Candy Cane Marble

tools:

essie sugar daddy

essie going incognito

essie fishnet stockings

essie blanc

opi fresh fresh of bel air

stripe brush

penguin in the snow

tools:

essie cocktail bling

essie midnight cami

essie blanc

white striper pen

doting tool

clear rhinestones 

the gift of love

tis the season of giving so today i gave myself the courage to freehand heart tips on my nails- the reason i shaped my nails this way two months ago!

tools: 

essie fishnet stockings

essie beyond cozy

nail art brush 

step 1: paint two coats of essie beyond cozy.

step 2: once the base is dry, using essie fishnet stockings paint the top of one side of the heart at a diagonal angle and then do the same to the other side meeting in the middle of the nail to create the heart shape. 

step 3: paint a second coat of essie fishnet stockings. let this coat be your opportunity to fix the shape of the heart if necessary. 

step 4: to create the bow, draw a cross using a long thin haired nail brush. then draw an oval or leaf shape for the top of the bow. finish it off by drawing two short lines as strings for the bow. 

step 5: finish off the look by painting one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat.

when in doubt, bling it out

enthusiastic to use new rhinestones and a color scheme seen by ncLA this design was created! achieve this look in three easy steps.

tools:

essie smokin' hot 

essie a cut above

pink triangle rhinestones

step 1: paint two coats of essie smokin' hot.

step 2: once the nails are completely dry, paint the top 1/3 of the nail in essie a cut above. using your fingertip blend the glitter downward toward the cuticle. this creates a gradient effect from the most glitter at the tip and least going down toward the cuticle. 

step 3: apply two light pink triangle shaped rhinestones on your ring finger to appear as a bow. finish the look with one coat of seche vite top coat. 

TIP: make sure to paint two coats of clear polish over the rhinestones so that it stays in place. 

negative spaces

inspired by chelseas get nailed and stephanie stone this week i attempted cut out nails also known as negative spaced nails. this trend has been recently seen on the runway on dresses known as "cut-out dresses". what i like most about this trend is that it pushes the boundaries of nail art removing nail polish to create the design.

 

tools:

striping tape

nail polish remover

point tip q-tips

opi here today aragon tomorrow

gold glitter stripper pen

step 1: paint two coats of opi here today aragon tomorrow. 

step 2: apply two pieces of striping tape to each nail creating the negative space. 

step 3: using a precision q-tip dipped in nail polish remover, remove the polish between the striping tape. repeat until the space is clean and you can see the base of the nail. 

step 4: (optional) outline the negative space with a gold glitter striping pen by painting on the polish at the edge of the clean space. 

step 5: paint two coats of clear top coat. 

floral outlines

instead of the basic flower print i decided to do more of an avant guard floral print. this was perfect for a wedding that i attended to this week.

 

tools:

essie sugardaddy

essie play date

black striper pen

essie school of hardrocks

gold glitter striper pen

step 1: paint three to four coats of essie sugar daddy. this color is very sheer and needs more than the normal application.

step 2: after the base is completely dry, using essie play date, paint three to five (depending on the size of your nail bed) circle to oval shapes using the brush from the nail polish bottle. 

step 3: wait five to ten minutes to allow the nail to dry. once dry, outline the purple shapes using a black striper pen my drawing small U's or C's in form of a daisy flower.

OPTIONAL! :

step 4: using essie school of hardrocks (green) draw one V shape on each flower to form the leaves.

step 5: to add a pop of color, use a gold stiper pen and trace over the the green leaves. 

spider webs

its that time of year again when you can dress up as anyone you want. instead of dressing myself up, i chose to dress up my nails instead.

 

tools:

essie sand tropez

essie mochacino

essie sew psyched

black striper pen

step 1: paint two coats of essie sand tropez (nude).

step 2: once the base is completely dry, using a sponge, do a gradient nail using essie mochacino (mid nail) and sew psyched (nail tip). for instructions on how to do a gradient nail using a sponge see this video. 

step 3: paint one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. this will blend the colors and even the surface.

step 4: using a black striper pen, draw three to four black lines starting at one corner of the tip of your nail. 

step 5: draw C's in between the lines to create the webs. the points of the C's should face down toward the cuticle. 

now it's time to enjoy your spidey nails. happy halloween!

matte leopard

i'm excited to announce that i finally got my hands on essie's matte about you a matte finish top coat! this allows me to transform any nail polish into a matte color. i decided on this design so that you can see the contract of a shiny top coat versus a matte top coat.

