Nails of the Week #4

This week on my nails I'm sporting a bit of a twist from your classic 'French Manicure'. Take a look:

Excuse the slight messiness on some of the nails. I'll explain below why it didn't turn out perfect, how you can create the look yourself, and what not to do (so yours turn out better than mine!)

But firstly, these were the colours I used:

 

Cutex 2-in-1 base coat, Revlon 620 "Bewitching" and O.P.I "Black Onyx". 

You can use any colours you want, but I find using two colours that really contrast against eachother work really well. 

How to do it:

1. Firstly you're going to want to make sure you have no excess nail polish on your nails, and file and shape them. Then add your base coat. I always, always, always apply a base coat every time I paint my nails. Not only does it make your nail polish last longer by creating a smooth base but it also stops discolouration of your nails. 

2. Then apply your base colour. I'm using "Bewitching" by Revlon. 

Don't worry too much about messiness at this point. You can go back and remove excess nail polish on your fingers with a cotton bud dipped in nail polish remover. 

3. Wait at least 20 minutes for that colour to dry thoroughly. Then, apply some tape at the tips of your nails. Leave enough room to create a noticeable line. 

 

I used this french tip tapes by Manicare, but honestly you could use masking tape. Just make sure you cut a nice 'half moon' shape. Whatever you do use though, the trick really is to make sure it's not too sticky. 

4. Wait again, until that colour is completely dried, and carefully peel the tape off. Voila! Clean off the excess polish, apply a top coat and you're done!

I really need to stress how important it is to wait until the nail polish is completely dry. Otherwise the tape will  lift up the colour and you'll be left with something ugly like this:

Honestly, I don't know if I would re-purchase those Manicare tapes for this type of french tip. On the packet, they advise that you paint the tip white, then go over with the light pink. Obviously that's not really going to work if you're using two bright colours, which is why I did my base coat before the tips. They are a bit too sticky and do tend to rip the polish right off. Obviously this creates an issue when you go back and repaint it. Too much polish layered on top of eachother just makes it more likely to chip, and in this case - this look didn't really last that long.

When I try it again, I'll probably stick to masking tape.

What's your best "french tip" tip? Do you go for the more subtle pink / white look, or do you prefer bold, dramatic colours?

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