LET YOUR MANICURE BE YOU

Get a handle on summer’s biggest nail trend: negative space. LET YOUR manicure

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BY JULIA MCEWEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARLYLE ROUTH MANICURES BY RITA REMARK/ ESSIE CANADA HAIR AND MAKEUP BY VANESSA JARMAN/PANTENE/ NARS/P1M.CA

IF YOUR ESTHETIC IS nautical…

NAIL ART DIFFICULTY LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

Think negative space or nail art won’t work for you because you have short nails or a wonky shape? Then this is the design to try. “The beach-blanket stripe plays on the nail-contouring trend,” says Rita Remark, Essie’s global lead educator and lead nail artist for Canada. “The idea is to polish only the parts of the nail that flatter your hands.” This linear look is an exaggeration of that concept, as focusing down the middle of the nail can give your hands a lengthening effect.

1. Essie Nail Polish in Butler Please, $10, essie.ca. 2. CND Vinylux Weekly Polish in Cream Puff, $12.50, cnd.com.

IF YOU LOVE polka-dots…

NAIL ART DIFFICULTY LEVEL: BEGINNER

Inspired by star prints in fashion, this mani is vivid but not over the top. “It’s playful and youthful,” says Remark. “The colours and the placement of the stars make it more wearable.” She adds that this look would be too much if the stars were on top of the polish.

1. Essie Nail Polish in Fifth Avenue, $10, essie.ca. 2. L’Oréal Paris Le Vernis à L’Huile by Colour Riche Nail Colour in Coral Trianon, $10, lorealparis.ca.

MAKE THESE POLISH STENCILS: PAINT TWO PANELS OF POLISH ON A SANDWICH BAG; WAIT 12 HOURS, THEN REMOVE WITH TWEEZERS. USING A STAR-SHAPED HOLE PUNCH, CREATE LITTLE TWINKLES.

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REMARK USED REINFORCEMENT STICKERS (AS IN OFFICE SUPPLIES) AS A STENCIL TO CREATE THE CURVED LINES OF THIS FRENCH MANI.

BLEND THE COLOURS BY PAINTING A COSMETIC WEDGE WITH POLISH AND DABBING THE SPONGE ON THE TIP OF THE NAIL. “IT ‘MELTS’ THESE SHADES INTO ONE ANOTHER,” SAYS REMARK.

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GET ANOTHER ON-TREND IDEA FOR NAIL POLISH AT canadianliving.com/brushstroke.

IF YOU ADORE FRENCH Manicures…

NAIL ART DIFFICULTY LEVEL: BEGINNER

It doesn’t get any more feminine than this milky roster of pastel polishes perched at the tips of a manicure—except, of course, when they’re “melted” together to create an ombré effect. At first glance, it may look like a French manicure, but unlike the traditional mani, a negative-space design doesn’t require a base colour, giving the illusion of lacquer floating against a naked nail plate.

1. Joe Fresh Gel Look Nail Polish in Key Lime Pie, $5, loblaws.ca. 2. Essie Nail Polish in Chillato, $10, essie.ca. 3. Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Pinky Rings, $12, sallyhansen.ca. 4. Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Coquillage, $32, chanel.ca.

IF YOU’RE A minimalist…

NAIL ART DIFFICULTY LEVEL: EXPERT

Dip your digits into these edgy verdant hues with a negativespace manicure that has more bare nail showing than enamel. The two-tone green border acts like a frame, showcasing your nail and grabbing even more attention. “I feel like it’s a play on positive space that’s changed. Now, it’s all about what can you add to the nail that’s as minuscule as possible,” says Remark. A precise line around the cuticle is one of the biggest trends in nail art right now, though it’s difficult to master. “It highlights the cuticle, which I really like because it puts focus on cuticle care,” she says.

1. Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy Longwear Nail Enamel in In the Money, $9, revlon.ca. 2. Essie Nail Polish in On the Roadie, $10, essie.ca.

RAGGED CUTICLES WITH NAIL ART IS A BIG NO-NO. “IT’S LIKE PUTTING A PICASSO IN A JACKET FRAME—YOU HAVE TO HONOUR THE ART,” SAYS REMARK. SHE SUGGESTS APPLYING CUTICLE OIL WHENEVER POSSIBLE.