Diwali Nails: Festive Looks, and Getting the Timing Right With Mehndi

Diwali falls in October or November each year, following the lunar calendar, and the days before it are full: cleaning, cooking, visiting, shopping for new clothes. Nails tend to be the last thing on the list, which is exactly why something that takes minutes rather than a salon booking is useful. Whether you celebrate or you are joining friends and family, here is how to get them right.

Nails first, or mehndi first?

This is the question that actually matters, and the answer is nails first.

Nail strips bond best to a nail that is clean, dry and free of oil. Mehndi paste, and the oils many people apply afterwards to deepen the colour, get onto the nails and can stop a strip gripping properly. So apply your nails beforehand, give them a few hours to settle, then have the mehndi done around them, keeping the paste off the strips themselves where you can.

There is a second reason. Henna stains the nail plate as well as skin, so a bare nail under fresh mehndi can pick up an orange tint that takes weeks to grow out. Having a strip on first protects it.

Colours that suit the festival

Diwali is the festival of lights, and the looks that work reflect that: warm metallics, deep reds and rich jewel tones that sit alongside festive clothes rather than competing with them. Gold jewellery is common, and warm shades are the ones that flatter gold, which matching nails to gold or silver explains.

1. Gold Edged

A gold line that picks up gold jewellery directly, festive without being overwhelming, and easy to wear across several days of celebrations. See Gold Edged.

2. Molten Ruby

A deep, glowing red that sits with the reds and golds of festive outfits and looks rich in candlelight. See Molten Ruby.

3. Emerald Twinkle

A jewel green with shimmer, for anyone whose outfit is in emerald, teal or peacock tones rather than red. See Emerald Twinkle.

4. Royal Sapphire

A deep blue with real depth, for a cooler jewel tone that still feels celebratory. See Royal Sapphire.

If you want something you can change between events, no-lamp polish strips like Golden Marble are £5 and come off easily, so you can switch looks between the family meal and the party.

Surviving the busy days

The days around Diwali involve a lot of cooking and washing up, which is hard on any manicure. A cured gel layer copes with it better than polish, but gloves for the long washing-up sessions help, and oil at night keeps the edges sealed. Nails when your hands are in water all day has more on keeping a set going through a busy week.

Apply them two or three days before the main day. That leaves time to settle, and a spare strip from the set can replace any single nail that takes a knock during the preparations.

Quick answers

Should I do my nails before or after mehndi?

Before. Nail strips bond best to clean, dry, oil-free nails, and mehndi paste and aftercare oils can stop them gripping. Apply nails first, let them settle, then have the mehndi done around them.

Does henna stain your nails?

It can. Henna stains the nail plate as well as skin, so a bare nail under fresh mehndi may pick up an orange tint that takes weeks to grow out. A strip applied first protects the nail.

What nail colours are good for Diwali?

Warm metallics like gold, deep reds, and rich jewel tones such as emerald and sapphire. They sit well with festive outfits, and warm shades in particular flatter gold jewellery.

When should I do my Diwali nails?

Two or three days before the main day, in the evening, so the bond has settled before the busy days of cooking and visiting.

Will gel nail strips last through Diwali preparations?

A cured gel layer copes with cooking and washing up better than polish. Gloves for long washing-up sessions and cuticle oil at night help it last.

Velvora makes semi-cured gel nail strips, nail polish strips and nail care in the UK. Gel sets are 20 strips for £11.99, 10 sizes with two of each, and no-lamp polish strips are £5. All TPO and HEMA free, with free UK delivery over £35. Browse the full collection or start with the beginner guide.

Related reading: nails and gold jewellery, party nails and photographing your nails.