I know autumn has arrived when pumpkin spice is back on the menu, leather jackets are brought out of hibernation, and manicurists ditch the nudes, pastels and juicy neons for appropriately moody shades of merlot.
And nowhere was the dark, seasonal manicure more prevalent than at Milan Fashion Week, where celebrity guests on the front rows fell into one of two camps: entirely bare nails or – my favourite – short, deliciously glossy tips painted in shades of burgundy, maroon and claret.
Naomi Watts and Uma Thurman appeared to coordinate their manicures on the front row at Prada, with Watts sporting a suitably glossy red-wine shade and Thurman choosing a similar colour, albeit a few shades darker. But it was the shape they had in common – a neat, short squoval – that really tied the two looks together. At the Alberta Ferretti show, Ivy Getty, Scout Willis, Heart Evangelista and Coco Shiffer all wore wine-stained manicures, firmly cementing it as the nail look of the season.
Regardless of your signature shape, there’s something about a deep berry manicure that feels timeless – and it looks good on all skin tones. Of course, nothing delivers quite the same high-shine finish as a professional gel manicure. Bio Sculpture’s Thornberry, Port Wine and Erica are among the brand’s most popular shades come autumn, spanning rich berry, merlot and burgundy tones.
If you’re recreating the look at home using regular nail polish, your first port of call should be a good base coat, as darker shades – particularly deep burgundies – can stain the natural nail. Try Nails.INC NailKale Superfood Base Coat, which is enriched with vitamins A, C and K to nourish nails while helping to protect against stains.
Vernis in Nuit
Nail Lacquer in Malaga Wine
Nails Inc.
Gel Couture Gel-Like Top Coat
OPI’s Nail Lacquer in Malaga Wine is arguably the most popular dark nail shade in salon, while Dior Vernis in Nuit – a glossy oxblood – is a beauty editor go-to. Its flat, curved brush hugs the nail, making light work of application and keeping mistakes to a minimum.
Besides the inky colour, it’s the mirror-like shine that gives the merlot manicure its impact, so finish with a high-shine top coat, like Essie Gel Couture Gel-Like Top Coat, to lock in colour and minimise chips.