#nailspotting

THE TIP-OFF: THE NEW MOON MANICURE

A manicure to moon over.

It’s Halloween. To celebrate tonight’s spookily beautiful waxing crescent moon, we have a guide to create witchy-but-glamorous nails. BECKY PEDERSON

STEP ONE: Apply nails inc. Base Coat with Kensington Caviar. Let your nails dry for two minutes.

STEP TWO: Swipe on two layers of nails inc. Gel Effect Polish in Hyde Park Place, a pastel grey. Let your nails dry for two minutes.

STEP THREE: Use a thin brush to paint a curved line in the center of each nail with nails inc. Gel Effect Polish in Kensington High Street, a deep burgundy.

STEP FOUR: Fill in the top half of each nail in Kensington High Street, leaving Hyde Park Place showing on the bottom half. 

STEP FIVE: Finish with one coat of nails inc. 45 Second Top Coat with Kensington Caviar.

THE TIP-OFF: THE FRENCH TWIST MANICURE

Reinvent a classic.

French tips: basic. French Twist: glam. In this tutorial, we pop open the limited-edition, chicly packaged Ciaté Haute House Collection box and take back this traditional look. BECKY PEDERSON

STEP ONE: Swipe on two layers of Mostly A Minx, a vampy red, on four of your fingers. On your remaining finger, swipe on two layers Dare To Bare, a classic nude. Let them dry for two minutes.

STEP TWO: Add a curved stripe to the tip of each nail in Can’t It Be Kinky, a carbon black. Let your nails dry for two minutes.

STEP THREE: Finish with a layer of high gloss Silicone Top Coat.

YOUR FALL NAIL ART SHOULD MATCH YOUR FALL SWEATER

Obviously.

Summer is the season to try on new hats. Remember your best friend in elementary school coming home from overnight camp with a whole new nickname? In honor of those confusing but ultimately wonderful times, we bring you our newest nail look: Shape-Shifted. BECKY PEDERSON

STEP ONE: Apply a base coat and let it dry for two minutes.

STEP TWO: On your right hand, apply two coats of beige polish.

STEP THREE: On your left hand, apply two coats of dark brown polish.

STEP FOUR: Let your nails dry for two minutes. Pretend you’re a statue, and don’t move a muscle.

STEP FIVE: On your right hand’s beige nails, paint a triangle of dark brown polish with a thin nail brush. Admire your handiwork, and then add a second coat.

STEP SIX: On your left hand’s dark brown nails, repeat Step 5 with beige polish.

STEP SEVEN: Let your nails dry for two minutes. Pretend you’re playing that improv game “art gallery” where you’re stuck posing inside a painting (pick a pose where your nails won’t touch and smudge).

STEP EIGHT: Apply a topcoat.

Shop Nails at Sephora>

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY / Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer $18.00

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY / Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer $18.00

FORMULA X / SHINE - Base Coat $10.50

Nail art: a little passé. Meet the look set to spruce up your style this season: Fresh-Cut. With these step-by-steps, you’ll have a handle on this simple-but-sweet summer nail look in no time. BECKY PEDERSON

STEP ONE: Apply a base coat and let it dry for two minutes.

STEP TWO: Apply two coats of polish to each nail, alternating colors between light pink, purple, raspberry, and lavender.

STEP THREE: Let your nails dry for two minutes. Try to not move so they don’t smear. Tell your cat to hold your calls.

STEP FOUR: Apply two coats of a second shade to each nail, leaving a thin strip of the original complementary color showing.

STEP FIVE: Let your nails dry for two minutes. Be careful to not touch anything before the two minutes is up, because your nails will smudge and you will be mad, and your cat will be like, “Weren’t you supposed to wait two minutes?”

STEP SIX: Apply a topcoat.

Shop Nails at Sephora>

FORMULA X / The Colors $10.50

FORMULA X / SHINE - Base Coat $10.50

Summer is definitely one of our top four-favorite seasons. The weather, the vibes …. we love it all, and we love to dress for it even more. Take our quiz to find out which nail polish look will enhance your summer style—whether you want to turn it up, keep it simple, or embrace the middle. BECKY PEDERSON

1. Your main summer objective is to be water-side as much as possible. Where are you hanging out?     A. I’m working on my tan lines at the beach.     B. A chic rooftop pool.

2. Speaking of, what’s your favorite swimsuit look?     A. A minimalist one-piece.     B. A bright bikini-and-kaftan combo.

3. You and your bestie are swapping playlists. What’s on your summer soundtrack?     A. Shoegaze.     B. Electropop.

4. You get a text: There’s a backyard BBQ happening, and you need to get there ASAP. What’s your mode of transportation?     A. My bike.     B. My convertible.

5. Once you get there, what’s your cocktail of choice?     A. Gin fizzes—all day, every day.     B. Margarita with salt, please.

6. Time to take a trip to the ice cream parlor. What are you getting?     A. Froyo, natch.     B. Rainbow sherbet with rainbow sprinkles.

7. You unexpectedly got the day off work. What now?     A. I’ll go buy flowers at the farmers’ market.     B. If you need me, I’ll be checking out the roller coaster at the county fair.

8. It’s the Fourth of July. What are your plans?     A. Watching the fireworks with my family.     B. Creating some fireworks with my friends.

9. You’re on a tropical vacation with your beau. What’s your go-to activity?     A. Couple’s massage.     B. Snorkeling.

10. Your sister is getting married this summer. What party are you most looking forward to?     A. Her sure-to-be-Pinterest-worthy wedding reception.     B. Her sure-to-be-insane bachelorette weekend she’s letting me plan.

GET YOUR SCORE, LEARN YOUR DESTINY Add 5 points for every A answer and 10 points for every B answer.

50¬–60 You are …. lo-fi! You’re a blissed out babe who’s down for whatever, as long as it’s chill. Your big summer plan is to relax in a hazy dreamscape wonderland, preferably on the beach with some sand between your toes. Painted on your nails: tinted topcoats, matte metallics, and elemental shades.

65¬–85 You are …. a color chameleon! You can’t be constrained by labels, man. Sticking to a single look is just not an option. Your summer is full of endless possibility, so your nails need to take you from day to night. You gravitate towards grainy, glassy nudes—but then you surprise everyone with a fluorescent pop on the tips.

90–100 You are …. high volt! You’re intense, friend, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re amped to have a supercharged summer full of sporty adventures and hitting up the social circuit. On your nails? Saturated colors with infinite shine.

SHOP NAILS AT SEPHORA>

FORMULA X / The Colors $10.50

DIOR / Dior Vernis Gel Shine and Long Wear Nail Lacquer $25.00

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY / Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer $18.00