Manicures and pedicures have long been a fixture of a pulled-together look for women.
Fingernail and toenail grooming trends change often just like clothing fashions. No matter if you prefer an indulgent spa experience or take care of your digits at home, there are plenty of manicure and pedicure styles to explore in 2012.
"Nail art was popular in the 1980s, and now it is becoming popular again," said Joan Prenger, owner of Studio 1 Salon. "People usually get the designs for an occasion rather than everyday wear."
One form of nail art is patterns such as the "crackle" or "shattered" look. This broken glass effect is achieved when you apply a special type of polish of one color, such as OPI's line of Shatter nail lacquers, on top of a dried based coat of contrasting color.
Terri Silacci, an artistic nail designer in Monterey, Calif., is credited with creating the $300 "snakeskin pedicure" which uses naturally shed skin from snakes for nail décor.