NAIL ART
Our nails tend to take a beating in winter so it’s best to keep your nail care routine in check. Bonieta Sonnekus, OPI Training & Development Manager, shares the best way to care for your nails, and the trends to try.
What nail trends are on your radar?
I am seeing a lot more minimalist designs — simpler, plainer nails. In general, it is more about colour. I wouldn’t say French manicures are dead necessarily, but your traditional French is not popular anymore.
Is there a nail shape of the season?
If you have longer nails, definitely the almond or ballerina shape, and if you have short nails then it’s more of a round or square shape.
From the latest OPI Lisbon collection, which is your favourite shade?
The bluish shade called “Closer Than You Might Belem”. It goes with any skin tone and is very adaptable. You can wear it as a solid colour or as nail art – you could do a more wavy type nail art or an accentuating nail-art nail.
What are three tips for keeping nails healthy in winter?
1) Always use cuticle oil. A lot of people don’t believe they need one because they say that they are using a hand cream, but do you use an eye cream? Yes you do, because your eye skin is different. Same with your cuticles, they need different nourishment. 2) Something that is really exciting for me in the winter is the Micro Exfoliating Hand Polish from OPI Pro Spa, that as a home-care product is amazing. It gets rid of dry skin and stimulates blood flow so it will actually give your hands a glow, and the fact that it is anti-aging is just a bonus. 3) Be very careful about the hand cream you use. Often we use a body lotion as a hand cream and you shouldn’t, because body creams are thick creams that contain ingredients for body skin. If you use that as a hand cream the ingredients could actually cause lifting of your nail.
What would be your guide for nailing the perfect home manicure?
First and foremost, have a good product. If you buy a R50 nail polish that dries in 10 seconds on your nail, you don’t have time to paint. You think the quicker it dries the better it is, but then your painting is more streaky and untidy. Also, if you are painting your nails at home, be wary of direct sunlight or having an open window, fan or airconditioner blowing while you are painting because that will also make your nail polish become very streaky. Apply a cuticle oil and push back your cuticles — you can use your own thumb or a stick — before you paint. Always paint a coat and then wait for a few minutes before painting another coat. In the end it will dry faster and your smudging will also be limited.