Photo illustration by The Globe and Mail;ISTOCK (background).
One of my favourite childhood memories is of walking home from the bus stop after school with my younger brother. We grew up in Northern Ontario and it could be an awfully cold and dark trek during the winter. As the days warmed each year, this became the time when we'd finally get to rejoice in the first signs of spring, walking through the fresh mud with our coats under our arms while breathing in the warm, fragrant air.
Spring rituals such as these are incredibly joyful. One instant way to shake off the winter is by surrounding yourself with your favourite bright colours, especially on your nails. "Adding bold colour anywhere in your wardrobe instantly brightens your mood and brings your looks from winter to spring. Luckily, polish is the easiest, and cheapest, way to do it," says Rita Remark, global lead educator and lead nail artist for Essie Canada.
So put away your oxbloods and your dark berries – safety orange is the colour of the season, a shade Remark is recommending in more subdued varieties. "I love Essie's terra cotta orange 'at the helm' because it makes it more wearable," she says. If you decide to paint both your fingers and toes, they definitely don't need to match, she adds. "With so many colours literally at your fingertips, why would you ever choose just one?"
Inspired by the citrusy aromatherapy at my restorative yoga class, this spring, I'll be switching it up with fruity shades such as lemon yellow, orange or a grapefruit pink. Such scents are known to elevate your mood, and having the colours on my nails is equally uplifting.
What to try
This muted terra cotta is a sophisticated take on spring's safety orange trend. Essie nail colour in at the helm, $9.99 through essie.ca.
Amplify your go-to pink with a little neon electricity. Chanel Le Vernis Longue Tenue in 596 rose néon, $32 at Chanel counters.
The best part of this happy yellow? It can last for seven days. CND Vinylux long wear polish in jellied, $12.50 through chatters.ca.
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