Claudia Winkleman has never been shy about her love of an orange beauty look. In her own words, she loves her skin to be the shade of ‘Minute Maid juice'. But her latest beauty move proves her affection for orange extends beyond just fake tan, and now she’s embracing it on her nails, too.
In a recent Instagram post, the TV presenter showed off a flash of her new, autumn-ready manicure. Announcing in her deliciously deadpan manner that tickets for The Traitors Live Experience had now gone on sale, Claudia was sporting her trademark heavy eyeliner and jet black fringe, and her jumper, too, was midnight black. Breaking up all that monochrome was her 'pumpkin-sugar' nails, with her orange manicure playing perfectly against her all-black look.
Her timing is spot on. Sure, refined, minimalist manicures like soap nails and 'invisible' manicures are synonymous with all that’s pared-back and polished, but there’s something enchanting about a rich autumnal manicure that gets us in the mood for the season ahead.
Deep, earthy tones and foliage-inspired hues like burnt orange and burgundy come into their own during the colder months; it’s pleasingly ritualistic to shed summer’s pastels and leave the salon with a chill in the air and your fingertips enveloped in warm shades in their place.
While Claudia's pumpkin-esque was slightly more fluorescent than your traditional autumnal hues, her shade was interspersed with hints of sugary pink. It gives her nails a smore glamorous gleam than the standard rust-orange hues seen everywhere at this time of year. Captivating but still flattering, pumpkin-sugar is proof that a bold pop of colour can look great for autumn.
Claudia let the colour take centre stage by opting for a short, rounded shape. This is something we’re seeing more and more on celebrities over 50, and it's for good reason. 'For mature hands, shorter nails can be especially flattering because they create a clean, neat silhouette. They tend to draw attention to the overall appearance of the hand rather than the length of the nail, giving a fresher, more refined look,' nail guru Leighton Denny MBE tells us.
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Of course, healthy-looking nails is key to younger looking hands. Thankfully, it's easier to keep your nails looking vibrant and healthy during the colder months, when exposure to sunshine and chlorine isn’t as frequent. Always consider a top coat for additional protection, and if you are doing your own nails at home, apply two base coat layers instead of one.
Now to book that salon appointment
