Gel manicures are out, ‘no-mani’ manicures are in

There’s something timelessly chic about well-groomed, nude nails, says Lucia Ferrari

From mocha to matcha, and chrome to glazed doughnut, we seem to be constantly deluged with “must-try” nail shades and finishes. So a moment of thanks to Carey Mulligan, Rosamund Pike and Margot Robbie for a brief respite from manicure madness. All three women recently appeared on the red carpet with refreshingly naked nails.

But don’t be fooled; they weren’t suddenly going low-maintenance. What the nails lacked in colour was more than made up for in a glossy and healthy look that takes some effort to achieve.

There’s something incredibly chic about well-groomed, nude nails. Going purposefully polishfree or even just wearing a hint of neutral polish can exude confidence and signal you’re above caring about the latest trends.

“Classic nude nails always look expensive and timeless,” says the owner of eponymous nail polish brand Leighton Denny, “and the bonus is, you can do them yourself at home as they’re easier to paint than a dark colour.”

There’s been a 200 per cent rise in demand for Denny’s natural nail colours and revitalising nail treatments in Marks & Spencer over the past month; natural nails are definitely having a moment.

So what’s the allure? “Classic nude polished nails will always look groomed,” says Heather Sayer, nail expert at the Josh Wood Atelier in London. “A beautiful nude manicure fits in with today’s ethos of quiet luxury and is a more natural approach to beauty. It’s the white shirt and jeans of the beauty world.”

But as with all minimal-seeming beauty trends, achieving the bare, buffed nail look requires a bit of effort. Here are Sayer’s tips for the no-manicure manicure:

Short is chic

The fashion now is for short nails, but a long-looking nail bed is more flattering, so cuticles must be pushed well back. Don’t make the nails too square as it can make the fingers look wider. After a certain age, long nails will just look ageing and a bit naff.

Keep up professional maintenance

Book in for regular manicures to keep your nails and hands looking their best. You can do them yourself in between salon visits, but see a professional at least once a month. And the day following your manicure, add one layer of topcoat at home, to keep it shiny for that bit longer. The appeal of using classic polish is that you can change the colour at home. You only need one coat.

Cuticle care

Try not to cut cuticles at home as they will grow back quicker. It’s better to use an old-fashioned wooden orange stick to push them and use a cuticle balm every day, especially at night.

Use a buffer

If you fancy doing the naked nails with no-polish look, the navy nail buffer (£8.99, navyprofessional. com) is very good. One side will smooth the surface and the other side creates a really healthy sheen.

Keep moisturising

Well-moisturised hands look younger – simple as that.

Nailed it: Margot Robbie at the Critics Choice Awards in January