Gradient Tutorial

I created this amazing gradient a few days ago. After posting on Instagram there was a lot of interest and questions from friends, so here I have created a tutorial for everyone to have a go!! :)

First, I would recommend gathering together everything you will need.

• At least 2 different coloured polishes
• Base coat
• Top coat, 
• Nail polish remover/acetone (I use both, but one or the other will do!)
• A sponge
• Scissors (you may not need these depending whether you would rather use the sponge whole)
• Clean up brush.

I am using Neon colours so the polishes I need are Barry M Matt White, Sinful Colours Cream Pink and W7 Fluorescent Yellow.

I started with a base coat. I use Sally Hansen Nail Nutrition, followed by a white layer of Barry M, as I am using neon colours and the white base helps make sure the colours stand out.

Once the white was dry I got my sponge. Some people say make up sponges are the best, but I just use a regular washing up sponge and have never had any problems! I find it easier to work with a smaller piece for better precision, so I cut a chunk off the sponge.

Now I would recommend opening all the polishes you want to use for your gradient, so you can easily get at them.

Hold the sponge, then using the other hand paint a small line of your first colour. Directly below this, paint a line of your second colour.

Now, the messy part! Sponge the paint onto the nail. Make sure you dab the sponge up and down a bit, so the colours blend in the middle and don't forget about the sides of your nails! It will end up all over your fingers, but don't worry about that!!
You can probably do 2 or 3 nails before you need to put more polish on the sponge, depending how fast you work. If it is starting to get tacky, or not transferring well, just put fresh polish lines on the sponge!

Now, depending how bright you want the colours, once the first layer is dry you can dab more polish on. In this picture you can see the colour difference between one layer and two layers.

That's the main part done, hopefully you're gradient should look something like this:

Now for the clean up. I use another piece of sponge and some Nail Polish Remover to clean the worst off my fingers.. It would take forever to clean all that with a clean-up brush.

Then I use some acetone and a clean-up brush to make sure my cuticles are all clean and tidy!
Follow with a layer of topcoat and you're done! I use Barry M 3 in 1 topcoat.

Ta Da!! Happy Gradient-ing!!

You can create lots of different effects with this technique, just by using different colours.
Here are a few other gradient manicures I have done:

Light Box

Tonight I'm very excited to say I have made a light box, so I can (hopefully) take better photo's of my pretty nails! :)

I spent ages looking at various tutorials on the internet but felt disheartened. I needed white fabric or tissue paper, I needed a 16x16x16 box. Blah, blah! I wanted to make my light box now... so I went for a rummage around the flat.

I found myself a box full of teabags. Out came the teabag's and I had my box! Now to find something to cover it in... I don't have tissue paper, I don't have white fabric scraps. But I found a solution in napkins, yay! (I have a very large bag of napkins as my hamster enjoys using them to make his nest!). Luckily I have a Stanley Knife, as a result of working in print finishing in the past so I dug that out, found a roll of sellotape and I was ready to go! Zero cost, whatsoever! :)

And here it is:

I know it doesn't look great, but I don't care! I only ever get chance to do and photograph my nails on an evening so my photo's are never very good because of the poor light. Hopefully, things will change now!

I have just taken my nail polish off so haven't had chance to test it out yet but as soon as I do I'll post some photo's. I was so excited about this I had to tell people straight away!!