Autumn 06 Trends #4: Dark Nails

Dark, glossy nails are huge this season. They key shades are dark purples and reds and also pure black. The coloured blacks aren't as maroon as Rouge Noir - the shade Uma Thurman wore in Pulp Fiction and which was a huge hit in the mid-nineties. This year's dark shades range from dark cherry & cassis to purple mixed with a lot of black, and they're gorgeous.

Estee Lauder's Nail Lacquer in Plum Cassis definitely fits the bill, as does W7's Nail Polish in Victoria Plum. If you'd like to try the trend for dark nails but you're not keen on such gothic shades, you could try Nails Inc's St Martin's Lane - it's a rich red brown shot through with gold and would be easier to wear, especially for daytime. Easier to find for Irish ladies might be Per Una's Ascension, available at M&S stores.

Nails Inc are also doing a fantastic web special on their Autumn Winter Collection 2006. It's 19 sterling, and it contains 5 polishes in must have shades: Aspen - a satin inspired high gloss red; Val D'Isere: a rich chocolate brown with a swish of gold glimmer; St Moritz - a burgundy with a deep gold shimmer; Courcheval: Regal opulent purple, and their best seller, Victoria - a dark cherry - the ultimate ladylike shade.

If you don't fancy buying online, you can also pick up Nails Inc polishes in Brown Thomas in both Dublin and Cork.