Dancing On Ice: Nail Designs – Week 1

Maddy Rooke, celebrity nail technician, reveals the backstage antics and nail looks from ITV’s Dancing On Ice… 

Hey Scratch readers! I’m back for the third year in a row to bring you the latest nail looks from this year’s Dancing On Ice series.

I can already tell this year is going to be a good one. The first week is always crazy so I enlisted the help of my assistant Harriet, of @thehouseofbeauty_brentwood, to help me out for the day.

This year I’ve teamed up with The Gel Bottle Inc to bring you the hottest nail looks and here’s a breakdown on how I created some of the looks (but be sure to check out my Instagram page, @nails_by_mads, for more backstage footage!).

Vanessa Bauer (professional skater):
Teamed with Diversity’s Perrie Edwards, Vanessa wore a tuxedo paired with a dramatic eye make-up look and burgundy lipstick. We matched her lipstick to the nail colour and added some super sparkly diamantés to compliment those in her hair. Vanessa likes her nails to have a bit of length and needs them to be strong so I opted for The Gel Bottle Inc Gel Pot in Clear. Once the nail is prepped I applied a thin layer of the Clear Rubber Base and cured. I then used a thin layer of the Gel Pot and drizzled the gel from one side to the other to allow it to send level into the thin layer already applied (not cured). I find this technique excellent with self levelling gels and a quick and easy way to build up the apex for a stronger nail. If you’re new to using this technique, work with one or two fingers are a time to ensure no movement. Refine and apply your colour. We used The Gel Bottle Inc in Manhattan as well as diamantés set into the Clear Rubber Top. I finished with the Extreme Shine Top Coat.

Maura Higgins (celebrity):
This week, Maura has undergone a complete transformation, from long square ombré talons we opted for a more subtle, shorter look to ensure no breaks or accidental scratches on the ice. Here, I used the same technique as used on Vanessa and, because the costume wasn’t confirmed (the costume department are incredible at turning outfits around in a day), we went for neutral The Gel Bottle Inc shade Marshmallow and finished with Milky Way for a gorgeous iridescent sparkle.

Jayne Torvill (judge):
Each year I have the joy of doing Jayne’s nails. I absolutely love doing her nails, not only because she is absolutely lovely, but also because she always shows off her sparkly manicure when giving her critique (which means a lot of air time for my nails)! This week she wore a long gold sequin dress, so there was only one colour to choose – The Gel Bottle Inc in Vegas. Jayne has incredibly strong natural nails so I used the Clear Rubber Base, Vegas and Extreme Shine Top Coat to complete the look.

This is what we used on all of the other case members:

• Carlotta Edwards: Clear Rubber Base, Gel Pot in Clear, gel polish shade Jet Black, Lecenté Black Holographic Glitter, Extreme Shine Top Coat
• Alex Schauman: Clear Rubber Base, Gel Pot 4, gel polish shades Marshmallow and Vegas for a French tip design, Extreme Shine Top Coat
• Alex Murphy: Clear Rubber Base, Gel Pot in Clear, gel polish shade Californian, Extreme Shine Top Coat
• Libby Clegg (by Harriet): Clear Rubber Base, gel polish shade Fizz, Extreme Shine Top Coat
• Trisha Goddard (by Harriet): Peacći 2-in-1 Base Coat, nail polish shade Crayon, Gel’ous Top Coat
• Lucrezia Millarini: Clear Rubber Base, gel polish shade Latte, Extreme Shine Top Coat

So that’s it for week one! For more pictures of the looks and behind the scenes footage, check out my Instagram page @nails_by_mads. Until next time!