Go all creepy cute on your cuticles!
Word association: “Halloween”, go! Cotton candy clouds, pumpkin pie, American Horror Story, bloody baubles … and a ton of terrifying manis and pedis!
And yes, I know what you’re thinking. Sophisticated office ladies out there cowed by the prospect of looking clownish, don’t dismiss #HalloweenNails out of hand: With careful curation and a little elbow grease, you can allude to All Hallows’ Eve without looking harrowing yourself.
That said, the year-end spookfest is such an awesome period for polish addicts, particularly for those with time on their hands. All hands on deck? See these creepy-cool images for some instant Insta-inspiration, and have fun putting your talons to good use!
Oh, and if you’re especially excited about your new nail art, feel free to show us what you’ve got by following us on Instagram; tag photos of your “polished” work with the hashtag #HWPNails and we’ll repost the ones we like. Get on it, stat!
#1. Now this ruby-red stain is the very definition of eternal elegance ... like a vampire with blood on her hands, maybe? A really great crimson colour is the beauty equivalent of an LBD or a pair of black pumps – a foolproof fall-back for an instant pick-me-up.
Consider investing in Ruby Necklace, a standout shade from Ettusais’ excellent new plethora of hot holiday hues. Offered in a gleaming gel formula, this gorgeous gloss glides on like a dream, and will last you through Halloween’s horror night and beyond.
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#2. An orange-and-black combo can come off as completely contrived for Halloween, but this look nails it in my books. The devil’s in the details, so to speak: Note the slinky cat silhouette, subtle specks of gold and the tricky tendrils of the “tree”? Nicely done.
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#3. Shake things up a little with this venomous varnish in a slithery viper green. The stiletto nails are very Gaga: Not a bad thing at all, coming from a devoted Little Monster like myself. What really does me in is the adorable bear skeleton embellishment – beary cute indeed!
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#4. Nothing’s screaming Halloween in this one, but the pearlescent pigments and tiny twinkly stars are so very pretty, it’s well, scary.
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#5. There’s something strangely beguiling about the lava lamp-like blobs, don’t you think? The swirls sort of harken at the mask of Spiderman’s arch-nemesis Villain, too, so at least there’s a tangential relation to the holiday at hand … or maybe I’m just a colossal comic book nerd at heart.
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#6. Ooh, purple-and-black ombre in a high-shine finish. Deliciously decadent, like charbroiled eggplant. (Sorry, stomach’s rumbling.)
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#7. From eggplant to the finest glass of red ... Love, love, love the intoxicating drama of a burgundy lacquer on pointy nails.
Get your bloodlust going with Make Up Store’s spellbinding new polish in Elisabeth, which has a really opulent oily iridescence – like the slick surface of an evil empress’s caldron.
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#8. Saved the worst for last. Good grief, ghoulish, yes. Think stiletto nails were scary? Absolutely rainbows and unicorns compared to these pus-like boils and bumps.
Beauty powers-that-be, please, please don’t make #BubbleNails a thing. Fingers crossed!
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Ettusais Antique Color Nail Color Collection in Ruby Necklace, $10, is available at all Ettusais stores. For more information, visit www.ettusais.com.sg and follow the brand on Facebook.
Make Up Store Nail Polish in Elisabeth, $22, is available at all Make Up Store counters. For more information, visit www.makeupstore.se and follow Make Up Store Singapore on Facebook.