Elaborate manicures are popping up all over Pinterest, but chevron printed nails aren’t as easy to do at home as those DIY tutorials make it sound. Our at-home results were rather…goopy, so we decided to enlist professional help. We visited Maple Grove’s busiest nail salons to find the latest shapes, colors, designs and treatments. Local nail artists had no shortage of stunning ideas and were eager to think outside the box. Turns out your bi-weekly manicure could get a lot more creative.
The Trend: Graphic Punch
Kate Tran, owner of Elite Nails, says patterned designs are popular with her trend-setting customers. Be fearless! Think stripes, polka dots, even tribal patterns, one of Tran’s specialties. For a more subdued look, pair just two colors. For something more adventurous, choose several of your favorite shades or match your manicure to a favorite dress or pair of shoes. The shape of your nail also makes a statement. Long and pointy nails like the ones Rihanna and Lady Gaga are wearing make any manicure edgier, while square with rounded edges gives a more conservative look.
How to Wear it:
Try a vibrant coral pink base coat (Gelish “Sweet Morning Dew”) embellished with an overlay of polka dots in aqua green (Gelish “A Mint of Spring”). Tran suggests a gel manicure, which is applied like regular polish and then cured under an LED or UV lamp. These manicures are increasingly popular with her customers because they can last without chipping for up to three weeks.
The Trend: French Twist
At Nail Montage, the classic pink and white French manicure gets an update in unexpected fall colors like burnt orange with a metallic gold tip. You could also try a reverse French manicure where the lunula (the light crescent moon shape sometimes visible at the base of your nail) is accented instead of the tip. Try a dark crimson red base coat with a surprising accent of navy blue. Kaily Ho, manager at Nail Montage, says lots of her clients also like their ring fingers polished in an accent color for emphasis.
How to Wear It:
Try a shimmery plum base (OPI’s “DS Extravagance”) paired with dark blackberry, almost black tips (OPI’s “Lincoln Park After Dark”) for a cool fall look. Dark tips instead of light ones are modern and fashion forward, especially when the nail is shaped straight across the finger. Ho loves gel manicures because they are long lasting and there are no fumes to inhale, a plus for both clients and nail artists.
The Trend: Bring on the Bling
To give your hands a starring role, make them shine. Rhinestone embellishments and glitter polish transform an ordinary manicure into jewelry, and look spectacular with a little black dress. Tom Tran, owner at Aqua Lifestyle Nail Salon & Spa, says many of his clients choose an over-the-top look like this when it’s time for a special occasion like a trip or anniversary. You may want a more professional look for your nine-to-five, but when the time comes, cut loose and splurge. What says “I’m ready for fun” better than sparkle?
How to Wear It:
If you love the shimmer of glitter polish, plan on extra time in the salon the next time around. Glitter polishes are stubborn, and take extra time and elbow grease to remove, but remain a popular choice for special occasions like prom or girls night out. Try a disco ball prism of silver glitter (Cuccio Colour “Vegas Vixen”) or match a sequined cocktail dress with nails done up in shimmering palettes of golden confetti (OPI’s “When Monkeys Fly”).
The Trend: Into the Wild
Safari inspired prints are a mainstay on fall runways for a reason. They are classic and adventurous at the same time. If you want to show off your wild side with a manicure, stick to a classic, natural color palette. The nail techs at Nails & Spa can do everything from a lively zebra print in bold black and white stripes, to the miniature dots of a leopard print in gold and chocolate brown. You could even try a patchwork pedicure that feels giraffe-inspired.
How to Wear It:
Let out your inner power animal with a cheetah print manicure in honey hued beige (OPI’s gel color “Cosmo-Not Tonight Honey”) and coppery sienna brown (OPI’s gel color “Brisbane Bronze”). The real trick to great nail art is the nail bed. A good artist can come up with the right design for the scale and shape of your nails and execute an interesting design in five to ten minutes per nail.
By the Numbers:
Remember, walk-ins are welcome at nail salons, but an appointment is always best.
Aqua Lifestyle Nail Salon & Spa
14 nail techs serving 50 customers daily.
Most Requested Color: Gelish “Gossip Girl” is a vivid hot pink.
Manicures range from $15 to $40.
Aqua Lifestyle Nail Salon & Spa
12069 Elm Creek Blvd.
763.428.8888
aquanailspamn.com
Elite Nails
10 nail techs to pamper between 60 to 80 customers daily.
Most Requested Color: Gelish “A Petal for Your Thoughts” is a coral pink shade.
Manicures range from $15 to $40.
Elite Nails Spa
9517 Black Oaks Lane N., Osseo
763.416.0800
Nail Montage
8–10 nail techs available to manicure 30 to 50 customers each day.
Most Requested Color: OPI “Cajun Shrimp” is an orange tinged coral pink.
Manicures range from $15 to $40.
Nail Montage
11656 Fountains Drive
763.315.5003
nailmontage.com
Nails & Spa
10 nail techs on hand to serve approximately 80 customers each day.
Most requested color: OPI “Pompeii Purple” is a pink-tinted purple.
Manicures range from $15 to $40
Nails & Spa
7794 Main St.
763.420.9000
nailsspasalon.com
