Bridal Beauty: Nail It

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If there’s ever a day that people will be looking at your hands, it’s your wedding day. All that heartfelt?clasping in emotional greeting… putting a ring on it… cutting the cake… doing the Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction dance after a few Mo?ts. So,?flawless nails are rather important to your overall bridal glow. We’ve gathered a few of our favourite ways to strike a handy bridal pose… and we also caught up with Skinkandy’s Emer McGillion (she who polished the nails?in our?gorgeous Don’t Look Back shoot, in the current issue of IMAGE Brides), for her top talon tips.

What trends are you seeing in bridal nails; have we finally said goodbye to the french tip??French isn’t as popular as it used to be with brides, but it certainly hasn’t disappeared.?It’ll always be a classic, and of course it will match any bridal dress and colour scheme [to turn the french tip on its head, peruse our gallery above]. But I do find more brides a bit more daring, now, going for bolder shades of pink and red, to give a pop of colour against?all that neutral. Nude tones are also very on-trend; either a cool peach or metallics will always pop without drawing too much attention.

What’s your top tip for brides, when choosing their shade??Choose a shade that you genuinely like, and will admire on your nails, rather than just going with what you think a bride should wear.?Think of your skin tone. If you’re quite pale and won’t be wearing tan, then some nudes can look insipid and washed out. Pastel colours are a warmer alternative and will likely compliment your colour scheme, while stronger-toned colours?are elegant and modern.?Many brides will go for a neutral colour on the hands and colour on their feet. How about?”something blue” on your toes?

How should a bride be caring for her hands/nails, in the months leading to her wedding??The best way to keep hands in good condition is to use hand cream every day, particularly after washing.?Massage nail/cuticle oil onto your nails every night before bed, which will keep them strong, flexible and hydrated.?Keep a nail file nearby – if you feel a nail snagging, gently file it until smooth. So many brides-to-be?experience nails breaking only days before the wedding, because they’ve been too busy to keep on top of little cracks.?Get regular manicures to make sure nails and cuticles are in top condition.?And as the Grannies say: “your nails are jewels, not tools”… if you aren’t wearing gloves when doing house work?or?gardening, your nails will suffer!

Should brides have their’manicure the day before the wedding, or could they risk earlier??A lot of brides go for Shellac nowadays, and in this case getting it done a few days before the wedding is perfectly fine because it will last a couple of weeks and there won’t be any chipping before the wedding day.?If you would prefer a regular nail polish, I would advise to get your nails done the day before the wedding or two’days at the most. A professional manicure is sure to last you longer than a DIY job, but there is always a chance of a chip, which is the last thing you want to be worrying about.

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