Dressing up our nails to match our mood or our favourite beauty looks is definitely fun. However, we have to admit that it can also be a bit high maintenance, especially in today’s setting where the extent of flaunting them is limited by our still-restricted movements due to the pandemic. But would we let that be our excuse to just let our ‘tips go bare?
If you want to give your nails an easy and practical makeover but are already tired of the typical French mani, here are other minimalist nail trends for you to try.
French with a twist
French nails are known for their signature pink-and-white colour combination. But if you want to add a bit of an edge to them, changing the shade you use for the actual nail tips can make all the difference. Black is a typical option, but you can definitely go for other hues as long as your base is a nude-ish pink colour.
‘Nail’ the look: This mani can be achieved with your usual creme polishes. But if you want to achieve cleaner and more defined lines, stick with gel polish instead. Creme can bleed against each other especially if you apply a new coat on top of one that's not dry yet. This is easily avoidable with gel's quick-dry method.
Oat milk nails
Clean, chic, and one that doesn’t require extra technical skills to pull off, oat milk nails are a good alternative for the pink-hued Frenchies. They have the same practical-but-polished vibe but with an oomph. It’s easily achieved by going over your buffed nails with a translucent oat-white polish that’s neither too nude nor too milky to get a my-nails-but-better finish.
‘Nail’ the look: Using a translucent base coat can look too streaky if applied alone. Make sure you seal it with a glossy topcoat to even out your mani and make the colour pop even more.
Palette-themed
Minimalist nails don’t necessarily mean going for nude colours all the time. It can also equate to going for a theme with colours that complement each other. Think: greens and yellows, blues and purples or a gradient of white, grey, and black.
‘Nail’ the look: Adding a uniform accent — a pale yellow vertical line in the case of the photo above, for example — will give your ‘tips that cohesive look.
Dazzling addition
In this age, you don’t necessarily have to go to a nail salon to achieve bedazzled nails. Nail stickers and nail jewellery are so easy to get. But since we’re treading the minimalist route, topping your usual creme'd or gelled fingertips with a star sticker here or a faux jewel there would already do the trick.
‘Nail’ the look: It’s easy to go ham with nail stick-ons, but it can also look tacky if you go overboard. To maintain a glamorous yet still minimalist effect, choose only one finger per hand to put the piece-de-resistance on. Your ring, middle and pointer finger are usually the best candidates for this.
Matte with a freehand accent
Matte nails are truly not to be dismissed. This finish has an elegant vibe and looks sturdier than your usual glossy nails. Add on a small freehanded accent to one of your nails and you have claws that are ready to slay all day.
‘Nail’ the look: Getting the right shades when going for matte colours can be challenging, especially since it’s so easy for your nails to look underwhelming when you go from the ‘wrong’ shade. If you want your ‘tips to really have an impact, go for bolder opaque colours instead of muted or pastel shades that tend to look too dull when in a matte finish.
(Cover photo from: Damir Spanic via Unsplash)
Speaking of trends, have you tried the 'red tea' makeup look yet?
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