Beauty: A touch of sludge

Chanel's latest nail collection builds on the murky success of Particulière by adding a luminescent finish to three intriguing new shades: Quartz, Peridot and Graphite. Photo / Supplied

Murky nails are still the hands-on trend, with Chanel's new shades leading the charge.

If, a year ago, anyone had said that a shade that dwelt somewhere between mud-grey and sludge-brown would soon become the nail colour of the day - even, perhaps, the age - they would have been laughed out of town, not to mention Nails Inc. And so it is strange that Chanel Particulière, now generally referred to as "mink", continues to make waves. The fact that, in relation to more than a few skin tones - especially "pale and interesting" - the effect is nothing short of corpse-like, renders the success of this by now much-imitated non-colour more remarkable still.

Originally launched as a limited edition for spring/summer 2010, Particulière was loved so much by women the world over that it has now been incorporated into Le Vernis Chanel's permanent collection. And into mine, too. Being prone to at least a certain degree of whimsy, the fact that a second bottle appeared on my bathroom shelf earlier this week makes this the exception that proves the rule.

Particulière is a genius invention, perfect for those who find red polish too clichéd, pink too girlish and green/blue/purple/yellow/etc too "I'm mad, I am" for everyday consumption. Neither, to those with less than a total taste by-pass, is a French manicure any longer acceptable. As for sheer nail polish ... Especially on toes, madam might need a little more help than that.

Particulière was originally part of a seasonal collection courtesy of Chanel creative director of beauty, Peter Philips, and devoted to Mlle's favourite colour: beige. It might have a neutral feel to it, but it's more shadowy than that - a little darker and all the better for it.

In the mid-Nineties, Chanel Rouge Noir (now No 18, Vamp), a colour inspired by nothing more obviously fashionable than dried blood, was similarly imaginative. People queued round the block for it and the lip colour of the same shade was equally influential. Vamp has since acquired classic status and Particulière is swiftly heading in that direction.

- Susannah Frankel

Get the look

Muted, murky shades work well for winter, functioning as near neutrals, but with added interest. The chocolate and coffee palette is also worth exploring - from cappuccino and mocha through cocoa and espresso - there should be a shade to most women.

Always look for something that suits your skin tone; women with olive skin can carry off the ickier tones more easily than those who are pale and generally suit clearer shades. If taupe or khaki makes you look sickly then veer towards softer silver-grey shades or even sea-foam green, or try stronger steels and rich chocolates.

As well as Chanel's trendsetting shades, the latest of which, arrive in store next week and are priced at $47, there are plenty of other colours mining the same trend for under $30. Look to premium polishes from the likes of O.P.I, Essie, Butter London and Zoya. Revlon does good value fashion-forward shades, with metallics figuring. Orly's polish Sea Gurl from its new Birds of a Feather range, is a gunmetal grey with shimmer and there's a more subtle beige shimmer called Nite Owl that typifies prevailing efforts to make nails anything but plain pale pink.

For summer seasonal fun across the price spectrum expect to see more brights and pop pastel colours. Sandy and peachy nudes emerge as the best classic options.

- Janetta Mackay