“Vernis” is French for polish, with a silent “s.”
“So. I admit: I’m totes late to the party when it comes to nail polish. My excuses are myriad. First is, I nearly never get my nails done. Second is, well, I nearly never get my nails done. Still, when I kept seeing these great grays cropping up on the shiny finger tops of fashion types, I felt compelled to join the smoky digit movement. So, on a recent sad, rainy day, when generous and lovely Rescue Rittenhouse Spa just happened to invite me over for a mani, I figured it must be a sign from god. Or at least a good omen from beauty goddess Kim and Dana et al at Rescue. Anyway. I went, gave over my withered hands (not pictured here, because even with their nails polished, the veiny, dishpan endpoints of my upper appendages are not fit for human eyes) to nail guru Jean — whose real name is Kelly and whom I forgot to compliment on her lovely makeup — and ,after several blissful minutes of buffing and smoothing and eventual polishing with Chanel’s subtly glittery Paradoxal, I found my plain Jane hands transformed into something vastly chicer. Industrial yet lustrous. Dark yet bright. Gray like a winter day, but also totally upbeat, modern, mood-lifting. Paradoxical. You get the picture.
Anyway. Gray nails may no longer be 100% new to market, but they remain totally pretty and completely available at Rescue for a mere $25 manicure (plus tip for Jean/Kelly). I say, so what if you’re a little late to the party? At least you’ll be fashionably late.”
Posted by Lauren McCutcheon on 1/19/2011 @ blogs.phillymag.com