Ombré nails look so much more complicated than they actually are. We consulted with badass nail lady Fleury Rose about the best way to do it, and she gave us the the pro approach to getting the glam gradient nails of your dream. Follow these nine steps to get the look.
You’ll need…
Nail polish remover
Base coat
Two nail polishes (one lighter than the other)
Wedge-shaped makeup sponges
Clear nail polish
Cotton swabs
Top coat
1). Wipe your nails with nail polish remover to get them extra clean.
2). Apply the base coat. (Use a product specifically labeled base coat, since it gives polish an even surface to stick to.) We used Nails Inc. Nailkale Superfood Base Coat. Let dry.
3). Paint with the lighter of the two polishes. This will be your base color. We used Body Shop’s Oh Petal. Make sure the polish fully covers your nail, especially toward the cuticle end. Let dry.
4). Get a wedge-shaped makeup sponge, clear nail polish, and your contrast color (we used Azature Rose Diamond). On the square end of the sponge, apply a small drop of the clear nail polish and a small drop of the darker color on top of one another. Squeeze the sponge a little to mix them up and dilute the contrast color.
5). Using quick, tapping motions, apply the darker color with the sponge, starting at the tip and continuing 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to the cuticle end of the nail, being careful not to get any on the bottom third of the nail. Don’t worry about getting polish on the skin. Let dry.
6). Reapply the darker color with the sponge, concentrating on the top half of the nail to increase the amount of gradation. You may need to repeat this step a few times to get the look you’re going for. Let dry.
7). To complete the gradation, apply a non-diluted coat of the darker color to the tip of the nail only. Let dry.
8). Dip a brush or cotton swab in nail polish remover and clean the skin around your nail.
9). Apply top coat. We used OPI Snow Globetrotter polish on top of the contrast coat. You can also omit the glitter and apply a clear top coat. Let dry and show off your skills. Voila!
Now don’t your nails look awesome?
By Susan Avett
This article originally appeared in the print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
