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DIY Stella McCartney’s “Superhero” Nails

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If there’s one thing we can expect at every Stella McCartney show, it’s neutral nails. Light pink or nude—you’d be hard-pressed to find a bottle backstage that competed with the designer’s clothes. And for Resort, the situation was no different. Manicurist Madeline Poole painted catwalkers’ fingertips with Sally Hansen’s forthcoming Miracle Gel polish in Bare Dare, but created “superhero” nail art inspired by one of the quirky patterns in the collection. “I zoomed in and blew up different aspects of the masks to create an abstract design,” said Poole. “I don’t like to do anything too complicated—a graphic that’s big and bold always communicates better.” Here, the pro breaks down how to get the look (no cape or superhuman skills required).

1. Push back cuticles using Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover and an orangewood stick.

2. Gently polish the surface of nails with a buffing block, mist with water, and scrub with a brush. Complete the prep process by wiping fingertips clean of any residue with polish remover.

3. Paint the thumb and pinky finger with two coats of a solid color. (In this case, Poole chose Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Red Eye, on shelves in July.) “I like when there’s asymmetry to a manicure,” she said.

4. Choose bright, comic book-esque shades for the ring, middle, and pointer fingers. (Here, she chose Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Electri-Cute and Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Blue Me Away! and Mellow Yellow.) Layer on two coats.

5. Once the base coat is dry, draw a semicircle in a contrasting color from one edge of the nail bed three-quarters of the way to the other side—leaving space between your cuticle and the graphic shape. (In addition to the colors already in the rotation, Poole used Miracle Gel in Twiggy over the blue on our model’s middle finger.)

6. Repeat the same steps on the adjacent finger while you’re waiting for your semicircle to dry.

7. Add a second layer to each semicircle once they’ve had time to set.

8. Finish with a clear topcoat and clean up any excess polish around the nail bed with a makeup brush dipped in remover. Poole used the E.l.f. Essential Concealer Brush, which will only set you back $1.

While you wait for McCartney’s Resort pieces to hit stores, consider this manicure an instant form of gratification.

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