THE INVESTMENT DRESSER
Kure Bazaar nail polishes, £15 from contentbeautywellbeing.com
This winter, the polarity of nail aesthetics reaches new heights. In one camp are those who like their nails to be a rainbow of hues, embedded with crystals and to reach lengths only possible with multiple applications of gels and acrylics. In the other camp are the fashion set, who have come over all monastic and are going completely bare.
It doesn’t have to be a binary choice however. There are a growing number of nail polish brands that style themselves natural-looking and are free-from (no formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and many other noxious un-pronounceables).
One of my favourites is the vegan line from Paris, Kure Bazaar, which has excellent consistency, shine, longevity and an ever-increasing colour palette, including Masai, their wonderful new red, and my standby nude.
If you’ve spotted Kure in your salon (it seems to be taking the place of Essie, which has stopped selling to nail bars) and wondered whether it’s any good, it is.
I wore Rose Milk (which I discover is also the Duchess of Sussex’s go-to) all summer without any damage to my nails – I hate it when toe nails dry out and form ridges from constant varnish abuse.
Now my skin has got its winter grey on, I’m mixing Rose Milk with French Rose to warm it up, and slapping on their 100 per cent organic Rose Infusion Oil.
It’s rather pricey, at £32 for 10ml but it has rescued my cuticles and made my nails look more presentable than they would have when I couldn’t get to the salon.
It’s also so pretty, what with the floating rose petals, that you’ll want to have it on your desk within easy reach.
Dadi’oil, less decorative but 95 per cent organic, is a very good substitute, at around £8 for 15ml (amazon.co.uk).