 

tools:

dotting tool

essie baubing for baubles

essie matte about you

clear nail polish

step 1: paint two coats of essie- bobbing for baubles on all nails.

step 2: paint essie- matte about you on the desired nails you want to have a matte finish.

step 3: on the shiny nails, using a dotting tool, draw leopard print using essie- matte about you.

step 4: on the matte nails, using a dotting tool, draw leopard print using a shiny clear nail polish. 

TIP: be sure to do this in bright light since it will be hard to see the design you are painting due to the opacity of the clear and matte for the leopard print design.

reverse french

i finally decided to implement studs into a nail design. too impatient to wait for ebay to send my order, i purchased a stud set from kiss. also seen here was my attempt at a reverse french which is similar to a half moon but upside down.

. 

tools:

kiss metallic nail art studs

tweezer

essie chinchilly

essie smokin' hot

page preforators 

seche vite fast dry top coat 

step 1: paint the pinky, ring and index finger with two coats of essie- chinchilly.

step 2: paint the ring and thumb finger with two coats of essie- smokin' hot.

step 3: paint one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat on each nail. 

step 4: when the nails are completely dry, cut the page preforators in half and place a half on to each nail, oval part facing down so it looks like a "U". firmly press down the edges of the tape so there are no bubbles or gaps to avoid polish from seeping underneath the tape as you paint.

step 5: after the preferators are set in place, paint the top part of the nail in the opposite color. paint pinky, ring and index finger in smokin' hot and ring and thumb finger in chinchilly. 

step 6: paint one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat on each nail and allow 10 minutes to dry.

step 7: apply the studs of your choice using a tweezer to pick up the stud and to place onto the nail. after carefully placing the stud in the desired place, press the stud down firmly using the tweezer. 

step 8: finish it off with one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat!

matthew williamson #lfw

ombre treatments and embellishments drew my attention to the matthew williamson collection at the london fashion week show. the collection was inspired by his love of India and the festivals of color, "Holi Festival".

step 1: begin by painting two coats of essie- lapiz of luxury.

step 2: paint one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat and allow 10 minutes to dry completely. 

step 3: using the gradient technique seen here apply using (from lightest to darkest- cuticle to tip) new york color in lavender cupcake, essie- play date, lapiz of luxury and bobbing for baubles.

step 4: repeat the gradient technique until you are satisfied with the color. 

TIP: free hand with the sponge by dabbing in access color to achieve your desired look. 

step 5: using the sponge, adjust the darkest color at the tip, essie- bobbing for baubles so that you have a french tip, half moon shape.

step 6: go over the tip with a dark blue glitter, essie- stroke of brilliance. 

step 7: wait about 5 minutes before applying your top coat so that you do not risk moving the glitter at tip all over your nail. 

dvf spring 13

the inspiration seen behind Diane Von Furstenberg's spring 2013 collection, "palazzo" was her own life. traveling the world with a bohemian spirit is what served to be the inspiration for the collection full of bright colors, bold prints, colorblock and embellishments. the second i saw this print i imagined how good it would look on a set of nails! 

step 1: paint two coats of mint nail polish. i used revlon- minted.

step 2:  paint one coat of seche vite fast dry coat on all nails and allow 10 minutes to dry. 

step 3: paint the top 3/4 of the nail in turquoise. i used essie- turquoise and caicos. 

step 4: paint one coat of seche vite fast dry coat on all nails and allow 10 minutes to dry. 

step 5: once the nails are completely dry, using sally hansen nail art pen in orange emulate the design on the dress and draw it on the nail where the mint meets the turquoise. these nail art pens are the best thing since striping pens and come in almost every color. you can find it at your local drug store. i found this one at rite-aid. 

TIP: feel free to trace the original design to create a thicker line until you have reached your desired look on the nail. 

step 6: complete this runway look with one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. 

