New flagship manicure trend of the year, clean nails have given birth to a new kind of nail polish that discreetly enhances hands. Do they really make the difference for an impeccable manicure? I tested them for you, verdict!
THE manicure trends of 2024 give pride of place to simplicity in nail beauty treatments. As Alexandra Falba, expert manicurist for OPI, recently explained to us in her analysis of the nail polish trends of the year. Several of them display a taste for sobriety and mimic the appearance of natural nails in a sublimated version. This is the case to a certain extent of the quiet luxury manicure which promises clean and very chic nails, with clean nail shapes and very classic nail polish colors, including nude and clear nail polish.
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But this is even more the case with the trend of clean nailswhich honor “nail bare, or almost, but very neat”. To sport this type of manicure, you obviously have to go through regular hand care which avoids having cuticles on the edges of the nails and nail serums which allow them to be well hydrated, but you can also serve as a beautifying nail polish like the “glow” varnish, which are starting to find a place in the collections of nail polish brands. What is this for? new type of nail polish and are they really useful? We tested them!
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Glow varnish, varnish base: what are the differences?
They are sometimes confused with simple nail polish bases which are used to prepare the nails for the application of color, but “glow” varnishes are much more than that. Specially designed to revive the natural shine of nails, they do not simply varnish them with a layer of shine with a transparent varnish as the latter do.
In fact, these slightly transparent tinted products promise to enhance the pink color of the nail plate to give the impression of healthier and more natural nails, even though they have been manicured. It also seems that there are also hybrid products between nail care and varnish, which are riding the return to naturalness in manicure trends. Last but not least, these transparent varnishes with their particular shine are designed to be worn alone, and not to be hidden under colored varnish. They promise a trendy, impeccable manicure in record time. Practical !
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Glow varnish: a product different from transparent top coat
You will therefore have certainly understood that the “glow” varnish has nothing to do with the bases for nail varnishes, but it does not replace a transparent top coat either, although the result on the nails can suggest it a few times.
Very different from the transparent top coat which is used to protect the color of applied varnish or to make bare nails shine, this type of “glow” varnish will provide additional action on the color of the nail, whether on its part pink or on the free edge of the nail for that matter, since they claim a “French manicure effect” which accentuates the contrast between the base of the nail and the white part on the tips of the nails.
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Manicure: how to use “glow” nail polishes?
Unlike most nail polishes, these polishes that boost the natural shine of nails are applied directly to bare nails, without prior preparation, just as you typically do with a nail polish base.
On the other hand, they are applied more like traditional colored varnishes, with one or two layers of product applied over the entire nail plate. Applying a top coat is then not necessary, since the product maximizes shine on its own. A simple gesture, for an impeccable but super quick manicure.
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Glow nail polish: our test of beautifying nail polishes
Manucurist Active Glow treatment
It presents itself as a real beautifying nail treatment and for good reason, it contains nourishing sweet almond oil and raspberry extracts with regenerating properties to take care of weakened nails. I really like the care aspect of this product which allows you to adopt one of the essential manicure trends of 2024 while emphasizing the regeneration of the nail. Its tangy pink color enhances the radiance and shine of the nails. However, I noticed less of the French manicure effect mentioned when applying it, since I found that the pink effect of the product was dominant. It is still possible to apply only one layer of the treatment so that it is less intense and this is what I would recommend for a more natural and less pink finish on the tip of the nail.
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This glow varnish promises an instant French manicure effect and I was actually able to notice this aspect of the treatment which reveals the white of the nail, creating a contrast with the pink base of the latter which is subtly revived. More delicate, the enhancing effect is also more natural and discreet, but remains very effective. The shiny effect is present and appreciable, it actually highlights the natural curve of the nail, which is perfect for adopting the clean nails trend in its simplest form. I am won over.
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Glow varnishes, should I buy it or not?
Glow varnishes are truly original varnishes that deserve to be tested if you like hyper-natural manicures that allow you to wear your nails bare, but better. Offering a different effect to the effect you get with a clear top coat or base coat, they are therefore worth the try and the expense.
If you like more elaborate manicures, on the other hand, you may not find your way by purchasing this type of product. Opt instead for a more covering nude nail polish, otherwise you will be disappointed or not really have any use for it on a daily basis.
Makeup, skincare, hair care, manicure…, Elodie deciphers the beauty trends of the moment and finds you the best products and good deals so that you can perfect your routine…