How To Get Wedding Nails Exactly Right

“It’s good to know if you have a cool, warm or more neutral skin tone as a guide. There is a shade of every colour for everyone, so it’s not true that certain skin tones should avoid certain colours. The likelihood is that someone with a cooler skin tone (more blue or pink undertones) can wear a blue-based or cool red, just as someone with warmer skin tones (olive and peach) can wear an orange or yellow-based red. Once you understand what a warm or cool shade is, you have your whole colour palette to complement your skin tone. A simple way to find out whether you are cool or warm is: if you know pinks suit you better than peach shades, you are cool; if you think peach suits you best, then you are warm.” – Belinda Price, expert & educator, OPI

Light Skin Tones

“Pastel colours complement lighter skin tones really well. I always suggest shades that contain no red or orange undertones, as these can pick up and draw attention to colours in the knuckles, which can be unflattering. Darker shades can also work very well with lighter skin tones. These can add fun and drama, especially for a winter wedding.” – Sherrille Riley, celebrity brow expert & founder, Nails & Brows Mayfair

Tanned/Olive Skin Tones

“For tanned skin I always recommend lighter colours such as pastel and neutral shades. Brighter colours such as corals or rich reds look great too, though our nude and natural shades and whites are still the most popular for bridal nails. We recently launched our Pearl collection – a luminous modern take on bridal nails.” – Belinda

“For medium and olive skin tones, coral can be a great choice, along with bright, rich orange.” – Fatima Naveed, senior brand manager, Duck & File

Dark Skin Tones

“Darker skin tones suit a sheer white or creamy yellow. At Duck & File, a firm favourite is Chinchilly by Essie, which is flattering on practically every skin tone.” – Fatima

"The prep is what makes the difference between a professional manicure finish and a quick fix. Start with clean hands; file and shape; apply a cuticle exfoliator and massage in. Leave for five minutes, then wash off using a soft nail brush in the cuticle area. Wipe nails dry, apply OPI Chip Skip (a wear extender), followed by a basecoat and then your favourite colour and a topcoat.” – Belinda

“Make sure you moisturise your hands and nourish your cuticles in between manicures, and keep cuticles neat by pushing them back and trimmed if necessary.” – Sherrille

“Protect your manicure from household chores by wearing gloves. Use a cuticle oil every day (twice a day if you can) and use a good hand cream that doesn’t contain Lanolin or mineral oil.” – Belinda

“Always wear gloves for any jobs that allow your hands to get wet. I even recommend washing your hair wearing surgical gloves. Although this might sound odd, it actually preserves a fresh manicure for much longer and also prevents the hands from drying out. I recommend re-applying a top coat over the existing polish to preserve longevity.” – Sherrille
 

Inspired? Here Are Some Of The Most Requested Bridal Nail Shades…