Beauty Reporter: Beauty 101 Opener.(nail care)

beauty101

Metallic Nails A high-shine manicure in three easy steps. By Amy Keller

Metallic Nails It feels like a cruel joke: The more you go out and need to look good, the less time you have to do so. This year, however, we're getting the last laugh with a new crop of gold, silver, and copper metallic polishes that stay put days longer than opaques. "Metallics contain tiny mica particles that really latch on to nails," says manicurist Deborah Lippmann, creator of the Lippmann Collection. "It's the number-one reason I love them for the holidays." Even better: Unlike full-on glitter polishes, metallics create just a touch of shimmer. "Metallics are sexy and a little bit avant-garde," says cofounder of Creative Nail Design Jan Arnold, "but this particular palette is almost neutral." Achieving the perfect middle ground, however, requires some preparation. To prevent visible brush strokes, buff nails, apply a ridge-filler, then paint on thin coats of enamel. But at least color choice is a snap. "We've been wearing metallics all our lives," Arnold says. "It's the same as with jewelry -- you choose the metal you feel most comfortable in."

file nails

Remove old polish, and soak nails in warm, soapy water for a few minutes, then push cuticles back with a damp washcloth and thoroughly dry off nails. With a fine-grain emery board, file nails so they're no longer than an eighth inch beyond the ...