#nyfw

diligently watching the spring 2013 new york fashion week shows i noticed a nail trend. a lot of nude nails, french manicures, metallics, glitter and plum tone nails. I decided to combine the trends i had seen and this is what i came up with. 

tools: nude, gold, plum and gold glitter polish. page preforators, scissor and a dotting tool.

step 1: paint two coats of nude nail polish (except ring finger). i used essie- sand tropez. the perfect nude nail!

step 2: on the ring finger paint two coats of gold nail polish. i used essie- good as gold. 

step 3: paint one coat of seche vite fast dry coat on all nails and allow 10 minutes to dry. 

step 4: cut the page preforators in half and place a half on to each nail. firmly press down the edges of the tape so there are no bubbles or gaps to avoid polish from seeping underneath the tape as you paint. then paint the tips of the nails in plum. i used esse- sole mate. 

step 5: using gold glitter polish, paint 5 dots closest to the tip of the nail and then using your finger tip blend the glitter downward toward the cuticle. this creates a gradient effect from the most glitter at the tip and least going down toward the cuticle. feel free to apply the glitter as it bests suits you. you may be able to get the same affect with a sponge. i prefer this look best when i use my finger tip because it allows me to control the amount of glitter on the nail.

step 6: finish the look with your favorite top coat. i used seche vite fast dry top coat. 

the sophisticated kiwi

in honor of the end of the summer season i wanted to do a design of something i enjoy doing in the summer and then i thought of fruit! many times i have seen fruity nails look rather well, fruity and childish so i opted to do something that may look like a fruit but also works as an everyday nail. 

tools: white, green and black nail polish, paper reinforcers, and a medium sized dotting tool. 

step1: paint two coats of white, essie-blanc.

step 2: paint one coat of seche vite fast dry coat and allow 10 minutes to completely dry.

step 3: apply a paper reinforcer to each of the nails (apply one hand at a time) and paint one generous coat of green nail polish, essie- navigate her. 

step 4: using a medium sized dotting tool, apply black dots in an oval shape on the green nail polish outlining the half moon shape. 

step 5: finish with one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. 

gradient tape

mixing one of my favorites, ombre/gradient and a beginners technique, stripe tape, the gradient tape manicure was created! i've seen this design in several colors all throughout the web so this week i put my stripe tape to use and did my own version in purple. 

tools: two contrasting but complimentary nail polish colors, stripe tape and a makeup sponge. 

step 1: paint two coats of light purple, i used essie- lilacism.

step 2: once the base is completely dry, cut several pieces of stripe tape then place the strips on the nails intersecting with each other. make sure to flatten the edges of the tape so there are no bubbles or gaps on the tape to avoid polish from seeping underneath the tape as you paint. 

step 3: once strips are secure around the edges of the nails, using a makeup sponge to create a gradient design, paint on a dark purple, i used essie- sexy divide. the gradient method can be seen here from one of my earlier posts.

step 4: apply one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. this will blend all colors and even out the surface.

galaxy

i have the universe at my fingerstips, literally! well not so literal but this is probably the closest i will ever get to touching the sky. just like the universe, each part is unique so bear in mind that you can make this look unique by changing up the colors. to get started follow the guidelines below: 

colors used: 

tools: (colors as seen in picture from top left to top right) seche vite fast dry top coat, revlon- stunning, essie- blanc, essie- play date, essie- sexy divine, essie- midnight cami, sinful colors- black on black, makeup sponge, small dotting tool or toothpick. 

step 1: apply 2 coats of black nail polish.

step 2: after the base coat is completely dry, paint white nail polish on the corner of a makeup sponge and lightly sponge a diagonal line on to the nail creating the nebula.

TIP: after painting the nailpolish on the sponge and before appling to the nail, blot the nail polish onto a card or paper so that you get more of a powdered look and not an intense white when appling on to the nail. i do this with all colors for this nail design. 

step 3: sponge essie- play date (lavender) on the outer edges and slightly on top of the nebula for each of the nails.

step 4: using another corner of the makeup sponge, sponge essie-sexy divine (metallic purple) on the outer edges of the lilac. 

step 5: using another corner of the makeup sponge, sponge essie- midnight cami (metallic blue) on the outside of both previous colors and even a little on the black base. 

step 6: apply one thin coat of silver glitter nail nailpolish. i used revlon- stunning. 

