One moment, your skin is enjoying the beautifully crisp fall air, and the next, the dry air of winter really just hits your skin like a ton of bricks! Did you know that your nails can feel the brunt of that chill, too? Avoid the “brittle” nail effect of these icy months and keep your nails looking beautiful with the following trends and nail care!
Nail Trends
Shape
This is an easy one: the almond-shaped nail continues its reign! Stick with this shape to stay in style!
Color
A little bit of shimmer goes a long way this winter! You don’t have to leave all the glitter on your wrapping paper: throw a subtle sparkle on your nails for some head-turning hand art. Find an iridescent shade that is mixed in with anything from a snow white to a ballerina pink, and you will nail the look.
Winter is the perfect season to have a sharp red nail polish with a lightly gilded accent nail or a festive snowflake. The bright, warm red provides a nice contrast against the darker, colder backdrop of winter, and it’s the perfect time of year to be bold and shiny, so take advantage!
If you are feeling dark like the winter, this is the perfect time to go bold with a black matte finish on your nails. You’ll stay fashion-forward and fierce with this look, and it’s way easier to pull this off in December versus July!
If the other trends are too far out there for you, you can count on one, persistent truth: nude nails never go out of style. And against the bare trees and white snow, the classy look will stand out at all of the holiday parties.
Winter Nail Care
Your skin isn’t the only thing struggling when the temperatures drop. Your nails and cuticles react to the cold as well, but there are ways that you can combat the higher rates of nail breakage!
Moisturize
Seems like an easy one, right? If moisturizing is part of your everyday routine already, that’s great! But you definitely have to increase your focus on this component of self-care during the winter months. You’re cooking, you’re cleaning, you’re hosting, you’re avoiding the winter illnesses circulating… basically you’re in a constant state of washing your hands and re-exposing them to the elements without proper care and coverage. To avoid brittle nails, keep your hands and nails moisturized. Keep a small bottle of lotion on hand at all times, and don’t be afraid to put extra throughout the day.
Gloves
For cleaning and washing, use gloves! Buy a box of disposable gloves and keep them in your kitchen. Avoid cracked skin on your hands and over-softening of your nails with this tip.
Also, find gloves to wear at night. Apply a hefty amount of softening hand lotion or an overnight hand mask to your hands and then put the gloves on. While you sleep, the lotion and gloves will get to work! You can literally snooze your hands and nails to a healthier state.