Since Sofia Richie-Grainge’s wedding manicure last year, I’ve been totally obsessed with finding the perfect sheer nail polishes. There is something about a sheer pink that is universally flattering on everyone, and remains a timeless and classy nail colour. After having a manicure with celebrity manicurist Georgia Rae (the very pro behind Richie-Grainge’s wedding nails) I jumped at the chance to find out exactly what nail colours she used for her big day, as well as her favourite minimalist sheer pink and milky nail colours that have become her signature—they are truly the chicest minimalist manicures around.
How To get Classy Nails
Before we jump into the colour best colours to try, Rae has some advice for prepping your nails before applying polish, which can take your mani from looking good to great. “It all starts with a hand care and nail care routine,” she says. “You want your hands to be in really good condition, so even if you don’t have any nail polish on, or something very sheer, they look good.” This includes using a hand scrub to buff away dead skin and applying cuticle oil regularly to keep them neat.
In fact, the attention to the cuticles is what elevates a manicure. “It’s almost like shaping your nails and the other end,” says Rae. “There is a lot of emphasis on shaping the edge of the nail, but not so much on actually creating a really nice shape along the bottom of the nail,” she says. So, use a cuticle remover and cuticle pusher to remove any dead skin around the base of the nails. Then, you can apply a nail oil before bed and using an exfoliating scrub to maintain the look.
Rae‘s tip for a luxe-level manicure? Layering colours to get your own custom shade, which she often does for her bridal clients. “I like to mix and layer depending on skin tone,” she says. “I like layering a really sheer white first, as I find this really brightens the nail, and then from there you can either layer a more peachy-toned pink or a more baby-toned pink,” she says, explaining that you create your own bespoke shade that’s tailored to you.
7 Classy Nail Colours To Try Next
1. Biosculpture Sweet Candy Breath
Rae was behind Sofia Richie-Grainge’s wedding weekend nails, and she filled me in on the exact shades she used. “She had a clear picture of what she wanted. For the rehearsal dinner she wanted a sheer white, and for that we did OPI Funny Bunny (more on that below) and for her wedding day we did Biosculpture’s Sweet Candy Breath,” says Rae. “I always say it’s a mix of everything; not too pink, not too white, not too beige, it’s a really universally flattering shade.” The hue is available in gel polish, but also a matching nail polish if you want to get the look at home.
Bio Sculpture
Sweet Candy Breath Nail Polish
2. Essie Allure
Rae recommends applying a sheer white polish, which not only looks good worn alone, but is the perfect brightening base to follow up with other sheer shades. “I always apply a sheer white polish beneath every colour,” says Rae. “I like using Essie Allure, it’s a really sheer white that looks good on everyone. And then on top of that you can layer pretty much anything.”
Essie
Original Nail Polish in 5 Allure,
