How to wear pastel nail polish without looking childlike
There’s a certain ‘art’ in wearing- and applying it.
We may often associate pastel shades to young girls and boys. Oftentimes, parents choose pastels or light hues for the nursery room or for every bit of their offspring’s clothing. But that’s no longer the case. Enter 2000s where pastels are seen everywhere from the runways of Dubai Fashion Week to the pages of Vogue Arabia.
Now, pastels are celebrated in every shade imaginable. From sunshine yellow to soft pink, from popsicle orange to cool blue, each tone makes for a chic, sophisticated choice for beauty and fashion alike. If you’re the type who adores her rouge and black nail polish shades, pastels may come off to you as too unassuming and uninhibited of a color.
Don’t fret; there are tricks on how to don these shades on your nails and look every inch smart and stylish. To recreate these looks, it’s recommended to go for a nail polish line with tone variations that are easy to mix and match, such as the Pastel Soft Pop Nail Polish Range which comes in the prettiest pastel shades that are wearable and provide intense coverage features as well.
Read on for trend alerts and our top tips on how to DIY your own nails at home.
Mix and match
We’ve seen nail artists mix and match nail polish shades for their clients, and they came out so beautiful and unique. If you aren’t brave enough, start with muted earth tones such as pastel moss green and beige. Spring Summer 2020 trend forecast says that tones reminiscent of garden parties will be a huge hit this time of the year. We think it’s an all-year color because of its easy-to-wear vibe and sophisticated allure.
We recommend matching our Pastel Soft Pop Nail Polish in 787 Jelly with the shade 788 Lady. Together, these shades make for a fresh look on your nails. Opt to paint your forefingers and pinkies with the muted green shade, while the two middle fingers and thumbs with the soft nude shade. This way, the subdued green shades make for a pretty accent.
Refined ombré
Whether or not the ombré trend appeals to you, you’re in for a treat. This nail trend is not your regular ombré. It consists of one solid but softened tone per nail, ranging from the boldest pastel hue you can find to be painted on your pinky and ring fingers to the most muted tone of nude you can get your hands on to be painted on your thumb. This is the time to get creative with a range of colors.
We suggest going for Pastel Soft Pop Nail Polish in 783 Be Cool shade for the pinky and ring fingers, then move on to 782 Babe shade for the middle finger. Paint the shade 786 Lollipop for your forefinger, then finish off with 784 Be Happy shade to complete the look.
How to DIY your nails at home
Creating looks is one feat; the other half of the challenge is actually painting your nails neatly and perfectly. There are a number of tools that are readily available in the market to help you skillfully paint your nails at home.
First, you need to make sure your nails are clean. Start off by taking off the old coat of polish you have by using a nail polish remover. Then wash your hands and scrub them gently using your usual body scrub. It’ll help to soften cuticles, which makes it easier to apply the polish later.
Next, cut your nails in your preferred shape. The most popular and universally flattering shapes are oval and square-oval. Just clip your nails and file the edges for a smooth finish.
Use a cuticle remover to gently push back your cuticles to achieve a bigger nail bed look. Then, using a buffer, gently buff your nails. Nail pros suggest to not skip this process as this will really make a difference in the appearance of your nails. If you prefer to cut your cuticles, gently cut them using your clippers. For those of you who don’t like cutting your cuticles, gently buff the area where the nail bed meets the skin.
At this point, your nails are super dry thus, the polish will adhere better and will last longer. Skip moisturizing at this part; save that for later. Make sure you brush off any dust from buffing.
Now, we’re ready to paint.
First, paint one layer of base coat on each nail. This helps stick the polish better. Next comes the fun part – painting your nails. Paint on the first layer, wait for about 3 minutes before layering in another coat. This gives ample time for the first coat to dry. While waiting, do not blow off air directly to your nails as this will create bubbles, which will ruin the look. The number of coats will depend on how opaque you want your nail polish to look. Be as creative as you’d like when mixing and matching tones. With our suggestions above, you’re in for a nail treat!
Finish the look with a topcoat to seal in the look. You may also opt to use quick dry solutions to cut the drying time in half. We recommend our Quick Nail Dry Solution for extra shine. One coat is enough for each nail. And voilà! That’s how you make your nails look professionally done.