This winter, the festive nail is worn silver, platinum or white gold. A clarity which announces the avalanche of white and pastels varnishes which will fall on spring (one will not escape the opaque white nail like Tipp-Ex®…).

Glitter varnish is the precious little touch that can, whatever the age, be enough to give a festive look. With it, no risk of marking wrinkles! And if the nails are striated, it proves very effective to smooth them optically. No more gold, then, and long live the polar shades, but always sparkling, which"endiamant" the nails. Among these: - L'Oréal Paris, in the Million Carat Noël 2013 collection, Color Riche Le Vernis (5 ml, 6.85 €), in shades 843 White Gold or 845 Platinum Chic . More discreet, the Top-coat Diamond Carat of the same brand (5 ml, 6.85 €) will glamourise any shade of varnish. - Bourjois offers two shades of silver glitter, clear (Varnish 1 Second It's Raining Star  9 ml, 9,99 €) or darker ( Dangerous Wish ). - For a"textured" brocade result, Gemey Maybelline creates the Vernis Color Show in the Brocades collection. Silver (6 ml, € 3.80), a holographic base with metallic sequins. Pending its Crystallized range from 1 January. The latter combines reflective glitter and micro-particles that crystallize when drying for a 3D relief effect. Cosmic" result guaranteed with the hue Silver Touch Brushed metal style, almost frosted (Vernis Color Show, 6 ml, 3,80 €). - Essie has just launched, exclusively in Monoprix stores, the Encrusted Treasures collection, which transforms nails into real jewels! The hue Hors d'oeuvres hesitates between gold and silver. We got silver platter is a pearly silver with purple holographic reflections. As for Peak of chic This alpine white with rainbow sequins makes fairy bell nails (13.5 ml, 12.90 €)! - The same atmosphere at O.P.I who is clearly looking at the Place Vendôme side with the tone Solitaire an effervescent white diamond (Liquid Sand® Nail Polish, 15 ml, € 13.90). We may prefer him Which is Witch a very glittering money or It's Frosty Outside a frosty money.

Another more"disco" option, the multicoloured sequins that sow their myriad of confetti on the nail : - L'Oréal Paris, Color Riche Le Vernis N° 842 Sequin Explosion  5 ml, €6.85, - O.P.I, Varnish I Snow You Love Me in the Mariah Carey collection, 15 ml, € 13.90. - Alessandro, on the other hand, relies on bright and fruity sequins (orange, yellow, green, yellow, brown, red, brown), similar to sugar crystals (Vernis Candy Crush, 5 ml, 5.95 €).

Directions for use

Always start by laying a base (this is also valid even if the varnish is clear, pastel or nude ) to properly isolate the pigments from the nail keratin varnish. We are waiting for a new special protective glitter base at O.P.I which peels off like a film, but alas it will arrive only in February at Sephora (Glitter Off Base Coat, 15 ml, 13,90 €). Then two thin coats of glitter varnish are applied. Wait thirty seconds between each layer to give the texture time to settle on the nail. Most glitter varnishes hold very well. Some (Essie, L'Oréal Paris…) even include a top-coat in their formulas, so there is no need to add this third step. To remove them (tough, glitter is often difficult to remove), a cotton disc is well impregnated with acetone-free remover and left on the nail for a few seconds before being removed. Finally, hands are washed carefully, nails are brushed (so as not to leave any nail polish remover residue that is always drying out), then they are spread, like hands, with cream or oil.

Ariane Le Febvre