With summer officially changing over to the cooler fall and winter season in September, this is the month where every fashion lover’s eye is studiously trained on the catwalks to compose a whole new wardrobe.
Alas, the season brings with it a whole new range of beauty trends, too.
And with nail art having become almost as important as bona fide accessories like jewellery and bags, it is time to give your talons a Fall/Winter makeover - because a new season wardrobe needs a matching manicure.
While summer was all about eye-popping neon, ice cream coloured pastels and fresh white hues, the cooler fall and winter months demand a darker palette.
And while playful nail art including floral appliqués and glittering topcoats was a must for the hotter months, fall sees an altogether more subtle approach in both colour and texture.
At the Fall/Winter 2013 presentations in New York sleek black nails dominated the catwalks, while Paris championed chic neutral and nude tones. Rich, dark reds and shades of grey were two further standout trends at the shows.
Thankfully, if you want to stock up on the new season’s hottest nail colours, you are spoilt for choice.
Burberry, who are launching their first collection of nail varnishes this fall, have got all the must-have hues covered with small but sophisticated palette of glossy Oxblood red, dramatic Poppy Black and a pretty cream shade called Stone. Produced under the direction of the fashion house’s creative head Christopher Bailey, the ladylike tones are infused with a strengthening and moisturising formula with antioxidant pro-vitamin B5 and myrrh extract.
Nail trendsetters Essie have also launched a selection of new shades to suit the colder temperatures. Inspired by cosy fabrics and luxury knits, their textile-based collection features subtle hues like the ‘back-to-school’ inspired After School Boy Blazer and the beautiful flannel grey Cashmere Bathrobe. For those who want to add a little edge to their manicure, there is the captivating For The Twill Of It, a soft brown with a green metallic sheen.
For sophisticated rock chick nails, there is only one choice: Lancôme’s trio of black-based varnishes boasts a different colour tint each - Grey Lumière (charcoal), Purple Fiction (deep maroon) and Black Sepia (ebony).
And if you want to channel your inner retro vixen, L'Oréal offers a great selection of crimson tints, with 409 Hypnotic Red, 403 Femme Fatale and 404 Scarlet Vamp - quite literally - nailing the trend. - Cover Media