JOIN USDiamantes, beads, sequins, glitter, tattoos, stones have all become a part of nail art, says Shahnaz Husain. Looking beautiful on the wedding day entails weeks of care, well in advance.
While regular manicures and pedicures help to keep the hands and feet in good condition, the pre-bridal manicure and pedicure may be done the day before the wedding. Some like to have it done before the mehndi ceremony.
As far as nail care is concerned, it can be started weeks before the wedding, massaging nails with cream and oils. Pure almond oil helps to strengthen the nails and keep it in good condition.
Dip the finger tips and nails in warm almond oil daily for about ten minutes and then massage the oil on and around the nails. The cuticle (skin surrounding the nail) should be kept soft and smooth.
Nowadays hand spa treatments and deluxe manicures are available, comprising of manicure with paraffin wax treatment, normal polish and diamond polish. The super deluxe nail care includes everything – manicure, polish, wax treatment, which are very popular as pre-bridal treatments.
Nail art has become a specialized field nowadays. In the past, simple ways of nail art were followed, but now it is a highly creative field that also includes artificial nails. As part of nail design, nail polish is applied in unusual colours like green, blue or purple for some time now. Or, different colours are used for each nail.
Another trend is to use narrow strips of three different colours on each nail. For a gala evening, gold or silver varnish is used and glittering stars are stuck on the nails. Now it is an entire field in which creativity can be put to good use. One can make a fashion statement with the nails.
Many techniques of painting and polishing nails are used, as well as nail piercing, which is a more recent trend, where even the nails are decorated with jewellery. It is again a way of expressing one’s creativity and even personality. The fact that it is painless encourages more and more experimentation.
Acrylic nails and nail gels have also become very popular, because of the vast opportunities they offer, in terms of colour and nail art. They are also convenient to use, specially if you have brittle or chipped nails. In fact, they are ideal for special occasions.
French Manicures are also popular with brides. One can get a professional nail stylist to do them up with false tips in acrylic. Or, you can even do French manicure at home. The style can be the square shape of the nails, or if you prefer, you can shape the nails into the normal oval shape.
Your nails should be long enough, to try the French Manicure. First, using cotton wool soaked in polish remover, wipe off old nail polish and soak the hands in warm water, as one does for any manicure. Push back cuticles. Using nail clippers or scissors cut the nails evenly and straight across, if you want the square look. If you wish to have nails with rounded edges. Use the emery board to round off the edges, filing only in one direction. Apply cream and massage it into the skin of the hands and fingers, specially the cuticles. Wipe off with a moist towel.
Now, paint only the tip of the nail with stark white nail polish. Apply it straight across. If you go for the square look, just painting across the tip will do. If you have more rounded edges, you will have to follow the shape. Try painting the underside of the nail with white too. This will help to emphasize the tips more. Allow the polish to dry and paint a second coat on the tips of the nails.
Then using sheer transparent polish or a very pale pink colour, paint the entire nail. Allow it to dry and paint a second coat. Once every coat has dried, you can use a colourless, transparent polish as a topcoat on the entire nail. This helps to protect the manicure. You can just paint the clear topcoat everyday, to touch up and make the manicure last.
Gel designs and nail art can be done on French manicure too. Diamantes, beads, sequins, glitter, tattoos, stones have all become a part of nail art.