That’s right. Everybody, let’s get naked. It seems that every day, I get at least one email proclaiming that naked is the new black, or blue, pink, taupe, red or purple. So let’s strip off our polish and, and … Oh, you thought I meant literally naked? Gotcha! I’m talking about your nails.
It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve been getting my nails done weekly since I’ve been 26 years old. And prior to that, I’d been polishing them myself since before I had my braces removed. I’ve seen nail trends come and go. I remember when oval nails became squared off, the obsession with Chanel’s Vamp polish in 1995 that ushered in years of saturated, dark colors and the birth and death (that never happened) of the French manicure. (A little bit on the French manicure whose history is murky. Some report that it began in France in the 1930s; others say it’s the creation of Orly founder, Jeff Pink, who in the 1970s came up with a manicure that wouldn’t compete with any of the outfits worn on set by Hollywood actresses. My memory of the French manicure, although I didn’t call it that, was as a preteen when my aunt bought me a buffer to make my naked nails pink and shiny and a white pencil to color the underside of the tips for contrast. I loved that look, although the white pencil wore off within hours as did the rosy sheen from buffing. But, back to the classic French – years ago, and I’m talking maybe 20 or so, beauty editors declared in the pages of almost every fashion and beauty magazine that the classic French manicure was dead. They said it was tacky, but few women listened and the classic French manicure, as well as hundreds of variations on the theme, continue to be popular.) I remember the advent of nail art and knew a woman who wore a real diamond on one of her nails. That ended the day she chipped her nail and the diamond was lost forever. Didn’t she see that coming? I remember having my nails wrapped in silk to prevent them from breaking, long nail tips, acrylic nails and finally, gel manicures.
Nail trends come and go and, after years of wearing color – this summer I’m into all hues of blue – I’m daring to go naked. But naked doesn’t mean you can ditch the nail file and cuticle cream. Nope. Naked nails require upkeep so keep your weekly manicure appointment – it may even cost you less since you’re going sans couleur.
Here’s how to make naked nails work:
Don’t be square. Keep your nails short and rounded. A naturally-rounded nail looks best when you’re going naked. I find that a rounded nail has less of a tendency to break or split. I also like the look of a rounded nail and have been wearing my nails in that shape for about a year now. (So glad to know I’m on trend!)
Pamper your cuticles and nail bed with a good cuticle cream and moisturizer. Naked nails show every ridge, bump and discoloration so, if you opt in on this trend, take good care of your nails and the skin around them. Remove discoloration from polish stains with a gentle polish remover or by rubbing a gentle whitening toothpaste into the nail. A paste of baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide rubbed gently into the nail should also help to remove polish stains.
I like the idea of going naked and not having to deal with chipped polish. And, think of the time I’ll save not waiting for my nails to dry.
Too shy to go full out naked? Opt for one of the nude polishes and rock this summer trend. It looks clean and natural and, like the original French manicure, goes with every outfit.
Want to try the Naked Nails trend? Here are a few tools you’ll need:
You Might Also Like:
Nail Fail, ASOP with My Daughter, Victoria Riess – (Laugh out loud video. Check it out.)
DIY Beauty Recipes for Hands and Feet from Skyy Hadley
