Shamrocks & Sparkles: St. Patrick’s Day Tutorial
Spring is in the air, and that makes us want fun nail art Try this DIY St. Patrick’s Day manicure by Neroli Nail Designer, Lisa, to add a little luck in your day.
Prep Supplies Needed:
-Orange Wood Stick
-Yellow Block Buffer
-Nail File
-Cuticle Oil – Aveda’s Beautifying Composition
-Cuticle Softener – Aveda’s Cuticle Control
-Cotton Rounds
-Nail Polish Remover – Zoya’s “Remove +”
-Base & Top Coat – Zoya’s “Anchor” & “Armor”
Nail Art Supplies Needed:
-Nail Polish Color {I used Zoya’s: Hunter, Neely & Purity}
-Gold Glitter polish with a stripped brush attachment
-Acrylic paint or nail polish colors for design
-Fine point paint brush
Prep time: 5 min
Polish time: 15 min
Art design: 20-30 min
Drying time: 30-45 min
Step 1: File nails with your nail file. When finished, apply cuticle softener (I use Aveda’s Cuticle Control) to your cuticles. Let sit on for 5 minutes, then rinse off. Push back cuticles with an orange stick.
Step 2: Apply cuticle oil (Aveda’s Beautifying Composition is my fav to use!) to cuticles and massage into nail beds to add hydration. Buff nails with your yellow block buffer as this will allow for a smooth surface.
Step 3: Prep nails for polish with nail polish remover. This step is really important! Any oil or lotion that is on your nail won’t allow the polish to adhere and dry properly. Next, apply a thin base coat.
Step 4: Apply 2 color coats to nails, giving about 10 seconds to dry in between each layer. Applying thin coats is important so it can drop properly and evenly. Let nails dry for 5-10 minutes before starting art.
CHEVRON
Step 1: Start your chevron by making a “V” near your cuticle.
Step 2: Make a slightly larger “V” underneath.
Step 3: Then fill in the “V.”
Step 4: Repeat this below it, leaving some space in between.
Step 5: Let dry for about 30 seconds or so once done.
Step 6: Then, using your gold glitter brush, paint a thin gold line in the center of each one.
SHAMROCK
Step 1: For this adorable four leaf clover, start with a little heart in the center of your nail, with the bottom of the heart facing towards the left of your nail.
Step 2: Add 3 more small hearts around it to create the shape of your shamrock.
Step 3: Finish with a small little swipe of green wherever you’d like for the stem.
Step 4: Embellish with a little white line in the bottom of the leaves to create some dimension!
FINISH
Once your art has set for about 5 minutes, apply a thin top coat. Make sure to cap the edges of your nails to seal everything in, too! This step helps your polish application to last a lot longer.
**If you used the Zoya system, finish with Zoya’s drying drops to help speed up drying time. Give nail polish about 30 minutes to fully dry, though Zoya sets in about 10 minutes.
