Nail this summer’s trends by creating your own colours
Celebrity manicurist Emma Welsh is on speed dial for the likes of Kate Moss and Kate Beckinsale, and she works across fashion titles like Porter, Elle,
Harper’s Bazaar and Tatler. There’s no doubt Emma is in demand but she got to enjoy 10 months on the road with Lady Gaga for her Born This Way tour.
We asked Emma for some manicure and pedicure tips for great nails this summer as we start to get out more.
The best shades for summer 2020 are fun colours, Emma says. ‘Tonal nail colourings are on trend right now. You can choose from any shade and colour mixes such as orange, pink, blue and nude.’
You can, of course, paint each nail a different colour, and Emma suggests trying this. ‘Why not colour cocktail to achieve different shades from different colours? This is when you overcoat a lighter colour with a darker shade underneath to give the nail a completely different colour.’
If you use white as the lighter colour, it makes a darker colour really pop, try white as a backdrop to cherry, coral, red or orange and the effect is almost neon.
Emma gave us her tip for creating a tailored shade for something totally different this summer.
‘I am known for mixing colours to find the perfect shade and am often asked to match a nail shade to an outfit for an event or model on set. So instead of searching through hundreds of colours, I will mix it,’ she says.
‘Drip a few drops of different colours into a little dish and mix together to make a whole new colour or just add lighter shades to darker shades to make new colours.’
There are so many ways to paint nails on the fingers and toes, and as it’s sandal season there’s no time like the present to experiment with some different colours or by creating your own.
Your manicure or pedicure will look better, and last longer, if you use base coat to start, and top coat to finish with two thin layers of colour in between. But, all in all, groomed nails needn’t cost a lot.
Emma recommends using Rimmel or Sally Hansen for great colour and finish, both lines are available in pharmacies and grocery stores nationwide.
Emma says: ‘The joy of nail polish is that there are no rules. It’s fun to mix, match and make new colours. Have fun creating shades together or on your own — enjoy it!’
MARINE EXTRACT
Tata Harper Rejuvenating Serum 2.0 €172, Arnotts
Farm to face brand Tata Harper is based in Vermont, USA, and it has some beautiful skincare, muchloved by celebrities and natural beauty fans alike. This Rejuvenating Serum 2.0 is a reimagining of a cult classic. Now it includes four types of marine extract to help firm and brighten skin. Inside the serum are 40 ingredients, 100 per cent of natural origin, 65 per cent of which are certified organic. A beautiful blend of plant oils and flower extracts, it gives a boost to dry or mature skin.
ARGAN OIL
Garnier Organic Argan Hydrating Mist, €10.99, grocery stores and pharmacies nationwide
Garnier Organic is a beauty line launched mid-2019 that has just been given one of the biggest beauty awards in the world, that of Prix d’Excellence from
Marie Claire magazine. The line utilises some very fine ingredients, lavandin, cornflower, and thyme from France, argan oil from Morocco, and lemongrass from Sri Lanka. The organic line is priced between €9 and €14. This Hydrating Mist is great for reviving tired skin or as a base for make-up.
SELF TAN
TanOrganic Self-Tan Dark Mousse, €34.99, tanorganic.com
If you are interested in using natural and organic beauty for its sustainability and ingredients, you can find that type of beauty in self-tan. Vegan, cruelty-free and organic, this new dark tan mousse has tanning agents derived from beetroot and caramel, not chemicals. It has a guide colour to help avoid streaks. In four to six hours it makes skin up to four times darker. The tan is nourishing and hydrating too, baobab and argan oil plus hyaluronic acid give skin benefits when you use it.
The joy of nail polish is that there are no rules - it’s fun to mix and match new colours
CHARITY
GHD Take Control Now Collection, €169 €225, ghdhair.com & Peter Mark, from July 13
GHD releases a limited edition each year to fundraise for charity. To date the hair brand has raised €17 million globally. This year’s launch, Take
Control Now, is a campaign fronted by 11 breast cancer survivors who were diagnosed before the age of 35. The slogan is printed on each piece of the styling collection to remind women to regularly check themselves. Ten euro from the sale of each tool will go to the Irish Cancer Society.
FRIZZ
Color Wow One-Minute Transformation Styling Cream, €19, M&S Beauty Hall, online
In summer we suffer more frizz than any other time of year due to excess heat, humidity and from having porous hair. While bothersome for fine hair types, it is particularly so for anyone with thick or coarse hair. This oneminute cream could be the answer. A small amount worked through the lengths knocks out frizz. It can be used another way, too, if your hair is bent out of shape from elastic bands or how you slept. Apply and blast with a dryer for 15 seconds to restore the shape.
SCALP SCRUB
R + Co Crown Scalp Scrub, €39.75, salons nationwide & beautybag.ie
Exfoliating the face or body gives instant results and it really isn’t any different for the scalp. After months of overindulging in dry shampoo, a regular scalp scrub will lift away product build-up, oil and dead skin cells. This scrub is purifying, contains salicylic acid for deep cleansing, and smells great with citrus notes, eucalyptus and amber. Take a walnut sized amount of the scrub and massage into the scalp until it starts to feel clean. Perfect for oily or sensitive scalps.