This is the nail design that promises to last through party season and beyond
- Posted by
- Lucy Partington
- Published
There’s nothing worse than a grown-out gel manicure, but choosing a negative space design at your next appointment could change everything.
Nail trends and nail art ideas designs change so quickly that it’s hard to stay up to date.
This year alone has been a busy one: first, Beyoncé declared that the classic French manicure was back again, but then pastel rainbow nails took the crown and became summer’s most popular look.
When autumn rolled around, gradient nails were top of the class – and now? Now it’s the turn of negative space.
While negative space manicures can differ wildly and come in endless varieties, the principle remains the same in that there always has to be some exposure of the natural nail within the design. That’s where the real joy of them comes in, because after all, there really is nothing worse than a gel manicure that’s grown out.
So, next time you’re at the salon, choose a design that has your natural nail exposed somewhere just above the cuticle. Then, when it does start to grow out, nobody will be able to tell because the polish was never applied all the way to your nail bed, thus meaning it’ll last a whole lot longer so you’ll get more value for money – that makes it the perfect choice for party season, too.
Real life examples of the joy of negative space designs include when beauty editor Lucy had a love heart negative space design (above) that lasted over a month, and when fashion news editor Billie had one that lasted over five weeks, calling it the best manicure she’s ever had.
Keep scrolling for inspiration to take to your next appointment.
Negative space manicure inspiration
Main image: Lucy Partington