"I start to bookmark ideas at least a month before I’m ready to enter the Christmas manicure period"
It’s no secret that no matter what the season, there’s always a party happening on my nails. But what party season does mean is I can indulge in even more of the glittery, metallic polish and create a festive treat just because I can.
I start to bookmark ideas and inspirations at least a month before I’m ready to enter the Christmas manicure period. And, like the Oxford Street Christmas lights, the acceptable time to start embracing festive nails gets earlier every year. It was most certainly early October when I started to think about what to have for 2018 but if I’m honest, I’ll probably have various designs over the course of December because there are so many to choose from. This one is designed to take me through the busy party season that’s already begun.
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I love playing with negative space (always good for regrowth) and I love the look of a clean, glossy nail. So I asked for a semi halo of silver foil - I would only trust DryBy to create something “off menu” - which looks like a piece of tinsel decorating each of my nails. Not too much of a cliché but a cute nod to Christmas. I’ve called this mani “tinsel all the way”, which is made up of a base of two coats of CND Shellac in Negligee and the tinsel effect is created using silver foil hand-pressed around the nail.
"Deep, dark purple is the perfect shade for this time of year"
The base colour of my party-season manicure is Dark Dahlia by CND Shellac, which is my all-time favourite colour for my nails in the winter season. The deep, dark purple is the perfect shade for this time of year when - for me in particular - the tan has faded and pastels or neutrals make me look a bit washed-out and somehow just don’t feel right.
I had this manicure done at DryBy on Mortimer Street (the Vogue beauty team’s favourite destination for nails) and to elevate the look, I opted for a little detail with a halo at the cuticle in Safety Pin (a silvery-gold, also by CND Shellac) for a festive accent. It’s a subtle approach to nail art, which at this time of year is the perfect accompaniment to any party dress.
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"An all-over sparkle has become my manicure signature"
A party manicure is something of a foreign activity for me. That's not to say that I wont have a December date booked in for a fresh set, but it is a strange prospect for me because sparklingly festive nails are my all-year-round go-to. Glitter reigns supreme - I mean, I even wrote a book on it this year.
While many of the nail pictures saved on my Instagram are of elaborate nail art, when I'm sat in the chair I chicken out and fall back on the metallics and glitter shades I know so well. I stick to a long and oval shape that rises just above my fingertips - any longer and I become a total klutz, any shorter and I feel like something's amiss.
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While I've dabbled in glitter designs and art, an all-over sparkle has become my signature. Colours are always plucked from a spectrum of pinks and reds. My friend and major session manicurist, Ama - who's been behind the nails on Celine campaigns and Vogue covers - has selected the most perfect pink and glitter mix this year from her darling new Brixton salon, Ama. But for me it's not a one-season thing. I can't wait for even more shimmer when January's blues kick in.
