It’s not often I’m late to a beauty bandwagon, but such was the case with novelty nails.  

For years I’ve been rocking the same few shades on my nails, red or pale, with some brights on my toe nails in summer. I made  a couple of allowances for Chanel - I definitely embraced Rouge Noir after Uma Thurman wore it in Pulp Fiction, and I got on the black polish trend when they released Black Satin – but I’ve been a fairly negligent follower of nail trends for more than a decade.

This is mostly due to my indulging in the really despicable habit of nail biting. It’s unsightly and unhygienic, and yet I did it for as long as I can remember. Having recently kicked the habit (for the most part – it’s a process!) I’ve opened myself up to a whole new world of nifty nail niceties.

And while nail “art” is nothing new, there are a couple of trendy versions that aren’t too “out there” that I’m really embracing. The first is the reverse french manicure, where you adopt a coloured strip in place of the usual white line at the top of your nail. It’s fun, but still professional looking. I’ve seen this in a few corporate offices. You can even take it a step further with a contrasting colour on the majority of your nail, instead of leaving it clean.

The other is the new “shattered” nail polish. OPI lead the way with this one (as usual) but there are several brands making this sort of polish. Shattered, or cracked, polish is basically a top coat that you apply over a base colour. As it dries, it cracks…it looks similar to shattered glass.

The best thing about nail “art” is how easy it is to adopt a look, and to change it. Both of these looks are much lower maintenance than they seem – in fact they’re an incredibly easy, no-commitment way to adopt a new look or try colours you’ve previously shied away from. Another bonus: I’ve discovered that pretty, unexpected nails brighten my day no matter how terrible the weather. And that’s what beauty is meant to be about after all: the little things that make you feel good.

Article by Kate Montgomery