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So contouring is your beloved makeup technique and you strongly believe that there is no possible version of contouring which you are not aware of. Well, you are wrong, gal! Even if you are a pro at contouring who keeps sculpting almost each and every body part, the chances are big that you are yet to hear about this latest spin on the technique. We are talking about ‘nail contouring’, the new crazy manicure trend that makes us realize that our nails need to be sculpted too! At least if you are dying to fake long beautiful nails without putting much effort in it, you should give this foolproof method a try. We are sure you are going to love it. Let’s know everything about nail contouring from this post:
What Is Nail Contouring?
The trend of ‘contouring’ was started by model and reality star Kim Kardashian to show how a face can look perfectly chiseled by creating the illusion of more proportioned features (cheekbones, jawlines, etc.) with the help of makeup. Gradually, the ‘craze of sculpting’ took Instagram over and several makeup artists, makeup enthusiasts, bloggers, and vloggers started contouring different other parts of their bodies including neck, collarbones, cleavage, chest, abs, butt, legs, ears, hair, and so on. Nail contouring is basically the nail-friendly version of this contouring technique that promises longer sexier talons in just a few strategic brushstrokes.
Also Read – 14 Simple Nail Polish Hacks That Will Make Your Nail Painting Effortless Here
Though the name ‘nail contouring’ sounds quite funky and sometimes a bit ridiculous too, it has been gaining momentum and emerging as a cult beauty trend. Just like highlighting and contouring the nose, it involves the application of streamlined sweeps of nail paints while keeping the sides of the nails bare. In short, it creates a perfect balance of light and dark shades to give an illusion of thinner-looking, elongated nails with no use of acrylics or gels. The procedure is extremely simple to do, the style is easy to pull off, and the result is elegant to show.
How Did The Trend Start?
The concept of contouring nails was brainstormed by Jin Soon Choi, a famous NYC-based nail artist as well as the founder of ‘Jin Soon polishes’. She coined the term ‘nail contouring’ to show us a ‘nifty’ way of faking slimmer fingers and nails. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, the Korea-born manicurist revealed, “This is something I used to do when I was young. When I was growing up, my friends and I wouldn’t extend the color to the sides of our nails to make our nails look more elongated.”
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Choi used the same genius trick at backstage at the latest Vera Wang show at New York Fashion Week. She covered the nails of her models with a transparent base coat, swiped a darker shade (blackberry red or powder pink) down the center, and sealed the look with a semi-matte top coat. All she needed was a thin dark brushstroke to create the look. The beautifully contoured nails flaunted by Vera Wang models like Fei Fei Sun turned heads during the show, and the trend became an instant hit.
How To Contour Your Nails?
Here are the steps to contour your nails the right way:
- Start with applying a base coat to all of your nails properly. It can be a transparent or clear base coat that is readily available at beauty stores or any super light or nude nail paint of your choice. Make sure that you cover each of your nails entirely with the base coat.
- Wait for 2-3 minutes do that the base coat dries up very well. This is important to make the application of second layer of polish easy and effective,
- Take a dark nail paint of your choice and apply it only along the mid-sections of your nails instead of covering them entirely. This will be your ‘contour shade’ and it should not be wider than a single swipe of your nail paint brush.
- Leave both sides of your nails bare to show the clear base coat or the light-colored / nude nail paint as the ‘highlight shade’.
- Apply a thin layer of clear top coat all over your nails and seal the look. You might opt for a shiny top coat or stick to a matte one. The choice is yours.
You are done!
Also Read – 10 Best Lakme Nail Polishes You’ve Got to Own Here
Why Should You Try Nail Contouring?
If you are still not impressed with nail contouring, here is a list of reasons why you should give it a shot right now:
- Makes the fingers and nails look elongated and thinner.
- Does not make use of gels or acrylics.
- The single swipe method is absolutely easy to execute.
- It is not at all a time-consuming process.
- You do not need to worry about ending up getting your cuticles painted.
- It is a bliss for lazy girls who find it extremely irritating to paint their nails and then fix the mistakes for each of them one by one.
- Works as a cool trick for girls with short, stubby nails.
- Gives a beautiful two-toned manicure easily.
So, just get ready to contour your nails and give your fingers an amazing makeover. Will you?
Also Read – 5 Homemade Nail Polish Remover Recipes to Ditch Your Regular Acetone Remover
