The trend and prep work
We spotted them on songstress Nelly Furtado as she clutched the microphone during her performance at the 2006 American Music Awards, and Oscar winner Charlize Theron was ahead of the trend when she wore them at the 78th Annual Academy Awards. Dramatically dark nails claim the title as the hottest look of the moment in manicures and pedicures.
No doubt, fashion house superpower Chanel influenced this trend since releasing its limited edition polish Black Satin in the summer of 2006. But the craze hasn't died down and dark nails continue to be hot.
No doubt, fashion house superpower Chanel influenced this trend since releasing its limited edition polish Black Satin in the summer of 2006. But the craze hasn't died down and dark nails continue to be hot.
Search for the perfect dark polish
You'll find plenty of great dark shades from various cosmetics lines so you can easily apply the latest and greatest look to your fingertips. Look for almost-black shades of red, burgundy and plum and don't shy away from true black. It's the surefire way to get that gloriously goth look.
Before heading out to buy a bottle of the deepest, darkest polish you can find, take these pointers from Jennifer Eisen, owner of Bloom Nail Spa and Fabulous Manicure Bar in Toronto. Because dark shades draw extra attention to your hands, Eisen suggests a little prep work for perfectly manicured hands.
How to master your dark digits
Don't: Make like a taloned beast. Dark, long nails can look tacky.
Do: Keep it classy. Trim and shape your nails before applying dark polish. "Dark shades tend to look best on shorter, well-manicured hands," says Eisen. And while the dark-polish look is anything but "square," that's the shape you should aim for to keep nails strong. "By avoiding the sides of the nail and only filing straight across the tip, you can prevent nails from splitting and catching on things."
Don't: Ignore dry skin or cracked cuticles.
Do: Give your hands some TLC. "Dark polish certainly does call more attention to your hands," Eisen warns. So she suggests tending to your hands by keeping them moisturized and soft, with your cuticles hydrated and pushed back. But make sure you remove lotions from your nail surfaces before applying polish to minimize chipping. "At Bloom, we use a toothbrush dipped in polish remover and go over the nail to prepare it for polish."
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You'll find plenty of great dark shades from various cosmetics lines so you can easily apply the latest and greatest look to your fingertips. Look for almost-black shades of red, burgundy and plum and don't shy away from true black. It's the surefire way to get that gloriously goth look.
Before heading out to buy a bottle of the deepest, darkest polish you can find, take these pointers from Jennifer Eisen, owner of Bloom Nail Spa and Fabulous Manicure Bar in Toronto. Because dark shades draw extra attention to your hands, Eisen suggests a little prep work for perfectly manicured hands.
How to master your dark digits
Don't: Make like a taloned beast. Dark, long nails can look tacky.
Do: Keep it classy. Trim and shape your nails before applying dark polish. "Dark shades tend to look best on shorter, well-manicured hands," says Eisen. And while the dark-polish look is anything but "square," that's the shape you should aim for to keep nails strong. "By avoiding the sides of the nail and only filing straight across the tip, you can prevent nails from splitting and catching on things."
Don't: Ignore dry skin or cracked cuticles.
Do: Give your hands some TLC. "Dark polish certainly does call more attention to your hands," Eisen warns. So she suggests tending to your hands by keeping them moisturized and soft, with your cuticles hydrated and pushed back. But make sure you remove lotions from your nail surfaces before applying polish to minimize chipping. "At Bloom, we use a toothbrush dipped in polish remover and go over the nail to prepare it for polish."
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