Ombre of Oranges!

I showed my first attempt at an Ombre manicure in an earlier post (http://diygirliestuff.blogspot.com/2011/07/summer-color.html), and I mentioned that I thought it would be cool to try an Ombre featuring a creme and glitter or shimmer of some kind. Without further adieu...

Pretty, huh?

Part of my reason for blogging is to share tips and how-to's, so here's how to achieve the look:

First, here's my arsenal:

You will need: cotton balls, Q-tips, nail polish remover, base coat, a creme polish, a complimentary glitter or shimmer, top coat, a cosmetic sponge and a bowl or plate (or napkin or paper...whatever). The umbrella played no part in the manicure, but it looks summery and I found a box of them when I was looking for the little bowl pictured.

Step 1: Prep your nails. I like to do my nails after I get out of the shower so my cuticles are nice and soft. Push back cuticles, file to desired shape and if needed, buff any ridges so nails are smooth. After that, I wash my hands and allow a few minutes to dry. I then use Zoya's Remove+ polish remover to make sure all residue and oils are gone.

Step 2: Apply base coat. I've used Beauty Secrets Base Coat (available at Sally Beauty) for years. I recently purchased Zoya's Color Lock System, but I'm trying to be good and use the old before I open the new. We'll see how long that lasts.

Step 3: Apply the creme polish. You can really use whatever polish finish you want, I imagine, but I'm telling you what I did for this particular look. I used Essie's Meet Me at Sunset for this one. Let dry and apply a second coat.

Step 4: Place a few drops of your second shade on a plate, bowl, napkin, or whatever you want to use for "dipping." I used Zoya's Tanzy and a dipping bowl I'm sure was intended for something other than nail polish. It came with my fancy chopsticks. Using a cosmetic sponge, dip the corner in your polish and, using short light strokes, dab onto the tips of your nails. Allow a few seconds to dry, then repeat. This time, though, dab a little further up on the nail to blend, but don't go all the way to the cuticle. Don't worry if it's not smooth. That's what your top coat is for.

Step 5: Apply a shiny top coat. I used Beauty Secrets Top Coat, which dries pretty quickly and leaves nails really shiny. Beauty Secrets is also a good deal at about $5-6 for a huge bottle.

Please don't judge my cuticles. The looked okay until I zoomed in...

Step 6: This one is kind of optional. Use your polish remover and a Q-tip to clean excess polish from cuticles. Honestly, I don't do this often. I wait for the polish to set completely and use a hand scrub to get the excess from my hands. I generally take polish from my nail if I use the Q-tip method and the scrub does great things for the rest of my hands, too. I'm currently using a homemade scrub of white granulated sugar with olive oil and honey. I'll find the recipe I used and post it another day.

There you have it. My secret is out. I also found this video from another blog that gives some great instruction for a glittery Ombre using a similar technique. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P35Ye0lsFU8&feature=player_embedded

Not only is the Ombre a cool look and a way to add an interesting twist to your existing polishes, but it's also an easy way to camouflage chips and tip wear and extend the life of your manicure. Now, go to it!