If you haven't booked your manicure or pedicure, you've still got time to tune up those tootsies before you slip into your first pair of sandals for the season. And you've also got time to get inspired by all the news in nail art this summer. From eye-catching designs to unexpected colors to optical illusions ... nailing it this year has never been easier and yes, you can do it yourself.
"Nail art is fun. Really fun. It's as simple as that," says Madeline Poole, a Los Angeles nail stylist and author of the new DIY book, "Nails! Nails! Nails!" (14.95, Chronicle Books).
"Nail art is where art, beauty and fashion unite," says the nail expert, who includes more than 25 step-by-step designs for giving your summer toes and fingers distinctive personality with leopard prints, to plaids, stripes, stained glass, lace, glitter and more.
"Many people come to nail art with an interest in cosmetics, applying polish and colors with the same passion and precision as they do eyeliner and lipstick," admits Poole, while "others view it as a fashion accessory, completing an outfit and balancing color and texture in the same way a hat or purse can be a stylish finishing touch. Still others enjoy it as an exciting craft, spontaneously arranging shapes and colors on the nail like paints on a canvas, patches on a quilt or beads on a necklace."
But before that secret artiste genie emerges from the bottle of nail polish on your dressing room table, there are some tips that Poole shares in her book to get you started on this latest fashion craze.
—When choosing polishes for nail art projects, Poole advises selecting opaque polishes since they require fewer coats than a more transparent polish. "The best way to test the opacity of a polish is to try it out," she says, "painting a single stroke down the center of one of your nails. Can you see the nail through the polish, or does the polish cover the nail in a denser layer of color?
—If you want to try a nail polish and testers are not available, Poole suggests simply holding the bottle up the ceiling light and tilting it sideways. If light passes through the glass, the polish has low opacity, she says.
—But remember, pale polishes can also be opaque. "Light-colored polishes, such as white and pale pink can be just as opaque and highly pigmented as dark polishes, and vice versa, she says. "Likewise the thickness of a polish is not an indicator of opacity. In fact," says Poole, "thick, syrupy polishes are most likely old and should just be tossed out."
—And how many of us have dozens of bottles of polish languishing in the back of the bathroom cabinet? "Nail polishes expire after a year or two," says Poole. "Exposure to changing temperatures and humidity can alter the consistency of a polish, so storing in a bathroom is not recommended. Make a safe home for your nail art supplies in a closet and store the bottles upright and securely capped."
—Nail prep can be simple, according to Poole. Just make sure you remove any old polish, wash with soap and water and dry hands thoroughly. Then file nails or clip nails and wash hands again. Then you're ready to apply a clear base coat or primer. After nail art is applied, a clear top coat is a necessity to seal the underlying polish. She recommends using a fast-drying clear topcoat.
—Access to nail polish remover is a must for cleaning up mistakes. Poole uses a small angled-edge eyeliner brush to remove stray polish.
—And if you want to enjoy all your hard work, again and again, then just add your favorite designs to false nails and store them between wearings in small Ziploc bags. You may also want to team up with a "partner" to help you with more intricate nail projects.
—Don't be afraid to experiment! "If you make a mistake, simply wipe it off and start over — or keep going, and see where it takes you," adds Poole. "Let each nail you decorate represent a different side of your personality. Your finished nails will be stylish, crafty, beautiful and uniquely yours, all at once."
Sharon Mosley is a former fashion editor of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock and executive director of the Fashion Editors and Reporters Association. To find out more about Sharon Mosley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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