STEP 1

Choose a nude nail polish one shade lighter than your skintone, such as Cuppa, £13, Butter London. Paint one thin coat, wait two minutes then paint a second coat making sure there are no streaks.

STEP 2

Take a slightly darker tone – try Color Riche Nail Polish in Soft Chinchilla, £4.99, L’Oréal Paris – and wipe the brush against the neck of the bottle removing excess polish that may smudge. Trace a thin line starting at the mid-point of the cuticle outwards to the left then right, finishing with the tip.

STEP 3

Once you have completed the outer circle, leave to dry completely then seal with a quick drying glossy top coat. We like Gel Effect Top Coat, £12, Nails Inc.

Stockists

Tom Bachik is the global nail artist for L’Oréal Paris. Make-up: Louise Bryan using L’Oréal Paris. Models: Lauran Larente and Nicola Clackson at Hired Hands. Stockists: Andrea Fulerton (superdrug.com), Bourjois (superdrug.com), Butter London (butterlondon.com), Essie (boots.com), Estée Lauder (esteelauder.co.uk), Intensae (intensae.com), Lancôme (lancome.co.uk), L’Oréal Paris (0800 030 4032), Maybelline New York (boots.com), Models Own (boots.com), Nails Inc (nailsinc.com), The Make Up Store (020-8 834 4702).

Spring/summer 2013 nails: how-to guide