You’ve probably seen photos of this trend all over the Internet – it’s everywhere. The gradient look may appear to be complicated, but it’s surprisingly easy with the right tools (and a little patience).
What you’ll need:
- Nail polish: two colors (Note: I used black and white so you could see the gradient better, but I suggest starting with more similar colors. Using colors of the same color family will hide mistakes much better than two contrasting colors!)
- A makeup sponge (I prefer using sponge eye shadow applicators because they have a handle and I feel like I have better control)
- A scrap piece of paper or cardboard to put nail polish on (as usual, I used post-its)
How to do it:
1) Paint on one of your colors and let it dry completely. If you don’t let it dry all the way, you may ruin your manicure when you start using the sponge. Look at my tips for getting a great base coat if you haven’t yet.
2) Put a few drops of your second color onto your scrap paper. Dip one side of your makeup sponge into the polish, making sure there isn’t a lot of excess. You may want to dab it on a clean part of the paper to be sure.
3) Using the sponge, dab the polish onto the top half of your nails. Make sure you are moving your sponge up and down, and not smearing or dragging it across your nails.
4) Put a few drops of your second color onto a clean part of the paper. Dip the other side of your sponge into it, take off the excess, and dab it on the bottom half of your nail, overlapping slightly with the first color.
5) Keep adding polish to each side with your sponge until you’re happy with the gradient. Seal it in with a topcoat, and you’re done!