Nail Blog: Sunsets

I decided to stray from florals this time and go for something new.  These sunset nails still use bright, fun colors, and they are fairly quick to do!  They’ll also look awesome on the beach.  You’ll be using a similar method to the gradient nails, so read this if you need a refresher.

What you’ll need:

–  Nail polish: a light and dark orange, a red, and a yellow.  I used Essie’s “Action” and “,” Sephora for O.P.I. in “Personal Shopper,” and Sinful Colors “Unicorn.”

–  Small sponges to make the sky.  I used some sponge eyeshadow applicators. You can get some at any drugstore for a dollar or two, or save them when they come with an eyeshadow.

–  A thin brush or dotting tool to draw the suns.

How to do it:

1)  Paint your nails with the light orange color and let it dry.  This will be the color at the bottom of your sunset. 

2)  Using a sponge, blot the medium orange onto the top half of your nails.  I did this by putting a few drops of polish onto a plastic surface, dipping the sponge in, dabbing off the excess, and tapping it lightly down each nail.  Go ahead and dab some of the light orange over it if you made the line too harsh!

3)  Once it’s all dry, do the same with the red, covering the very top edge of each nail.  Try and use a light hand so the gradient looks natural. Let it dry.

4)  If you want, paint a small sun on the base of your nails.  I chose to do this on one finger, and added some rays.  I’ve also seen a lot of people put a black silhouette of a palm tree over the gradients for a more summery feel.  It’s up to you!

This is my last nail tutorial for the semester. I hope you’ve enjoyed my designs, and happy summer!  If you’ve tried any of these designs, we’d love to see them over on our Facebook page!