How to Do Sunglass Nails
File and clean your nails., Apply a quick-dry top coat as a base., Choose three metallic polishes to work with., Apply a quick coat of opaque black polish to your nails.This will give the metallic polishes a dark backdrop to reflect from, which will...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: File and clean your nails.
Use a file to shape your nails into the desired look.
Wash your hands to get rid of the gritty nail particles created by the file.
Dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel.
Soak a cotton ball in polish remover and wipe each nail with it.
This isn’t to remove polish (your nails should already be polish-free), but to clean them.
The metallic polish will adhere to your nails more successfully if they are free of dirt and oils.
The polish remover will get rid of both.
Consider using an acetone-free polish remover (if you aren’t already) to avoid being around this harsh chemical. -
Step 2: Apply a quick-dry top coat as a base.
Don’t use a regular base coat, as you normally would.
Instead, put one coat of quick-dry top coat on each of your nails.Allow the top coat to cure for the amount of time the bottle suggests (which will probably be between one and two minutes).
The sleek topcoat will help to create a smooth surface for the metallic polish.
An ultra-smooth base can make the mirror-like effects more pronounced. , The sunglass look is multi-tonal, which means you need to use at least three metallic shades to achieve similar results.
Go with the three metallic colors you like best, but make sure you have a variety of light and dark colors.
The range of shades will help you create a final look that has depth, like the sunglass look, instead of cancelling each other out.
For example, you could choose gold (which is light), pink (medium) and midnight blue (dark) metallic.
Feel free to experiment with four metallic shades.
Depending on the angle, the sunglass look changes between three and four colors., Metallic enamels tend to be thinner than opaque polishes, so the black base will provide some depth and dimension.
Allow the black polish to cure for the recommended amount of time before moving on. , Place a sheet of wax paper or tin foil on a flat work surface and secure it in place with masking tape.
Pour some of each metallic polish onto the wax paper.
Use a toothpick to swirl the colors together until you end up with a color you like.
You may need to use more of one metallic polish than another to achieve the look you want.If you want to mix up quite a bit of the polish, consider using a shot glass instead of wax paper. , For best results, apply nail polish in three strokes – one down the center and one down each side of your fingernail.
Make the strokes even and narrow.Work as quickly as you can so your mixture won’t dry up.
You may end up having to mix more if you don’t work quickly enough, which is fine.
There is no “right” way to do this, and you’ll find your natural rhythm once you practice a bit. , This allows the metallic polish time to adhere to your nails and dry slightly before you add another element to the mix.
Do one coat of the top coat and allow the polish to cure completely. -
Step 3: Choose three metallic polishes to work with.
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Step 4: Apply a quick coat of opaque black polish to your nails.This will give the metallic polishes a dark backdrop to reflect from
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Step 5: which will more closely mimic the sunglass look.
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Step 6: Mix your metallic colors.
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Step 7: Paint the metallic mix onto your nails.
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Step 8: Seal the metallic mixture with one layer of quick-dry top coat.Check your brand of top coat for specific instructions
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Step 9: but most of them say to wait about two minutes after applying your polish before applying the top coat.
Detailed Guide
Use a file to shape your nails into the desired look.
Wash your hands to get rid of the gritty nail particles created by the file.
Dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel.
Soak a cotton ball in polish remover and wipe each nail with it.
This isn’t to remove polish (your nails should already be polish-free), but to clean them.
The metallic polish will adhere to your nails more successfully if they are free of dirt and oils.
The polish remover will get rid of both.
Consider using an acetone-free polish remover (if you aren’t already) to avoid being around this harsh chemical.
Don’t use a regular base coat, as you normally would.
Instead, put one coat of quick-dry top coat on each of your nails.Allow the top coat to cure for the amount of time the bottle suggests (which will probably be between one and two minutes).
The sleek topcoat will help to create a smooth surface for the metallic polish.
An ultra-smooth base can make the mirror-like effects more pronounced. , The sunglass look is multi-tonal, which means you need to use at least three metallic shades to achieve similar results.
Go with the three metallic colors you like best, but make sure you have a variety of light and dark colors.
The range of shades will help you create a final look that has depth, like the sunglass look, instead of cancelling each other out.
For example, you could choose gold (which is light), pink (medium) and midnight blue (dark) metallic.
Feel free to experiment with four metallic shades.
Depending on the angle, the sunglass look changes between three and four colors., Metallic enamels tend to be thinner than opaque polishes, so the black base will provide some depth and dimension.
Allow the black polish to cure for the recommended amount of time before moving on. , Place a sheet of wax paper or tin foil on a flat work surface and secure it in place with masking tape.
Pour some of each metallic polish onto the wax paper.
Use a toothpick to swirl the colors together until you end up with a color you like.
You may need to use more of one metallic polish than another to achieve the look you want.If you want to mix up quite a bit of the polish, consider using a shot glass instead of wax paper. , For best results, apply nail polish in three strokes – one down the center and one down each side of your fingernail.
Make the strokes even and narrow.Work as quickly as you can so your mixture won’t dry up.
You may end up having to mix more if you don’t work quickly enough, which is fine.
There is no “right” way to do this, and you’ll find your natural rhythm once you practice a bit. , This allows the metallic polish time to adhere to your nails and dry slightly before you add another element to the mix.
Do one coat of the top coat and allow the polish to cure completely.
About the Author
Mark Mendoza
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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