Syrita's guide to heavenly hands.

It’s the party season and you need beautiful, elegant hands to go with the rest of the body, so a fresh manicure is essential. Can you confidently show off those talons while holding your champagne flute (little finger extended - its French manicure, darling)? If the answer is a resounding no, then fear not, help is at hand. A myriad of salons, cosmetic companies and beauticians are only too happy to offer you a solution in the form of nail extensions, at a price of course. But which type of nail extension is best? Here is the guide to finding the right nail tip for you.

Budget
Stick-On Nails: Boots, Superdrug, from £1.99 Stick-ons are best for a quick nail makeover. Although they can be tricky to apply at first, once you get the knack of it you can do them in minutes for an instant and inexpensive manicured look.
Pros: Quick and inexpensive. Every girl should have an emergency box in her bathroom cabinet, right next to the First Aid kit.

Cons: Only a temporary solution to the nail situation, as they easily become unstuck and probably won't even make it to tomorrow, so you better have some spares in your handbag. Can also be fiddly to apply and not the most natural looking type of extension.

Affordable
Acrylic Nail Tips: Any local high street nail salon, from £20 for a full set. Acrylic nails can look great, as there are more airbrush designs and coloured manicures than sand on a beach. This kind of tip is very durable and can last over two weeks, before being refilled.

Pros: Durable, many different designs and not too expensive. Widely available, there is a nail shop on almost every high street.

Cons: The acrylic mix starves the natural nail of light and oxygen, leading to thin, brittle nails and sometimes even fungal infections.

Luxury
Gel Nail Tips: Good nail salons and beauticians, from £35 for a full set. These are the most natural-looking and safe type of nail extension. The organic gel allows your own natural nail to 'breathe' and with a good nail technician, it's almost impossible to tell they aren't real. You can still have all the adornments offered with acrylic tips as well but only the best salons and hi-end beauticians have this kind of gel tip, so you might have to shop around a bit.

Pros: Look most natural and minimise damage to your own nail bed.

Cons: Quite pricey, a full set complete with fortnightly refills could set you back £80 a month. Not very practical if you have to use your hands for any real hard work, gels are quite fragile and will snap under pressure. Better hire a cook, gardener, babysitter, driver, cleaner