In tough economic times, women may not have the means to buy entire new outfits in this summer’s colours.
But fingernails and toenails done up in hot, fun colours like fluorescent oranges, yellows and greens, to pastel shades in baby blues or gentle pinks can bring an instant, on-trend pop to any look.
The nails can be one colour or varied. A single accent colour on the ring fingers of both hands is very popular.
“You’ve got a little bit of colour, just a pop of fun,” said Rachael Davies, owner of Rachael D’s Nails, at 2012 Douglas St., where a basic manicure goes for as little as $22.
Fluorescent or neon colours are very much on trend. But at the same time, shades from the other end of the colour-intensity scale are also popular — pastel, ice-cream colours. It’s like women have rediscovered the colours of the 1980s but are dabbling with their fingers and toes.
Meanwhile, see-through or sheer colours are allowing women to try out colours without going all in — so colour doesn’t mean giving up on the chance to show off the nice half-moons exposed by a good manicure.
“It’s either very clear or very bright,” said Karen Pimental, esthetician with La Spa Sereine, 1411 Government St., where a basic manicure starts at $60.
Even the top-coat varnishes are showing a range of possibilities, from a hard, intense gloss to complete matte, with no shine at all.
Nail shapes are going even retro to “stiletto” pointy nails of the 1930s and ’40s. It can take a while to become accustomed to accommodating the stiletto shape with workaday tasks such as typing, but it can be very arresting.
For people who dislike the solvent smells of standard nail polishes and varnishes, lines of water-based colours are now on the market.
Megan Johns, owner of The Green Kiss, at the Good Planet, 764 Fort St., said she is carrying a full line of nail colours from a company called Scotch Naturals that use a water-based medium.
Johns says her beauty bar operates with good times and fashion in mind, not sensible sandals, health food and environmental sermons.
“I’m trying to keep things as fun and girly as possible without being too heavy,” she said.
For those women who are truly daring, nail art, with applied designs or original pictures, inset gemstones, glitter and even raised, three-dimensional artwork (very hot in Japan) can be had for small investment.
Air brushes and stencils are being used to create seasonal styles such as Halloween cats or Christmas reindeer, at Nail Tekniqs, 7-770 Bay St.
“Nails are just exploding right now,” said nail technician Jessie MacLeod, of Rachael D’s Nails. “There is so much you can do with nails.”