I apologize for keeping you all waiting for so long... here's my Summer Fruit Salad mani plus tutorial for gradient nails! (Finally!) n_n
For this mani I used:
OPI Pinking of You NL S95
Jill Stuart Star Brilliance 37
Shiseido Maquillage 21
Coffret D'Or SV-14
Below is a tutorial on how to create a gradation effect on the nails using glitter polishes. There are a couple of other methods as well (eg. using a sponge); however, I find that this technique creates the smoothest gradients and requires the least clean-up.
You will need the following polishes for gradient nails:
1) A base colour
2) A really sheer glitter polish-- the kind in which you can still see visible nail lines after 4+ coats =p
If you don't own anything like it, feel free to franken your own by adding clear nail polish to any colour.
3) A coarse glitter-- this is optional
4) A semi-sheer glitter polish
I suggest choosing polishes from the same colour familly in order to acheive smoother gradations. =)
1. Paint on base colour.
2 to 6. Using a sheer glitter polish, paint on a thin layer at the tip of your nail. Continue in small increments as you layer thin coats on top to build up on the colour. Note that the smaller the increments, the smoother the gradient will be. Repeat until you see that the tip is significantly more opaque compared to the rest of the nail and a gradient is visible.
7. This step is optional but you can apply coarse glitter at the tip for a more sparkly and pronounced gradient effect.
8. Lastly, paint entire nail with a semi-sheer glitter polish. I find that this step is the most important because it blends the different polishes together and smooths everything out. Notice that all the visible lines from the gradient have disappeared. =)
Depending on how many coats you use, gradients tend to end up really thick on the nails. They usually require a longer drying time so make sure you apply a good quick-drying top coat to speed up the process.
Here's the completed look...
Once you have the gradient done, you can glue on sliced fimo fruits and rhinestones on the nails to complete the summery design.
That's all for today! I'm heading out to the beach now! I hope you ladies like the design! Have a wonderful weekend everyone! =D