The minimalist manicure

Meghan Markle has just shown the whole world how to pull off the perfect engagement manicure. Natural, polished and purposefully low key, she took a leaf out of her future sister-in-law's book and let her (amazing) engagement ring do all the talking. Yes, just like Kate Middleton, Meghan went for a soft, pale pink opaque nail colour complete with a healthy gloss to keep things premium; a look best achieved with an 'invisible gel manicure'. This is when your manicurist uses gel polish to create a glossy, nail effect rather than a solid colour. It's thought that royal dress code…

We've all made panic snap decisions when we're unprepared at the salon. Your default shade (rose blush, anyone?) is all too appealing when you're put on the spot. But getting the manicure you want – and keeping it – just comes down to a bit of planning.

Have you ever taken a moment to consider what mood you were in last time you updated your manicure? Most of us have heard about the psychology of colour and how it can both reflect and affect our mood, and it turns out, just like the dress colours we wear, our attraction to certain nail shades can speak volumes about our personality too. Sounds a bit ridiculous we know, but according to some scientists, different colours actually send signals to your brain which can completely change how you think and perceive things. We sat down with manicurist to the stars Michelle Humphrey (@nailsbymh) to…