 If animal print or polka dots seem a little extreme but you’re ready to break away from traditional nude or red tones then Ciate’s Paint Pot in Starlet 048 (£9, www.ciate.co.uk) is for you. It’s multi-tonal and in the right light looks like mermaid scales, going from blue to purple to green. It looks modern on shorter nails and application is easy with the long handle. Try to apply in 3 strokes (centre, side, side) and start a few millimetres away from the nail bed to create a professional finish.
 A simple way to create at home nail art is with Nail Rock’s nail wraps (£6.65, www.nailrock.com) These stick on nails come in a variety of designs from stripes to polka dots to leopard. Application requires a little patience and practise. Firstly you have to prep your nails. Make sure they are clean and free of polish then give them a little buff. Then select the right sized tip, place it over the nail and with a blast of hot air from a hairdryer smooth the tip to your nail, pressing it down firmly, ensuring there are no lumps or bumps. The first time I did this I failed to heat the tips for long enough and they started coming off after only half a day. I learnt my lesson and next time the nails lasted for days. If there is any excess it can easily be filled away. Et voila! Expert nails in an instant.
 Glitter is a sure fire way to secure comment inducing nails. Nails Inc’s Special Effects 3D Glitter in Connaught Square 261 (£11, www.nailsinc.com) creates a super sparkly finish in no time at all. With just two coats the nails look like they’ve been dipped in a play school glitter pot. I suggest you follow with a top coat or you’ll leave a glittery trail wherever you place your hands. After application the nail feels rough, not smooth, so putting on 10 denier stockings is best avoided. The formula lasts for 3 to 4 days before the chips begin to appear. The only inconvenience with this polish is the amount of time it takes to remove. 23 nail polish soaked cotton pads later I’d finally managed to get my nails back to their natural state.
 A fun way of unleashing your inner Picasso on your fingertips is with Model’s Own Nail Art Pen (£6, www.modelsownit.com). The brush is long and thin making it ideal for creating freehand stripes, zig zags, or there’s a fine nib for creating intricate patterns and dots, basically whatever your imagination desires! Unless you’re ambidextrous fashioning designs takes some practise and I find that trailing designs on my toes helps hone my technique. After finishing the nail pattern ensure it is completely dry before applying a clear top coat or there may be bleeding of the pattern and your nail masterpiece could be ruined.
 Guaranteed to get people grabbing for your hands asking “how did you do that?” is OPI’s Shatter Nail Lacquer (£10.50, www.lenawhite.co.uk). I don’t know exactly how it works but the results are spectacular. Firstly paint on your normal polish, wait for it to dry, quickly paint on a medium thick amount of OPI’s polish over the top then hold your hands out and marvel at the ‘shatter’ effect of the polish as it splits and cracks to give flashes of the colour underneath. I find contrasting the Shatter polish , which comes in 9 different shades, with a plain colour works best, for instance a purple base with the white formulation. It lasts for at least 5 days, by which time you’ll be ready to try a different colour combination and start receiving a whole new set of compliments.
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