The Perfect Pink Ombre Manicure

@overglowedit

I’ve been at the cross-roads of Essie’s Ballet Slippers and Haute to Trot with a patient manicurist on way too many Thursday evenings. Every time in the season of warmer weather. But what if I told you that you can have both? When the suggestion of ombre nails came up, I immediately clutched onto my single-sheer-color past a little tighter. But sitting there, flipping through the ombre designs – something said “it’s now or never.”

Oh, how wrong I was to judge. I can understand why we instinctively choose the same single solid colors over and over again: they’re safe, easy to look at, and never clash with an outfit. They’re just not a regretful eye-sore after the 4th day of washing dishes, right? The secret with trying an ombre manicure is that it’s non-committal and fun - think back to that one spring break, but this time for your nails.

I chose the pink ombre nail design – you didn’t think I was running out of my comfort zone? Baby steps. Although, don’t sleep on the nude to green designs. Next time, I want to try the pink and white ombre manicure for a modified French. It takes a precise hand to execute the ombre effect flawlessly so if you have the patience (unlike me), you can DIY with tons of inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest.

The key is in keeping the blend (aka fade) subtle and applying a top coat. My manicurist used From The Nail gel polish – only available from Korea (alternative: Kiara Sky Ombre Gel Polish Collection). After shaping and buffing for a soft-square nail shape, a thin layer of base coat was applied, followed by Color 1. To achieve the perfect gradient, your manicurist will either use a mini sponge or an airbrush tool to layer Color 2. Each layer must be dry in order to avoid polish pile-up. End with a top coat for the glazed finish.

While this may look like a unicorn manicure, there is no added longevity to the polish – chipping will happen (try Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Nail Coat as an extra seal). But for the conservative among us, you can get the best of both genres of pink: sheer classic mixed with bold, sophisticated yet playful – just like me.

By Noor Erfan