How to: Apply Nail Polish (+ SS 2013)

From Rag & Bone SS 2013 (same show as I have pictures from on my BB cream post)
I stole this picture from a great Aussie site that has pictures of most of the nails coming down the SS 2013 runway

So I was looking at a bunch of pictures coming off the runways and I came to three conclusions: a) designers are really nutty b) nail art is still going strong and c) that it is high up keep nail season. Not only is there crazy nail art, but also a lot of pastels and whites which are always high maintenance even if they are seemingly not. The problem with whites (and pastels) is that the formulas are generally thick, they require several coats, and show flaws easily. Funky nails also draw attention to the flaky, lizard hands that Canadians have a tendency to get in the winter time, and we are too impatient to wait until July to wear the spring trends. So dig out your hand cream, cuticle balm and buffing sticks. Here is some inspiration from the SS 2013 shows:

Karen Walker SS 2013
(There is a full run-down of this exact look on Beauty Editor)

Kaelen Spring 2013 by Butter London

Peter Som Spring 2013 nails from Zoya. Note the almost white with orange tips!
There is a full run-down on the whole collection from All Lacquered Up.

I am telling you white is a thing. Thank me later.

So I am going to do a little rundown on how to apply nail polish, so that it will stay smooth and chip and nick free as long as possible. So it makes it worthwhile to try out all the crazy nail art you’ve seen on Pintrest too.

Step 1: preferably, put on hand cream and cuticle balm the night before. Again we are all about diva night rituals here. I like this new balm/remover from Sally Hansen:

Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Cuticle Eraser + Balm

Step 2: Wipe nails with polish remover even if you don’t have polish on. It removes the natural oils on the nails and prevents the paint from peeling as bad.

Step 3: File and shape your nails. Try using a glass nail file, they don’t tear the nails like the metal files and last forever. Really anything goes as far as the shape is concerned. The latest seems to be the nails are being kept shorter and more squared off but who doesn't like a little longer nail.

Step 4: Apply a base coat. I am serious, no skipping this step. In the case of whites, the base coat smoothes out any ridges the white is going to show. For colors, even if it says it’s an all-in-one it lies. Colours, especially brights and darks stain. I like this one:

Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat

Step 5: Colour! The fun part. Really any colour or nail art of your choosing. Do two to three coats.

Step 6: Top coat; really important for shine and wear. I prefer this one, the holy grail of top coats:

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat ie. the best top coat ever

So do you like the new white polishes?

What trends are you trying for spring?