Louise McSharry: How to get statement long nails without the commitment of acrylics or risking damage

About a year ago, I made the decision to trim them down, and while the bright colours and designs remain, they’re just not as much of a statement. I had forgotten the impact they have until a few weeks ago for the VIP Style Awards, when I decided to go long again.

Once upon a time, ‘going long’ would have required a relatively significant commitment. Gel or acrylic extensions involved a lengthy application process and an elaborate removal process, which meant people tended to stick with them for a good while. In my case, it was eight years.

Then, BIAB, or Builder in a Bottle came on the scene, and my life with extensions ended. This gel overlay adds a layer of strength to your natural nails, which allows them to grow longer than they might without extra support.

I love BIAB so much that I would never want to disrupt my journey with it or compromise the health of my nails. But I did want to have long, pointy nails to go with my fancy outfit. That’s where Apres Gel-X nail extensions came in.

Apres Gel-X is the industry’s first ‘soft’ gel nail extension. Soft, in this case, doesn’t mean floppy or bendy, but rather that the material is thin and easy to manipulate. In fact, they’re made from the same material as gel nail polish. This means they are easier to apply (in the nail salon I attend, they’re attached to the nail with BIAB), and can be removed via the same soak-off method as a gel manicure.

I’m hard on my hands, so was worried that I’d have broken them in the 24 hours between getting them done and the event, but I needn’t have worried. They are very sturdy and almost a week after application, they still looked and felt perfect. I’ve really enjoyed reclaiming my long-nailed power, and while I don’t find they curtail me much, I am glad that in a week or so I’ll say goodbye to them and go back to feeling my fingertips on the keyboard.

A full set of Apres Gel-X extensions will cost around €70 while removal is around €20.

Of course, for some people, this will still sound like too much of a kerfuffle. If that’s you, please allow me to remind you that press-on nails have come a long way. Aside from the fact that there is now a wide range of length, shape and colour options, they also stay on longer these days.

Check out the Kiss range of extensions, which include gorgeous nude options (from €10.99 via boots.ie), or Paintlab for fun colours and patterns (€14.50 via beautybay.com).

Lost in translation

You’ll often read about undertones in beauty writing but how do you figure out yours? The skin’s undertones are warm, cool or neutral no matter how fair or dark it is. One way to figure out what undetrone your skin has is to check your veins — if they’re greener, it’s probably warm; a blue tinge indicates cool undertones. If gold jewellery suits you, your skin probably has warm undertones, while silver indicates cool. If both suit you equally, you’re probably neutral. If in doubt, ask a make-up artist to assess you. Most counters have trained staff to figure it out for you.

Something old…

It should come as no surprise that Fenty Beauty was the first brand I found catered for my fair skin when it comes to contour. Rihanna set an industry-changing standard when the brand launched, with incredibly inclusive shade ranges across its products. Fenty Beauty’s Match Stix Contour Skinstick (€29 bia boots.ie) is designed to help every skin tone sculpt and contour the face. Whatever about pale skin, the beauty industry’s contour ranges consistently let down darker-skinned customers, but that’s not the case here.

Caviar, the range’s darkest shade, is much loved by customers with very deep skin tones. Amber is the pale girl’s shade of choice, and I have bought it at least four times, such is my commitment to the product. I use a brush to apply it and find its cream-to-powder formula blends easily and best of all, stays put. The matte finish means you get the most natural finish possible as well.

... Something new

As I mentioned above, most contour products I try are simply too warm for my fair skin, even from Irish brands, who, I find, tend to cater to a customer who regularly wears false tan. As a result, I was delighted to hear that Sosu had expanded its Cream Contour Stick (€14.95 via sosucosmetics.com) range.

This is a product I have heard people raving about for years and, now, there are two options for those who prefer a cool-toned product: Cool and Cool-Neutral. The formula is a pleasure to use; it’s creamy thanks to the inclusion of vitamin E and blends easily as a result. I like to contour with the cool shades and bronze with the warm. These are ideal for throwing in your make-up bag on holidays as well — there’s nothing like a minimal, bronzed look after a day in the sun.