FASHION Magazine

Every week our Beauty Fix columnist takes on your questions about makeup, skincare, hair and more. Have a beauty question we haven’t answered? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.

I feel like every time I paint my nails, I can’t sit still long enough to let them dry. How can I speed up this process?
I think it’s practically a rule in life that when you’re waiting for your freshly painted nails to dry, you’ll suddenly have an undeniable urge to reach into your purse or pocket. Fortunately, we can usher the drying process along by applying a couple drops of Quo by Orly Dry In A Sec drops ($10, at Shoppers Drug Mart) on each nail. These drops utilize quick-drying silicones to protect the polish from smudging while drying at a rapdi. And keep in mind that when you’re applying your colour, thin, even coats of nail polish (instead of thicker coats) will be your best friend if you really want to reduce your drying time!

See the new Quo by Orly GelFX Duo-Chrome Shades »

It’s common knowledge that Rihanna doesn’t wake up looking the way she does when she hits the red carpet. From hairstylists to makeup artists, an entourage is key to getting our favourite Barbadian songstress camera-ready. But have you ever wondered who does her nails? (The megastar is credited with setting the pointy nail trend, after all!) Well, the talent behind the look is L.A.-based nail guru Kimmie Kyees.

Kyees, whose Instagram is flooded with images of Ke$ha, Nicole Richie and Kim Kardashian (you know, the usual), has a list of celebrity clients as long as Rihanna’s pointed talons.

Daisy, daisy… doesn’t this manicure make you want a bicycle built for two? Or at the very least, a pair of Red Valentino shoes? The pretty floral pattern, which is rather neutral except for a burst of bright yellow, served as inspiration for this week’s Nail Corner. The result is a modified moon manicure, with added dimension thanks to the pearlescent background which contrasts—yet also camouflages–the taupe petals. Ready to daisy up your own fingers? Read on!

Check out the daisy petal moon manicure! »

Our spring trend guide continues to be a source of inspiration for Nail Corner, and this week Burberry Prorsum’s tribal prints have been transformed into a manicure. For this design, mushroom-grey and deep-blue stripes are brought to life with alternating rows of neon orange, creating a zigzag pattern that almost pulses off the nail. And just like Burberry’s pattern, this manicure is asymmetrical—which adds even more movement and fun to the design.

Grab some nail art brushes and find out how to do this mani! »

Aside from the excitement of the movie itself, obviously the best thing from The Hunger Games are the crazy manicures that Effie Trinket wears throughout. Unfortunately, only of a few are available to view close up (come on, Lions Gate Films, give fans a full gallery of nail art screen grabs!) but to our delight, one of the more intricate designs was shared by Elizabeth Banks—who of course, played the role of Effie. These Hunger Games nails include the soon-to-be-everywhere trend of caviar manicures—that is, manis with tiny beads that add playful texture—and thus, inspiration for this week’s Nail Corner was born!

Read on and find out how to do nails like Effie! »

Without a doubt, one of the most inventive beauty looks from Milan was at Prada. Those eyes! Style.com called it a “tricolour layering effort on lids”—shades of deep blue, shimmering purple, electric orange, and greasy black all stacked together. Despite how exciting the Prada look is, it’s extremely editorial and not so much a “try this at home!” style. So rather than toning it down for the face, I took the vibrant makeup to my nails. After all, six colours in one manicure? Totally doable.

See the Prada Fall 2012 makeup mani »

There’s nothing better than a holiday to inspire a great manicure—and for us, Valentine’s Day sits at the top of the list. After all, pink and red are the most popular polish colours available. From tiny hearts to handwritten love letters, we have five manicures to share that are sure to, at the very least, inspire a night in with your true love: nail polish.

Let’s get romantic! See the manicures »

It’s best to ease your way out of the holidays. After a week of eating nothing but comfort food, being hustled between endless family gatherings and feeling very squeezed in at Boxing Week sales, we could all use a mini-vacation before heading back to work. However, considering most of us are already back at our desks, it’s time to find relaxation in other ways, such as lavender. As a plant, lavender is known for its calming, restorative properties. So why not transfer a little bit of that relaxation onto your nails with a soothing lavender ombré manicure?

Relax with two ombré lavender manicures »

Metallic makeup is more appealing and glamorous than ever, making it winter’s most dazzling asset. Kari Molvar takes a shine to modern alloys.

View our metallic picks now »

Jump to: SILVER | GOLD | BRONZE | COLOUR | LIQUID

Happy New Year! There’s a definite sparkly obsession happing in the halls of FASHION this week—and what better way to ring in 2012 than with a glitter-packed manicure? From frosty-blue glitters to a multi-dimensional Texas-inspired mani, these sparkling designs will keep the focus on your fingers even after the ball drops. The countdown to midnight is on—and it’s time to start painting! Show (or tell) us all about your New Year’s manicures on Facebook or Twitter.

See all our New Year’s Eve manicures! »

See how we painted our nails! »

Welcome to the Nail Corner—a new feature that will show off creative manicures found on the hands of FASHION’s editors, interns, and stylish staff members. While there’s a lot to be said about the talents of our favourite professionals, some of us prefer to skip the salon and go DIY. We’ll teach you a few tricks of the at-home trade and show off the best new shades. Like what you see, have questions, or want to share your own manicure? Hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.