We’re all enjoying the extra hours of sunshine right now, but have you thought of spring light as a secret anti-ageing weapon? Well, you should, according to brand founder and celebrity nail expert Leighton Denny MBE, who can list everyone from Joan Collins and Adele to Kate Moss on his CV.
He believes that lighter, brighter days can translate into a more youthful look for your hands, and it’s right there at your fingertips.
‘Spring changes how everything looks, and nails are part of that,’ says Leighton. ‘What a lot of people don’t realise is how much lighting affects your nail colour. In winter, everything’s quite flat and artificial, but in spring you’ve got natural daylight hitting your hands all the time.’
‘That’s when sheer or light-reflective nail shades really come into their own for a youthful look,’ he explains. ‘In winter, hands can look a little dull or uneven, so pale or sheer nail shades don’t always look flattering. But once your skin looks brighter and more even in spring, those same colours suddenly look fresh and really flattering.’
So turn that to your advantage, advises Leighton. He notes that signs of ageing nails can be smoothed out right away if you switch to sheer colours that play nicely with the new season. ‘In spring light, sheer shades enhance the nail rather than highlighting imperfections, which immediately makes hands look fresher, smoother and more youthful.’
This isn’t about having a tan, either – it’s simply that the rise in air temperature adds to your hands’ youthful potential. ‘When you’re warmer, hands tend to look less mottled and more even, with a bit more natural colour to the skin,’ Leighton explains.
‘That makes a big difference; you can wear softer, sheer shades because they enhance the nail rather than highlighting any dryness or redness. They actually brighten the whole hand and enhance your skin tone.’ Leighton’s own bestselling Nail Illuminators are very sheer and pretty, and there’s a gorgeous new Hazy Lilac colour.
If you’d like to paint on a youthful look in a more opaque texture, Leighton recommends using soft pinks, nudes and lilacs. ‘In the colder months, they can sometimes make hands look washed out, but in spring they just make everything look fresher. It’s one of the easiest seasonal updates you can make.’
Brighter, younger nails in a stroke? Yes, we’ve seen the light!
