For some of you, the weather is not quite Spring and not quite Winter – it’s as my son says, “Sprinter!” Ignore the snow on the ground – it’s officially Spring in my mind. If you’ve visited the beauty counters lately, the bright bold colours of spring are everywhere. But lets not forget the nails!

Us mommies use our hands a lot. Our hands are probably the one area of the body we often neglect. Like the eyes, our hands can give away our age if we don’t take care of them. Here are some tips to get them ready for this season’s pretty nail shades!

Step 1: If you’re trying to save a buck, DIY manicure/pedicures will work just fine. Remove any polish with a polish remover (or if you’re bad like me chip it off – kidding!). Before any manicure, start with clean hands and feet. Massage your favourite hand or foot cream into your skin.  Apply a cuticle oil or cream and gently push your cuticles back with a cuticle pusher. File your nails in one direction to your preferred shape – going back and forth will cause the nail to break faster. Lightly buff your nails to smooth out any ridges and to give them shine. Buffing your nails once a week is all that is needed, otherwise I find it weakens the nail beds.

Step 2: Before applying any base coat, make sure any oils or creams are removed from your nails. Wipe off with a cotton ball or cloth. A base coat is necessary so that the colour polish can glide on easily and so the polish will last longer. A base will also prevent colours from staining your nail bed.

Step 3: If you don’t have a steady hand, why not make it a mani/pedi party and have your girlfriend do your nails? You can offer to do her filing, buffing, and top coat in exchange for a polish application. Apply at least 2 coats but let the nails dry between each application. Bright shades on the nails have dominated spring trends for a few years, but this season shades are much softer in pastel versions of those bold brights. These shades are mommy-friendly and won’t be noticeable right away if they start to chip. They are still colourful but in more muted versions. Being a makeup artist, I love bright bolds on the nails but I’ll admit neon shades did get a few stares at my son’s daycare back in the day! I’ve never been a fan of pastels, but I am loving this season’s interpretations. Hot shades of the season are mint greens, teals, gold, soft greys, rose, and pastel lavenders. And if you’re daring, try the new “shattered” nail trend. It’s a polish you apply over top of your nail colour for a spackle effect.

However, if you like to splurge on nail treatments and want to get more bang for your buck get your nails Shellac’d! It combines normal nail polish colour with a gel nail finish. It will lasts for weeks with barely any chipping or fading!

Step 4: Now to add the finishing touch! Top coats are essential for protecting the nails and to keep your polish on longer. Top coats also give the nails a very pretty shine. If you want to try something different, try a matte top coat for a modern finish. To keep the nails looking fresh, apply the top coat twice a week!

What are your favourite spring nail colours or trends of the moment?