Nail the trends

7:00am Saturday 22nd November 2008

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Nail the latest trends for your talons.

By Lisa Haynes

It wasn't just the music making everyone go wild when stars flocked to the annual Mobo awards recently.

Backstage in the Talent Retreat, celebrities were flocking for a speedy manicure makeover. The likes of Estelle, Jamelia and the Sugababes couldn't get enough of manicurist Marian Newman's Inkredibles nail pens.

But that's the beauty of nail colour. With the credit crunch biting, a quick coat of polish can give you the feel good factor and lift an outfit - without blowing the budget.

Unlike buying a new dress, you won't upset the bank manager if you splash out on a nail polish in all your favourite shades!

Give neutral colours a wide berth and brighten up your winter with look-at-me polish. We reveal the nail shades and shapes that are so hot for autumn/winter you won't ever want to wear gloves again.

:: COLOUR SHOCK Read it and weep shrinking nail violets, this season is all about turning to the dark side.

Taking inspiration from the A/W catwalks, gothic black and deep plums are this season's must-have shades, along with chocolate and deep red.

"This autumn/winter is all about statement nails, offering a complete contrast to summer's girly, pastel colours," expert nail technician Leighton Denny says.

"Red nails will once again be a classic favourite for the winter season, but aim to be bold and choose bright reds instead of mid-cream reds."

If you have a dark winter wardrobe and want to brighten up your look via your nails, Leighton recommends you "opt for unique colours that scream attitude, like aquamarine blue".

ESSENTIAL SHADES: Nails Inc Jermyn Street taupe, £10.50 (www.nailsinc.com); Ciate Burlesque, £7.50 (www.ciate.co.uk); OPI Louve Me Louve Me Not royal purple, £9.75 (www.lenawhite.co.uk); Barry M Racing Green, £2.95 (Superdrug); Zoya Pulse berry collection, £8.95 each (0800 1116647/www.zoyapolish.co.uk).

:: GILT-EDGED GLAMOUR Back to last month's MOBOs and both Estelle and the Sugababes' Heidi rejected goth black for metallic shades of gold and pewter.

Yes, metallics are back and this time of year is when gold and silver really shine on talons. Why bother with jewellery? Leighton Denny has bought out a new pale gold colour for the season to create a "ghetto look".

"Moving forward into the new year metallics dominate," says Carolyn Sears, director of Zoya polish.

"Though the emphasis is still on dark shades this season, gold in particular makes a strong appearance but any colour can be metallicised."

ESSENTIAL GLITZ: Lancome Creme de Nacres lacquer in Golden Apala, £21 (www.lancome.co.uk); Leighton Denny Doing Time gold, £10 (0845 862 0515/www.leightondenny.com); Marian Newman Inkredibles Pewter kit, £22 (www.mariannewmannails.com); No 7 Stay Perfect Spun Gold, £6.75 (Boots).

:: SHAPE UP Clinching your ideal winter colour is easy but if your nails underneath look shoddy it's like applying make-up without the foundation.

So what shape should you be crafting with the nail file?

"It's all about sharp shaped square nails which have been gently filed around the edges to maintain a certain hardness yet sophistication," says Katie Icklow, Barry M's celebrity nail technician.

"This autumn/winter designers are rejecting last season's feminine softness, so while nails were round for spring/summer they're now the complete opposite - 'squoval', almost warrior nails, with an edginess to them," Katie explains.

"Nails should be shaped as sharp squares to keep them looking edgy and coincide with the feel of the season."

ESSENTIAL TOOLS: The Body Shop Manicure Set, £10; Ms Manicure Washable Emery Board, £1.99 (Boots); Jemma Kidd Nail Buffer, £4 (www.jemmakidd.com); Kiss Colour Magnet, £6.99 (Boots).

:: TRIED & TESTED Urban Retreat Pristine Pedicure, £55 for 1 hour 15 minutes (www.urbanretreat.co.uk) Don't forget your feet have some intense dancing hours ahead with the approaching party season. Give them the attention they deserve with Urban Retreat's luxurious pedicure. First up, the massaging leather thrones puts you in the mood for relaxation in five seconds flat. My tired old tootsies were then treated to a foot soak and softening foot scrub to leave them silky smooth. A pressure point foot massage and conditioning treatment followed to soften my feet and nails. To finish off, a pillar box red Leighton Denny polish left my feet looking red carpet-ready. It's a pricey treatment but worth every penny if you've left your feet on the beauty back burner for months.

:: BUY IT NOW Steamcream's limited edition Christmas tins are the ideal stocking filler for beauty addicts. You'll find a snowflake Blanc or Snow Crystal design, £9.95 each, available exclusively at www.victoriahealth.com.

BEAUTY BULLETIN :: PEACHES POUCH Collection 2000 are making waves in fashion. The cosmetics brand has teamed up with Peaches Geldof and designer duo PPQ to launch a vampy patent make-up bag. Featuring in the new Peaches for PPQ fashion collection, the black vanity case is packed with Collection 2000 products and will set you back £199.95. Just 150 are available at Selfridges London and Manchester, as well as online at www.oli.com from November 21.

:: SHOP TIL' YOU DROP If you're heading to the capital for Christmas shopping, check into the Spa InterContinental for a quick beauty breather. New for November, the spa has launched a Shoppers' Pit Stop featuring mini treatments like facial boosters, back massages and eye treatments to rescue weary souls. Treatments are £90 for one hour, taken in either four 15 minute slots or two half hour slots. You'll also leave armed with a travel size Elemis Instant Refreshing Gel for future shopping emergencies. To book call 020 7318 8691 or visit www.spaintercontinental.com.

UPCOMING :: Nov 21: BEAUTY Party: Put some glitz and glamour into your beauty routine for the party season. With pictures.

:: Nov 28: BEAUTY Xmas Gifts: Give Santa some inspiration with beauty's best Christmas offerings. With pictures.

:: Dec 5: BEAUTY Rescue: Disguise those tell-tale signs of the morning after the night before with beauty essentials. With pictures.