Find ways to ‘extend’ beauty beyond the ordinary with these party season styles

Half-moon mani: Who said manicures only mean white tips? Many have been seen reviving this 1930s trend where women would paint only the centre of their nails — leaving the tip and cuticle exposed — in a variety of reds. They came to be known as moon manicures and looks best with oval extensions.

Futuristic metals: Fashionistas predict that chrome nails will spill into next year too, given how crazy people are going over them. While holographic nail powders and rhinestones on square extensions are just one tiny aspect of this shiny wonder, combinations of matte and metallic, mirror effect gel nail polishes and nail tattoos in ‘gun powder’ shades are ruling the roost.

Matte-r of fact: Fall/winter fashion shows across the world featured matte nails to complement the couture. Stella McCartney showed muted pink, while others established that a range of never-seen-before nude polishes are likely to hit the market next year. Why not try ‘squoval’ extensions with some matte magic?

Platinum blonde: Spice up the platinum blonde we saw late last year and early this year with shades like honey and dark roots. However, remember that going from dark hair to light takes a lot of money, time, patience and bleach. If you’re looking to Kim Kardashian for inspiration, just remember that her waist-length platinum hair is probably extensions.

Ribbon highlights: First we saw ombrè, then came balayage and the latest hair colouring trend to surface is this. Using a combination of dark and light colours from root to tip, it’s applied and alternated to create a ribbon effect using your hair. Styling experts say it looks best on hair that’s of the same colour.

Waist-length extensions: The coveted Victoria’s Secret fashion show would have concluded on Monday night and fans can’t wait for it to air on TV. But is this show the reason Kendall Jenner took to getting waist-length extensions? Nonetheless, it’s become the talk of the town and is ‘in’ this season. She got eight-inch extensions added to her locks, would you go further?

Eyelash extensions: Fake lashes are customised and stuck to your natural ones — you get to choose every aspect right from the kind of curl and length to material (real hair or synthetic). All you need to do is lie back on the table while the technicians work their magic. 

Permanent waves: A special adhesive is applied onto your lashes, which are then curled and left in the position or angle desired. The adhesives straighten your lashes before curling them to ensure they’re ‘perm’anently in the set position for an extended period of time. 

Lash tint: While this hasn’t been approved by any cosmetology board, videos of people applying a dye to give their lashes a uniform and darker colour are going viral. Your lashes are lighter at the tips so colouring them black or brown evenly will make them appear longer, but we’d recommend you don’t do this at home. — Compiled by Arpitha Rao