Greetings, bellas!
It’s the first day of SPRING! How appropriate that today’s post is all about SPRING beauty trends! Let’s talk about nail polishes I’ve reviewed, and a technique I’ve finally mastered. It took me a minute but I think I’ve finally got ombre nails down pat. The trend has been around for a while, but just like jeggings…it’s not going anywhere just yet. BEHOLD, my first ever successful DIY ombre manicure!
What do you think? How did I achieve this look? Not so fast! First things first.
Yours truly is one of Q-Tips Tipsters, so every season I’m going to show you how Q-Tips Precision Tips swabs make my beauty regimen better. This season — nails!
These are the materials I used to achieve my ombre manicure.
From left to right
— Beauty Secrets Pure Acetone. I bought this at Sally Beauty Supply because I needed a product to remove glitter nail polish. And it works!
— Dior Topcoat, to seal the deal and pump up the shine factor
— Alcone Makeup Sponge with which to apply the ombre awesomeness
— Milani One Coat Glitter in Lavender Fizz
— Milani One Coat Glitter in Twinkle (deep blue and purple! LOVE)
— NARS nail polish in Diamond Life
— Hot Ticket nail polish in Don’t Metal In My Business
— and of course Q-Tips Precision Tips to keep the edges of my nails perfectly clean post polishing! I tend to be a bit sloppy, so I need clean up afterwards. The slender point of Precision Tips makes cleaning the cuticles and other super-close-to-the-nail areas that much easier to reach without ruining your hard work. Click here to get a dollar off your purchase of Q-Tips Precision Tips!
How did I learn my ombre nail technique? I read a few online tutorials, but watching VIDEOS really helped. Beauty Chameleon did a glittery purple ombre nail video that inspired me to use this particular color range. And then Chescaleigh made a SUPER CUTE video, please watch. And listen to her SONG about NAILS!
She’s so talented!
I may be setting myself up for failure having posted Chescaleigh’s awesome video, but HEY. I worked hard on my video. And in this video I answer some important questions. Like, what are my top five favorite Spring nail trends? And how many times did I fail at the ombre nail? See for yourself!
Let me tell you exactly which polishes are featured in the video, in case you saw something you liked and wanted to buy it!
Spring Trend #1 – Orange polishes –
OK...so not all of them are orange
— Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
— Hot Ticket Hella Yella
— Avon Nailwear Pro Orange Creamsicle
— Hot Ticket Orange You Glad You Aren’t Blue
— Milani Nail Art in Orange Graph
Spring Trend #2 – Cool Mint and Other Soothing Ocean Colors
— Avon Nailwear Pro Aqua Fantasy
— Hot Ticket Jade in the USA
— Avon Nailwear Pro Sweet Mint
— butter LONDON in Slapper (love their names!)
— butter LONDON in Bossy Boots
Spring Trend #3 – Unusual Shades of Purple and Lilac
— Hot Ticket Lilac Any Sense
–Hot Ticket Sugar Coat It
— Avon Nailwear Pro Loving Lavender
— NARS Diamond Life
— Hot Ticket Don’t Metal In My Business
— Milani in Lavender Fizz (again!)
Spring Trend #4 – Spring into Summer Brights
— Avon Nailwear Pro Blue Escape
— Hot Ticket Hella Yella
— Dior Paradise (SO HOT)
— Hot Ticket A Fuschia Too Many
— Hot Ticket Lilac Any Sense
— Avon Nailwear Pro Orange Creamsicle
Spring Trend #5 – All Glitter Everything
— Hot Ticket Candy Apple A Day (it’s red with gold glitter. LOVE)
— Milani Twinkle
— Milani Lilac Fizz
— Hot Ticket You’re So Hot and Gold
— Hot Ticket Call Me Iridescent.
The Hot Ticket nail polishes are sold by The Balm — Click here to get yours, the color selection is gorgeous!! NARS and Dior you’ll find at the department store, Avon is online or from your local rep, and of course Milani is at the drugstore or supermarket.
The key to the ombre nail is to use a makeup sponge, and to wait till your first coat is dry. I lightly dabbed on additional colors and I feel like it’s only gonna get better from here.
YAY!! finally a nail art trend I can do myself, at home!
What are your FAVORITE nail colors and trends for Spring? Are you a fan of the ombre nail? Tell me!
I’m an official Q-Tips Tipster, and this post was sponsored by Q-Tips. But the opinions are all my own! You can visit the Q-Tips Facebook page for tips on how to use their swabs for beauty, crafting, cleaning, whatever!
Love it!
My nails are too short 🙁 but yours look lovely.
I have short nails too, but it’s such a cool effect. I think it actually makes my nails look LONGER!
I have tried so many times & failed miserably! It always comes out looking sloppy & I end up removing it but I love the look. I will try these techniques and see how I do. As far as nail color trends. I’m a big fan of light blue nails as well as yellow & light shades of orange. Some of my favorites are Essie-Tart Deco, Essie-Borrowed & Blue, Urban Outfitters-Smush, Sally Hansen-mellow Yellow, & China Glaze-Peachy Keen. xo, Rita
I might stick to my own nails for spring summer so I can try out some of these shades especially the purples. I am going to look out for similar colours and the pastels as well
Nice…love the purple!!!!!
Ooh…I love the nail shades that you picked out. I’m wearing a mint green right now, but purple and electric blue are on my radar to try over the next month. I’m not brave enough to try an ombre nail on my own yet…but maybe I’ll get there!
The DIY tips and the video that you did should help any aspiring nail persons.
I was so inspired by this, I tried it with Sally Hansen’s Lively Lilac as the base color and Sinful Colors’ Frenzy on the tips. I LOVE it. This is a big deal for me, as one who almost never wears nail color. So thank you, thank you, thank you Bella!
Love!
I recently began experimenting with nail lacquers. I stayed clear for so long because I could only paint one hand (the other would be so messy O_0 ) but I am loving nail art. I like trying to draw things on my short nails…
I’m going to try this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ombre/gradients in general (hair, nails, clothes) are such an awesome look. I’ve loved them forever, so it’s nice to see them so trendy now! I love ombre nails too, but I’m too clumsy to get it right. Maybe there’s some nice acrylics I can use instead. 😛
Great post!! A nice “unusual” shade of lilac nail polish, is “New Lilac” by Pure Ice 🙂
I am really loving neon bright colors. And am really into the marbling (lots of work but really cute) and the newsprint design.
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The process for a manicure begins with ensuring that the working area and tools
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