The venue, the menu, the guest list, the flowers, the dress—there are so many details to consider in the midst of planning a wedding, and everything's got to be just so, right down to the tips of your fingers. Your hands are major players in the ceremony after all, clutching the bouquet, donning the ring, posing for those symbolic hand portraits with your new spouse. So we decided to gather nail know-how from some of the area's master manicurists to help you cultivate graceful, beautiful hands that are ring- and camera-ready!
Show your nails some lead-up love
Most of your wedding arrangements begin months in advance, and your nails should be no exception. The fingernail takes six months to grow out fully, so if you have weak or brittle nails you know you have to start early to get the look you want by your wedding day.
Strengthen and moisturize
Nina Tulio, president of Anthony Ashley Hair Design in Allentown, recommends a three-month jumpstart nail strengthener. “Nail Tek products, enriched with protein, will help weak, brittle nails become strong,” she says. Whether you're planning on artificial nails or a natural look, the strength of your nails will carry it off.
This extra care is especially helpful in the winter months when dry conditions can leave your hands and nails parched and peeling. Keep the whole hand happy and healthy with a lavish moisturizing regimen year-round—with special attention in winter. You may have a favorite scented lotion that makes moisturizing an aromatherapy session, but according to Tulio, unscented lotions pack a lot more punch.
Closer to the wedding day, you can apply Vaseline to your hands and sleep in cotton gloves to seal in the moisture. You'll wake up to luxuriant softness. If you'd like to really go the extra mile, Melissa Capra, head nail tech at Tangles Salon and Spa in Easton, recommends their “sugar scrub for exfoliation and a hydrating mask with warm towels to give your hands a softer feel.” This is a once in a lifetime event—it's time to indulge!
Secure a manicurist
It's not a bad idea to start shopping around for your manicurist well in advance if you don't already have a go-to technician. If this level of preening is foreign to you, it will be really helpful to acquire a trusted nail expert early on to show you the ropes. You can trust them to get your nails into peak condition with weekly manicures before the wedding and if you're going for a nail style totally new to you, try the look in advance so there will be no surprises.
How to pamper damaged digits
Some of us have let our nails go to rack and ruin while focusing on other things. If you look down and see dry, callused hands, raggedy nails or mitts that are looking older than you feel, it's time to bring out the big guns.
Paraffin dips
Paraffin wax has been used in massage therapy for centuries. This warm bath of melted mineral wax soothes and softens the skin with luxurious heat therapy, and increases elasticity and suppleness. This special treat, Tulio tells us, typically costs around $10 to $15. Your hands and feet will be dipped into the wax two or three times and allowed to dry, and then the cooled wax is peeled away, taking dead skin and stress away with it!
Sunspot solutions
We often forget our hands when we're slathering on our protective layers of sunscreen, but these extremities are exposed all the time when it's not glove weather. Sun damage takes its course in the form of wrinkles and sunspots. Extreme treatments aside, like microdermabrasion and chemical peels requiring a dermatologist, Tangles's Capra says that older brides concerned about sun damaged hands “will get their best results from a series of exfoliations in the weeks before the wedding.” In the meantime, keep wearing that sunscreen on all exposed skin.
Anti-aging treatments are another recourse to get your hands looking their best. Topical retinoid creams using vitamin A to reduce fine lines and blotchiness have shown some effectiveness, but they can also irritate skin and make you more sensitive to the sun. Tulio recommends the Rodan + Fields Anti-Age Hand Treatment Regimen, as well as OPI Avoplex High-Intensity Hand & Nail Cream, which makes use of engineered protein peptides, amino acids that can help rejuvenate the collagen in your skin. This rich lotion is loaded with avocado lipid complex, and grape seed and sunflower oils, for maximum moisture.
The fake nail 4-1-1
Artificial nails can give you the length you don't have the patience to grow and the strength that will allow you to forget fears of chipped polish. Gels and acrylics range from $30 to $40, while a manicure with regular nail polish is usually $15 to $25. Natural nails may be your thing, but if you're looking for extra embellishment and the added effect of dainty, slender fingers, here's what you need to know about nail extensions.
Acrylics vs. gels
Acrylic nails seem to be going the way of the dinosaur claw with the advent of gel nails. Acrylics are notorious for their fumes and more risk of nail damage. In the gel, a combination of monomer liquid and polymer powder forms a hard resin over the nail. This is similar to an acrylic nail, but gels set when exposed to UV light and are more natural looking and more flexible. Gels are also considered more eco-friendly and are gentler on the nail bed.
Tulio's opinion: “I don't want to say artificial nails are a dying trend but gels are way more popular than the acrylic nails.” Capra agrees, adding that gels “can fit anyone's nail shape, lifestyle and budget. And they won't chip or peel on your honeymoon even if you plan on going to the beach, swimming or rock climbing.”
Shellac to the rescue
Still, artificial nails carry some risks due to the chemicals and abrasive filing involved. For the best of both worlds—a polish that will last without the harsh components of gel application—more and more people are catching on to the trend in gel polishes and Shellac. Created by CND (Creative Nail Design), Shellac still sets under a UV light, but is simply painted on in coats like regular nail polish. This patented polish is purported to stay chip-free for weeks, even to require removal only when it begins to grow out. At $30 to $40 it's a bit pricier than a regular manicure, but Tulio points out that “it has hardly any effect on the natural nail and it's sure to last throughout the honeymoon.”
Polish possibilities
After mulling over all this maintenance and manicure material, it's time for the fun part. Variety in color and style trends in wedding nails has blown up in recent years. The classic neutral pink or glossy French manicure is always an elegant option, but be aware of the other trends at your fingertips.
Being adventurous with color is a simple way to add pizzazz to your look.
Hip hues
Brides are breaking out of the pretty pink shell with bright pink and red polishes or with vibrant colors that match the theme of their wedding. How about seasonal colors, like purple or slate gray in autumn, a warm coral in summer, pearly white in winter or light green in spring? Your nails could be your “something blue,” whether it's a delicate powder blue or bold cobalt. Being adventurous with color is a simple way to add pizzazz to your look.
The French revolution
The tried-and-true French manicure has also seen some updating with the “reversed French manicure,” which Tulio describes as a dark nail color with a white tip. If you don't want to go to over the top, you might still love the added sparkle of a splash of gold or silver glitter over a classic French manicure, or bold glittery or metallic tips instead of white.
Add an accent
Adding an accent nail—one nail different from the rest—is a very trendy way to add a little extra flair. It's usually the ring finger, and for this occasion it's particularly appropriate! It could be some rhinestones, glitter, a reversal of your French manicure on just one nail, or any little feature you might like to include. Ever subtle, an accent nail will shake things up a bit. Whether you turn heads with bright colors and glitter or glow with the natural health of your nails, you'll be proud to flash that left hand.
