Swatch watch Alternate nails in varying shades of the same color, Benjamin Moore paint sample-style, to give your digits unexpected flair. ● Essie “Going Incognito” (middle), “Pretty Edgy” and “Mint Candy Apple” (right) nail polish, $8 (each) at essie.com or visit a Bliss Spa near you. Eilon Paz
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Shellac Attack Want to double your mani/pedi life? It’s simple: Next time you’re at the salon, skip regular polish and go for Shellac. Applied like regular polish but finished under a special UV lamp, this environmentally friendly formula wears like a gel manicure and will last 14 days with no chips or smudges. * CND “Hollywood” Shellac at Eve Salon, 55 W. Eighth St. * Shellac manicure, $26 (45 mins.); pedicure, $40 (60 mins.); and removal, $5 (15 mins.) Eilon Paz
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Magnetic attraction Metallic particles make this nail polish special. After applying two coats, hold the magnet embedded in the bottle’s top just below your cuticle for about 15 seconds. Voila! An almost psychedelic wavelike design appears.* Nails Inc. Magnetic Polish, $16 at Sephora or sephora.com Eilon Paz
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Paint, crackle, pop! Layer this overcoat on any solid nail polish, and watch the cracked effect take hold. Crackle comes in eight shades, and since you can apply it over any base polish, the color possibilities are never-ending. * Undercoat: CND Colour in “Blackjack,” $9 at Polished Beauty Bar, 250 W. 78th St. * Overcoat: Sally Hansen “Antiqued Gold” Crackle Overcoat, $6.95 at drugstores nationwide. Eilon Paz
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Sticking points Skip the brush and bottle altogether for decorative decals that even the most detail-oriented manicurist couldn’t pull off with the thinnest brush in her arsenal. Here, we get in the holiday spirit with tartan plaid, statement-making Minx, which is heated by a professional and shrink wraps onto your nails. * Minx manicure, $55, and pedicure, $85, at Bliss Spa locations or visit minxnails.com for a salon near you. * For the first time ever, a sample of Minx designs are available directly to consumers, for $29.95 at minxisfashion.com. Eilon Paz