TIP: the glitter nail polish should look sparse. pick up some of the glitter using your finger if necessary. 

step 7: using the smallest dotting tool you can find, paint a few dots on each nail for the bigger stars. feel free to make small plus signs to look like starbursts or swirls for a galaxy. 

step 8: complete the look with one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. 

need a visual tutorial? please watch 3d Nail Art Blog video tutorial on galaxy nails. 

gradient polka-dot

this week we do polka dots with the current trend of ombre gradients. the idea was initially seen on nailgasm , a documentary about nail art. 

tools: white nail polish, 3 different size nail dotting tools, 3 complimentary but contrasting nail polish colors.

step 1: paint two coats of white nail polish. i used essie- blanc. 

step 2: after the base is completely dry, using your largest dotting tool and your darkest nail polish shade, i used essie- fishnet stockings, dot two rows beginning at the top of the nail.

step 3: still using your largest dotting tool, dot one row of your second darkest color, i used essie- fiesta.

step 4: using your second largest dotting tool, dot one row of your second darkest color, essie-fiesta. 

step 4: still using your second largest dotting tool and now your lightest nail polish shade, i used essie-carousel coral, dot two rows below your previous row of dots. 

step 5: using your smallest dotting tool, dot one row of your lightest nail polish shade, essie-carousel coral.

TIP: alternating the size of the dots helps you achieve more of a gradient effect, not only in color but in size!

step 6: complete the look with one coat of your favorite top coat. 

going 4 gold

after four years of hard work here we are again, the olympics 2012! who doesn't enjoy a little friendly competition? after seeing several websites and designers hold an olympic nail contest, i decided to compete and here is my design: 

tools: red, navy, white, gold, green, yellow, black and blue nail polish, a large dotting tool, 3 straws and a piece of foil. 

step 1: paint two coats of essie- fishnet stockings on the thumb, index and pinky fingers. then paint two coats of essie- midnight cami on the middle finger and essie- blanc on the ring finger. 

step 2: after the base colors are completely dry, using the brush from the nail polish bottle, apply a generous amount of essie- good as gold on a piece of foil. using your dotting tool, grab the color from the foil and apply one gold dot at the bottom center of each nail (except for the ring finger). now you have gold medals! 

step 3: on a piece of foil, using the brush from the nail polish bottle, apply a generous amount of essie- fishnet stockings . next, apply one end of a drinking straw (the smaller the circumference the better) onto the nail polish on the foil. be sure to get a good and even amount of color throughout the rim of the straw then apply the straw onto the nail. angle the straw on the nail so that you get color from the complete rim of the straw creating the rings.

TIP: after the first circle/ring application, if you miss a spot feel free to go back using the straw until you get a complete circle/ring. here is an example of the straw technique.

step 4: repeat step 3 until you have all five color circles on your nail. 

step 5: wait five minutes before applying a top coat so that you don't smear the colors. complete the look with one coat of seche vite dry fast top coat. 

triangle spears

this week i wanted to do a design that was clean and simple, easy to teach but still made a statement. since i had planned to see batman: the dark knight, i put these colors together. catwoman maybe? replicate the look by following the steps below: 

step 1: pick two complimentary but contrasting colors. i used essie- lilicasm (light purple) and sexy divine (dark purple). 

step 2: paint two coats of essie- lilacism. 

TIP: to speed up the waiting time between base color and design, especially when using a tape product. paint a coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. this is a great buy; nail polish dries in 10-15 minutes.

step 3: cut two pieces of tape for each nail. apply both pieces of tape on the nail creating a V stencil in the middle of the nail where you will apply your second nail polish color. make sure to flatten the edges of the tape so that no bubbles or gaps seep underneath the tape as you paint. 

step 4: paint the stenciled area in essie- sexy dive. one moderate coat will be needed.

step 5: slowly remove the tape while nail polish is still wet. 

step 6: complete the look with one top coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. 

ikat

what is ikat? ikat is a decorative technique in which warp or weft threads, are tie-dyed before weaving. this pattern has been seen on dresses, purses and nails all summer long! how does one achieve this look? read below: 

step 1: paint two coats of your base color. i used essie- mojito madness and on my ring finger i used essie- carousel coral. 

step 2: apply one coat of seche vite and wait 10-15 for the color to completely dry. 

step 3: now you are ready for the design! you will need white nail polish (i used essie- blanc), a black striping pen, and the two colors that you used for yout base (essie- mojito madness and carousel coral). 

step 4: to create the ikat design i watched a video tutorial by BeautyLish. follow this link for the tutorial. 

this is a fun design that doesn't have to be perfect. make it your own by switching up the nail colors.

splatter

this week start thinking about nail polish as paint. in this tutorial we will be using drinking straws to achieve a splattered paint look. the best part is that there is no right way to do it. so have fun and see what design you come up with. 

step 1: gather all items you will need: base color, 3 splatter colors, one straw, scissor, scotch tape. 

step 2: apply two coats of essie- blanc. 

step 3: cut the straw into three pieces. you will need one piece per color used. 

step 4: after the base coat has completely dried. cut 3 pieces of tape and place it around the nail to protect your fingers from getting color on them. do this to all fingers. 

step 5: place one or two drops of your desired nail color on to a flat surface and dip the straw.

step 6: getting enough of the color at the bottom of the straw, put the other side of the straw in your mouth and blow. this will splash color on to your nail. do this as many times as needed to achieve the look you want with each color. 

step 7: repeat step 6 with the your next two color choices. repeat this on all nails until you are happy with the distribution of color. 

