PROPOSAL PREP

An engagement #nailfie without a mani is like coming home from a sample sale empty-handed. The fix: a long-lasting lacquer like Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish ($14, at drugstores and mass-market retailers). Pure pigments and shine-boosting resin help colour last as long as a gel—no UV light necessary. That means you won’t have to return to the salon for a redo if someone, ahem, doesn’t get down on one knee fast enough. Apply two coats of polish—skip the base coat because this product sticks better without one—and follow with the matching topcoat. Bonus: The line has 42 new colours, which might even provide some bridesmaid-dress inspo.