Graphic Negative Space at Ulla Johnson
We're really digging the minimalist nail art created by Paintbox's creative director, Mabelyn Martin, for Ulla Johnson.
"I feel like the negative space exposes the nail in a really sexy way while also incorporating a bit of rich color. The curvy outline of the nail is feminine and edgy at the same time, just like the designer's collection," she says.
To recreate, Martin says to use a small striper brush — which you can pick up on the cheap at Amazon — to create a J-shape along the edge of your nail, then use a clean brush with nail polish remover to straighten the edges. Once dry, top it with a clear coat. The two colors used at the show were Like Spice (terracotta) and Like Wild (mossy green).
Image courtesy of Paintbox
90s Print at Jeremy Scott
You could argue that Jeremy Scott put up one of the most fun runway looks of the SS2020 season, and the nails were especially noteworthy. Reigns were thrown to the wind with this manicure, which was inspired by Saved by the Bell and Jem and the Holograms. Miss Pop for Essie created the look using a mix of squiggles, triangles, lines, splotches, and dots in the following hues: In The Cab-ana (teal), Mod Square (hot pink), Hay There (yellow), No Place Like Chrome (silver), Butler Please (blue), and Licorice (black).
Image via Imaxtree
Metal Adornments at Tibi
Minimalist-met-futuristic grunge at Tibi with Jin Soon Choi of JINsoon nail polish. Choi explained that they used a different color for models depending on their skin tone. "For fair skin tones we used JINsoon Sandbar, for medium skin tones we used Nostalgia, and for darker skin tones we used Milieu," she says. "We wanted to do something to make it stand out. I was inspired because I see a lot of silver accents on things like shoes or clothes, so I decided to create silver hoops to make the look more artsy." The hoops were glued onto the middle and pointer nails with nail polish glue, which isn't wearable for a long period of time, but for a night out it totally works.
Image courtesy of JINsoon
Reverse French Manicure at Alice + Olivia
There's no denying that French manicures have made a wild resurgence, and that was only further cemented by the SS2020 nail game. At Alice + Olivia, lead manicurist for Kiss, Gina Edwards, put a spin on the French mani by inversing it. To get the look, use the Kiss Nail Art Paint in White to create a half-moon at the base of your natural nail or the Kiss Glam Fantasy in Higher Love. Using the same paint, create a border along the entire perimeter of the nail.
Image courtesy of Kiss
Frosted, Layered Cake at Veronica Beard
If the splashy bold stuff isn't really your thing — or if you're temporarily looking for a more subtle look — you'll find a winner in this tiered cake-esque mani from Veronica Beard. The look was created by key artist for Essie, Rita Remark.
"The whole collection was 60s inspired — like the morning after a real swinging 60s party. For the nails, we went with a long oval shape, which was a real trend during that time. Frosty beauty was also a trend across the board then, so I also wanted to create that effect," says Remark. "To create this really beautiful, reflected frosted paint effect, we used Minimalistic first, which is a bubblegum color, then we added Vanity Fairest, which is a whitened pink sheer. Then, to add the frosted iridescent effect, we added Going Steady. I love layering because it feels like you get a finished result that you couldn't get with just one color; it really gives a certain depth to the texture."
Image via Imaxtree
