As a beauty editor, qualified nail tech and total nail enthusiast, I adore nail art. Although, as much as I love all things vibrant like sunset nails, there's something about a pared-back, minimalist manicure that feels so polished and satisfying. That's why when Manucurist launched its Active range, I—quite literally—couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
The Manucurist Active Range features 5 shades, known as "enhancers". Active Glow Raspberry (a gloss with raspberry extract and a slight tint), Active Glow Blueberry (a gloss with blueberry extract and a slightly darker tint), Active Smooth (a CC polish), Active Bright (a brightener) and Active Shine (a highlighter).
The best way to think about them is "your nails but better", just like our favourite, no-make-up make-up products do for our faces.
The great news is, this is one of those trends I think looks best on short straight nails. I tried these out with naturally long nails that I typically cover with gel polish.
Manucurist Active Glow Raspberry
Replace this with your usual clear topcoat and you'll be well impressed. Named perfectly, it gives an incredible glossy glow with a beautiful raspberry tint.
Manucurist Active Glow Blueberry
I found this shade very similar to Raspberry on me and didn't suit me as much as the lighter shade. This is why I stuck to just one coat, otherwise it made me look more red—not my desired outcome. This shade definitely suits darker skin tones more than mine, but gives that lovely glowing effect.
Manucurist Active Smooth
If you always pick that one neutral pink, no matter how hard you try and choose something new then this is for you. It's that beautiful sheer pink that can be built up to increase opacity or kept at one barely-there layer.
Manucurist Active Bright
I think this is my favourite because of its almost undetectable blue iridescent. Exactly as the name's description suggests, it works brilliantly as a nail brightener.
Manucurist Active Shine
Last but not least, Active Shine is for those who like minimalist manicure but still opt for some sparkle. With one layer (as pictured here), it's a stunning clear that dazzles in the sunshine. For a more dramatic look, two coats amps it up. This also looks stunning used as a top coat over the top of any of the other four shades.
