Even if y’all were dedicated salon-goers, all that time trapped at home meant you probably had to take manicure matters into your own hands (pun intended). If you had some success painting your nails—or even if you managed to cut them without maiming yourself—you have the all the skills you need to try these top nail trends for fall 2020 from home.
Glass Nail Files
Disposable emery boards are for beginners, plain and simple. Their rough surface does the trick but can leave nails raggedy. But now technology has gifted us with the space-age-looking glass (or “crystal”) nail file. The glass is chemically treated and tempered, and it’s both smoother and stronger than an emery board or metal nail file. A glass file has the added benefit of sealing the keratin layers at the edge of your nails. You can find a number of brands offering glass nail files in the $10-$15 range.
Dip Powder
If you don’t have the steadiest hands, you’ll thank the grooming gods for this technique, which is a more foolproof way to keep nail polish off your cuticles. It feels more like a craft project and is infinitely easier with a starter kit. After applying your base coat, you dip your nails into a jar of colored powder. It sticks to the sealant and not your skin. The process takes about 45 minutes.
Coffin-Shaped Nails
There’s not just one nail shape in style this season, so y’all can just pick a trend to try. I’m a fan of the coffin shape because it’s Kylie-approved and not hard to do. It’s a long rectangular shape, tapered in the shape of an immortal resting place, and squared off at the end. If you’re adventurous, you could also attempt the ubiquitous stiletto nail shape (pointy!), but y’all better think twice before rubbing your eyes.
Ombre Rainbow Manicures
If you already have several different nail polish shades of your favorite color, you’re good to go. Paint each finger a different shade of, say, blue, starting with the lightest and ending with the darkest for a gradient effect. If you’re more of a free spirit, you might be more drawn to a variation that’s just different pastels on different fingers like a disordered rainbow. Incorporate the hot color of the season—dark green—and you can kill two birds with one manicure.
You can save money, express your creativity, and increase your DIY cred by trying the top nail trends for fall 2020 at home. Y’all will still love your salons, but you’ll have a lot more options.