TIP: if you get to much of one color in a specific area and do not like it, blot a corner of a paper towel to remove some of the color. 

step 8: remove the tape and apply a clear top coat. 

COLORS I USED: essie- blanc, lapiz of luxury, a crewed interest and sinful colors in black on black. 

abstract: french chevron

what is the best way for an inexperienced nail polish lover to get an unique nail design? it's something you already own, scotch tape! with the help of a roll of tape, even the shakiest hands can create a clean design. 

step 1: first you will need three nail polish colors. I used mark mini nail lacquers in a ruby red and a turquoise. for the black i used sinful colors- black on black. 

step 2: paint the base in the lightest shade, i used mark mini nail lacquers in turquoise. 

step 3: to avoid smudging and pulling of the nail polish when you remove the tape, make sure the base is completely dry. to speed up the drying process, apply one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat and wait 10-15 after application to apply the second color. 

step 4: cut a small piece of scotch tape and apply firmly to the nail. a corner of the tape should be pointing down toward the cuticle. using your nail, flatten the edges of the tape to make sure there are no bubbles or gaps on the tape to avoid polish from running underneath the tape as you paint. 

step 5: paint the nail with your second color choice, the second darkest shade. I used mark mini nail lacquer in ruby red. 

step 6: after the second color application, slowly remove the tape while the nail polish is still wet. 

step 7: repeat step 3. 

step 8: cut a piece of tape to create the "french manicure" design. flatten the tape onto your nail and paint the tip of your nail with a black nail polish, i used sinful colors- black on black. remember to slowly remove the tape immediately after painting while the nail is still wet. 

step 9: complete the look with one top coat of seche vite fast dry top coat. 

earthquake

for this weeks design i finally got to use my nail brushes. this is a design that i followed from the bloggers at Polish You Pretty. want to make the nail polish world shake? let's get started! 

step 1: apply the base color, i used fiesta by essie.

step 2: after applying the base color and letting it completely dry, paint the second half of the nails with new york color- in a minute in mint macaroon. 

step 3: while the second color is still wet, on the border of both colors and using a fan brush, drag the second color toward the first color you painted.

step 4: on the last one third of the nail, apply a coat or two of black nail polish, i used sinful colors- black on black. repeat step three to create a layered look. 

basket weave

what's the best way to practice a steady nail paiting hand? making lines of course! this tutorial is a simple, great start to practice your steady hand and then getting to the next step of free hand!

step 1: paint the base color, i used, essie's secret story.

step 2: after the base is completely dry, paint half of the ring and thumb finger. i used essie's a crewed interest. 

step 3: after the second color is completely draw lines! i used a black striping pen.

step 4: complete the look by applying one coat of seche vite fast dry top coat.

blue zebra

my first attempt at zebra print! what do you think? zebra, like leopard is an easy to-do design and all it takes is some practice. just remember, it's all in the wrist and doesn't have to perfect. 

step 1: paint the base color. i used two coats of lapiz of luxury by essie.

step 2: after the base is completely dry, using a black two-way nail stripping pen, alternate sides and interlock the stripes. i followed a video by Andrea from obsessedwnails blog. 

step 3: wait about 5 minutes for the black to dry then apply one coat of Seche Vite dry fast top coat. 

click HERE to see the video i followed to create this design. 

gold striper

i finally decided to use stripe tape that i bought from ebay months ago. for this design i used, essie's who's the boss from their 2012 wedding collection and splash of grenade (purple).

step 1: paint two coat's of each color. i like to paint one coat on all ten nails first, then go back to the nail i started from to apply the second coat. this allows some time to let the first coat dry.

step 2: using gold stripe tape, press the end of the tape firmly on the nail, roll it up the nail and cut the end of the tape right before the nail ends (as close to the nail tip as possible). Please note that for the ring finger instead of stripe tape, i drew one straight line down the middle of the nail using gold glitter nail polish. 

