No matter what trends come and go, I know that the classic French will always be a sought-after look for nails. I constantly get questions about creating the perfect French manicure at home, and although it is very simple, most people don’t have a solid set of tips for application. The French is a classic because it is endlessly wearable; no matter what occasion, it looks pulled together, sophisticated, and well-placed.”

How-To

• · Aija recommends using the Pretty Woman French Nail Guide, available in Rite Aids nationwide, as a quick-fix to creating the materials yourself. However, if you don’t have a kit handy, you can use household items.



• · Take a thin strip of either masking tape or the strip from the Nail Guide, and apply it across the top of your nail, just below the edge. Make sure the line is straight.



• · Use a light pink or nude color to apply color over the nail, including over the tape. Allow time for drying. Next, remove the tape and apply the white polish above the tape line, covering the tips of your nails.



• · Allow time for drying, and then apply another coat of the pink or nude shade on the base of the nail. This will darken the color without taking away from the brightness of the white.



• · Apply top coat.

“Nails are all about personality. Take these trends to the next level by using fun colors, and take the time to dedicate to your nails. This season, everyone will be checking them out!” says Aija.