There’s been a good deal of gel-nail angst of late, involving a surge in allergic reactions.
A government watchdog is now investigating. The principal cause appears to be inadequate ‘curing’ of the varnish under UV lamps because specific gels are designed to work with specific machines.
If insufficiently set, acrylates — the chemicals that bond the gel — can penetrate the skin, producing loose nails, swelling and infections. Some sufferers may subsequently be rendered unable to have medical treatments that involve acrylates, including dentistry and some common surgeries.
Personally, I’d already started to lose my love for gels. Not only did the chemicals feel ever more caustic, even the fanciest manicurists seemed happy to wield a drill (yes, really) for removal. Using any sort of tool spells damage — the formulas require soaking off.
For someone scrupulous about UV rays, weekly exposure via those lamps started to feel counter-intuitive. Added to which, gels are a lot of hassle — requiring removal and reapplication every ten days — plus a good deal of dosh.
Hannah recommends that for recuperation purposes, aim to leave nails unlacquered for a week or so, other than Essie’s Hard To Resist Nail Strengthener (£9.99, boots.com)
Most importantly, transforming one’s nails into Kardashian-style robo-talons no longer feels very now. Instead, it’s sheer, shiny nails that are all the rage, known as the ‘doughnut’, ‘glazed’ or ‘lip gloss’ manicure. As its names suggest, this is a look inspired by the cosmetic obsession with supernaturally dewy complexions and glossily glistening mouths.
And it is not an old-school, opaque, naffly contrasting, pink and white French manicure, in the same way that the aforementioned face is emphatically not the old, flat, no make-up make-up guise. Instead, think a vaguely pigmented, glassily transparent, natural-plus look: a quiet aesthetic that screams chic.
However, the shift from traumatised post-gel nails to the lip-oil variety won’t be easy — or, indeed, particularly attractive. This is going to take time and patience.
For recuperation purposes, aim to leave nails unlacquered for a week or so, other than Essie’s Hard To Resist Nail Strengthener (£9.99, boots.com). This bond-builder comes in clear, sheer pink and transparent purple. Not only does this no-varnish varnish promote strength, thus growth, it also forms your entry-level lip-gloss-shiny nail. Alternatively, a minimalist Gallic trick is to deploy Chanel’s La Base Camélia (£28, chanel.com), then fix this smoothing and fortifying treatment-cum-base coat under a shiny top coat for a neutral, pale rose finish.
Nourishment-wise, I’ve become addicted to Hema Nail Recovery Mask I picked up in a kit with a really good, thick nail oil in Belgium for ¤8.50. If you’re heading to the continent, invest. It’s game-changing: a nourishing gloop that dries fetchingly in place until you wash it off, seriously promoting growth. Otherwise, seek out Dior’s cult classic Crème Abricot (£27, dior.com) —launched in 1963 and hotly adored ever since — promising transformation in a month.
Once your nails have gained some degree of white at the tip, you can raise your game to next-level glazed gloss via a suitably subtle tint. The natural-look purist will love Dior’s cult Nail Glow (£27, dior.com), ten years old and never more in vogue. It’s pretty, yet insouciant, ‘reviving’ (read — faking) the rosiness of a healthy nail bed and bright tips.
If you crave a milkiness to your shine, I’m wild about Leighton Denny’s new Nail Illuminator (£14, leightondenny.com). It’s a nude nail polish that’s also a brightening treatment for dullness and discoloration, rich in replenishing Vitamin E.
For those who desire something marginally more pigmented, Sally Hansen’s range of Good Kind Pure Nail Polish (£9.99, boots.com) — four skin-tone-flattering, imperfection-concealing wonders requiring minimal upkeep. Try Almond Milk 02 (white-ish), Cashew Butter 03 (peachy), Toasted Toffee 04 (deep pink) or Roasted Chestnut 05 (pale tan).
You may be swearing off gels, but the final stage for your new manicure will be to emulate a gel polish, hard-wearing plumped or ‘domed’ finish — and serious sheen — with Leighton Denny’s In The Gloss Plumping Gel Effect Top Coat (£12.50, leightondenny.com). All you’ll need now is a soft, slim nail brush and an orange stick to keep your perfect ten immaculate.
RACE YOU TO IT
The industry-transforming Tinted Moisturizer by Laura Mercier was born in 1996 and remains a cult buy among natural-coverage lovers. The brand’s Tinted Moisturiser Bronzer (£27, boots.com) brings this sheer, hydrating expertise to the realm of sun-kissed glow with six bronze-pearl blends. Fans are beating down the doors.
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MY ICON OF THE WEEK
RACHEL WEISZ
Rachel Weisz, 53, never goes in the sun without a big hat and loves wearing her hair loose
Promoting her new Amazon Prime psychological thriller series, Dead Ringers, the 53-year-old is an epic beauty with an understated style. She says: ‘I don’t set foot in the sun without a big hat,’ and loves wearing her hair loose, styled by George Northwood using his Undone range (from £12, georgenorthwood.com).
GERANIUM JOY FOR SPRING
The face treatment star of Cath Kidston’s new geranium-inspired range for décolleté and dry patches.
c-atherley.com
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A tribute to buttonhole blooms — fresh with a subtle spiced citrus.
diptyqueparis.com
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A much-loved spring happiness hit, sparkling with pink pepper and winter lemon.
esteelauder.co.uk
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This uplifting bestseller restores balance to skin, hormones and emotions.
nealsyardremedies.com
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Geranium fused with sandalwood, mint and clove — this is sublimely sexy.
libertylondon.com
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COSMETIC CRAVING
Two weeks into my germ fest, my beloved informed me that I look less than my best. Time for 8Greens Skin Effervescent Tablets (£15.99, uk.8greens.com).
The original supplement by 8Greens — founded by Dawn Russell after she used high-dose greenery to help her during her cancer recovery — is packed with eight superfoods. This beauty-boosting spin adds biotin (vitamin B) and marine collagen. Biotin supports the production of fatty acids that nourish the complexion, while marine collagen is the protein in skin that declines with age.
Hollywood stars refer to this as a ‘facial in a glass’.
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