For the millions who tuned into the London 2012 Olympics last year, it was impossible to miss the collection of globally-inspired nail designs created by London’s hottest nail artist, Sophy Robson.  Now, Sophy is back as part of an exclusive partnership with England Netball in a bid to engage bright young women across the country and ensure that tomorrow’s sporting stars are always a step ahead when it comes to the latest nail art trends.
As part of the partnership, the Olympic nail icon has created a series of unique ‘Netball Nail’ designs especially for short nails – so girls can still be super stylish and empowering them to participate in sport. Check out some of Sophy’s nifty ‘how to’ tips to discover how you can re-create three of these stylish looks at home...  

Top 5

     1.    Start off by trimming your nails down short and filing the edges so they are round and smooth. You’re now ready to get started
    2.    First, apply a base coat to the nail to smooth out any uneven texture. Then, add your base colour. We’ve opted for a sporty red to really make you stand out on the field
    3.    Once your base colour is dry, you can start working up your animal print. First, choose two contrasting colours to give the design the ‘wow’ factor - we’ve gone for a glimmering gold against pure white. Using the gold, paint on three or four half-moon shapes onto the nail and leave to dry. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect – wild animal patterns never are!
    4.    You can then add a white dot to the centre of your half-moon shapes to finish off that amazing animal print look. Don’t forget to add a generous layer of top coat so your designs stay protected while you shine in all your sporting glory!
    5.     Although we’ve gone for red, gold and white, why not try customising the colours of your animal print to match your kit colours and add a touch of glamour to your sporty look

Star buys

Nail File, £1.75 each, www.madbeauty.com
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in All Fired Up, £6.99
Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat Polish, £6.49