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Rusted Revolution: 5 Nail Art Trends to Try

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Lucy McBride
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.

Allow us to introduce ourselves:  Our names are Lucy McBride 
and Lesley Burr. We’re two bloggers with a love for fashion, among other things.  Our site, Rusted Revolution, began as a side project – a hobby through which we could channel our observations on fashion, music, travel, food, and the arts, sharing them with whomever cared to look.  Since RR’s birth in early September 2010, a growing Internet following has encouraged us to provide our readers with consistent news, trends, and reflections in the vast realm that is pop culture.
 

Like the perfect handbag or pair of pumps, your nail color often serves as your best accessory.  While some go for bold colors and bright patterns, others stick to pales, neutrals, or even clears.  Lesley and I are ALL about nail polish – we actually have a “party bucket” full of baby blues, slates, canary yellows, hot pinks, and hunter greens.  Essentially, we have a color to suit every occasion.  While I usually switch things up according to my mood and love for experimentation, I’ve recently felt the need to take things up a notch and try some crazy nail trends.


Jungle Fever
So the leopard trend might be old news, but I was thrilled to spot leopard nails on one of my favorite bloggers.  I initially thought myself unskilled enough to handle such a task, but after some experimentation, I found that it really wasn’t that difficult. 

You Will Need: 

  1. opaque yellow polish (check out American Apparel’s yellow shades) 
  2. black nail pen (we love Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen)
  3. clear nail polish (topcoat/basecoat)

Instructions: 
You can start by using whatever base color you want (who doesn’t love pink leopard?).  All you have to do is wait for your base color to dry, shake up that nail pen, and create little splotches surrounded by parentheses.  If you’re having trouble visualizing this, just study anything leopard and you’ll get a better idea.  If you want to make things even funkier, you can create dots of different colors as well, though I prefer to stick to classic yellow and black.  Finish things off with a coat of clear polish to make it last!
 
 
Marbleized Nails
My good friend Jackie (who always has crazy-cool nails) got a marbleized manicure while we were studying in Rome.  “HOW can I do that???” I squealed, marveling at the gorgeous tie-dye swirls covering her nails.  She explained to me that it was a pretty easy process.


You Will Need:

  1. several nail colors of your choosing (pick ones that go nicely together – the brighter the better!)
  2. bowl of cold water
  3. white or black nail polish (to contrast the colors you choose)
  4. clear nail polish (topcoat/basecoat)
  5. toothpick
  6. cuticle oil (or another type of oil such as olive, almond, grapeseed, etc.)

Instructions:
Apply your base color and let it dry completely.  Over the bowl of cold water, take one nail color and pour a few drops in; continue to add your colors one at a time so that they lay on top of one another.  Once you’re done, swirl the colors together with a toothpick to create a “marble” effect.  Coat your nail bed and cuticles in oil (this will enable you to easily wipe off excess polish).  Place a nail face down in the pool of water, coating it with polish.  Wipe away any polish around your nails with a q-tip.  Let dry and finish with a topcoat.
 
 
Racy Lace
Like leopard, lace is no newbie to the fashion scene.  On nails, however, it’s a work of art – literally!  This nail trend is not for the lazy or casual, but if done right, it looks amazing.

You Will Need:

  1. gel resin
  2. sheet of thin black lace (make sure it’s thin, otherwise it won’t stick properly)
  3. glue dryer spray
  4. small embroidery scissors

Instructions:
Cut pieces of black lace in the shape of each nail.  Paint the gel resin over a nail and press the lace on top, shaping and cutting away excess material if needed.  Spray nail with Glue Dry and add a second coat of resin.  Repeat with each nail.  To remove, dip your nails in acetone and gently peel off the lace.
 
 
Half-Moon
The half-moon manicure is super glamorous and relatively easy to achieve.  You can try it with any two colors of your choosing, but white/black is always a classic combo. 

You Will Need:

  1. two contrasting nail colors
  2. clear nail polish (topcoat/basecoat)
  3. slender pointed art brush

Instructions:
Select your base color and paint your nails.  Select your color for the half-moon design, and use the pointed art brush to trace the outline of the half-moon.  Finish by filling in the space with 1-2 coats, wait until thoroughly dry, and finish with a clear topcoat.
 
 
Cracked Black
This trend is as easy as painting your nails. If you’re into beauty products, I’m sure you’ve heard about the technologically ground-breaking shade “Shattered Black” from Katy Perry’s color line for OPI.  Essentially, you paint “Shattered Black” on top of a base color and it dries to a shattered matte finish.  So rad.


You Will Need:

  1. “Shattered Black” by Katy Perry for OPI
  2. base coat color (I like to experiment with bright, neon colors)
  3. clear nail polish (topcoat/basecoat)

Instructions:
Start by painting your nails in your base color and let dry thoroughly.  Cover with 1-2 coats of “Shattered Black” and let the magic happen!  Literally, it’s so cool to watch.  Cover with a topcoat and you’re all set.
 

Hope you girls enjoyed my nail picks and that you’re inspired to get creative with your next at-home manicure.  Happy spring!

Photo Sources:
http://www.collegefashion.net/beauty-and-hair/how-to-give-yourself-a-flawless-manicure/
http://viviannadoesmakeup.blogspot.com/2010/12/leopard-print-nails.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wtfmarie/5149245620/
http://http://theglamourwhore.blogspot.com/2009/09/fab-trend-alert-lace-nails.html
http://necolebitchie.com/2010/12/20/bitchie-nails-half-moon-nails/
http://hellobeautiful.com/style-beauty/hellobeautifulstaff2/opi-shatter-nail-polish-colors-serena-williams/

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Lucy McBride is the co-founder and writer of Rusted Revolution, a fashion, music, and arts blog she maintains with Lesley Burr. Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Lucy developed an early eye for the arts which inspired her to relocate to a bigger city, where she attended Marymount School of New York in Manhattan. In 2007 Lucy enrolled in Boston College to pursue a French major and an International Studies Minor with a concentration in Global Cultural Studies. Lucy has since perfected her French language skills and gained a strong understanding of Italian. Through various courses in International Studies, she has developed a strong understanding of the cultural, literary, economic, and political undertones of places such as Rome, where she lived and studied for a spring semester. Between her travels through Eastern and Western Europe, Lucy studied Art History, Italian, Opera, and Photography in Rome. In 2007 and 2008, Lucy worked as a U.S. Beauty Marketing Intern for Avon Products, Inc. within their Wellness division; here, she played an active role in the formulation, design and promotion of Avon Wellness products, as well as served as a company correspondent. Since the fall of 2008, Lucy has worked as a Sales Associate for Free People Boston during the school year and Free People Roosevelt Field during winter and fall breaks. As a member of the Free People community, Lucy plays an integral part in sales, customer service, marketing, and visual design. She has achieved the title of “Top Selling Associate” several times. Lucy is passionate about style as an individual art form which encourages individuality, expression, and inspiration. Her guilty pleasures include watching reality television, red velvet cake, and updating her ridiculous large and cumbersome perfume collection.