step 3: complete the look with one coat of Seche Vite dry fast top coat. this clear nail polish will have your nails dry in 10 minutes!

stripe tape is an easy and fun way to get creative with your nails making lines and abstract shapes. you can find it on ebay for .99 cents or less. 

mango gradient

after countless times of seeing gradient nails i attempted my own. but instead of the blue and purple gradient i've seen, i opted for a summer shade and thus the mango gradient was created! before beginning your manicure you will need three complimentary nail colors, a makeup sponge and a clear top coat.

step 1: pick you base color. i used essie's action and painted three coats because the color comes out very sheer and matte.

step 2: when the the base color is completely dry, on a flat surface (i used a business card), paint a generous amount of the two colors (aka a dot or two) right next to each other and make sure they're just about touching. i used essie's carousel coral and fiesta. using a toothpick or dotting tool, swirl the two colors together. the mix of the two colors determines the graduation. the more you blend the shades, the longer the graduation.

step 3: using a makeup sponge, dab it directly down on the nail polish to grab the colors. make sure to face the sponge with the lighter color facing the cuticle and the darker color toward the tip so that the colors blend from lightest (at cuticle) to darkest (at tip).

step 4: dab the sponge directly down on your nail pressing from left to right or right to left. either way will work to apply the colors on the nail and off the sponge. 

step 5: repeat steps 2-4 a second or third time until you are satisfied with the gradient color effect. 

step 6: apply a clear base coat. this will blend all colors and even out the surface.

if you want to see this step by step via video watch winter rose's gradient nail tutorial  on you tube. it was a great help to get me started and achieve mango gradient nails.

glitter tips

for the first time in years i bought a revlon nail polish. i am currently obsessed with the color mint, if you can't already tell from the colors i used for this blog. i bought revlon nail enamel in 'minted'. the color doesn't seem to last as long as essie does so i opted to do a gradient glitter on the tips.

step 1: for the base i painted 2 coats of essie's lilacism and on the ring and middle fingers i painted revlon's minted. 

step 2: after letting the base completely dry, i painted a strip of clear nailpolish on the nail tip. directly below, i painted another clear strip and dabbed my finger on it smearing the polish so that there was less clear polish below the highest clear strip which would hence produce the gradient affect.

step 3: i dipped my finger nail in a loose silver glitter pod.

step 4: after about a minute or two i let cold water run on my hands to remove the excess glitter and cleaned up with a flat q-tip dipped in nail polish remover.

bridal bouquet

this week i focused on a good friend of mine priscilla ines, the blogger for priskypaws.com. she is newly engaged and it being mother's day week i decided to do something floral.

a view of both hand's below.. 

step 1: for the base i painted 2 coats of essie's fiesta and lapiz of luxury. 

step 2: after letting the base completely dry, using a white striping pen, i made white lines on the blue nails.

step 3: after letting the white stripes dry (about 5 minutes) i dotted essie's fiesta to create the base of the flower. i allowed that to dry about 5 minutes as well, then using the white striping pen i drew half circles and dots on the pink dots to create an impression of a flower. 

step 4: to complete the vintage flower nails, using a dotting tool, i used essie's mojito madness and painted 2 small "v" shapes alongside the flower for the leaves. 

for a step-by-step video of the vintage floral nails, check out chelsea's get nailed tutorial.

the ari

this gray and yellow manicure was inspired by a facebook friend, ari zapata. ari is one half of the duo of erikmotta.com. she is a photographer and especially loves wedding photography. what's her favorite wedding colors you might ask? yellow and gray! being an august baby like myself, she is fierce and knows what she wants and so "the ari" manicure was created.

step 1: apply the base coat, orly's lemonade.

step 2: once the base has dried completely, rip off a piece of sotch tape. using the corner of the tape, point the tip towards the center of the nail, leaving room for the next color. push down all sides of the tape, so there’s no bleeding then paint the top part of the nail using essie's chinchilly. for the black leopard  i used a black  '2 way nail art brush pen' from ebay (please see my "leopard' post for the link).

step 3: peel off the tape IMMEDIATELY after painting the nail, pulling from the center upwards

step 4: for the additional accents i lined the "v" of the chevron with a silver glitter nail polish and topped it off with a small black rhinestone (see the link on my "leopard" post). 

i love how scotch tape can be easily used to create a nail design. the only downside is the wait time. i recommend to paint the base one day and the design the day after or if you have the time, wait an hour or two before applying the tape so that you don't ruin your base color.