Tape Nailz

Doing my nails is a way for me to express my style at work, since for the most part it's an oxford shirts and slacks/skirt kinda place.  I feel like I can get away with color combinations that would never fly in a full-on work outfit.  Neon green and gray anyone? 

In the past I never took the time to do my nails (mostly because I couldn’t keep my hands still before they fully dried), but since starting law school, I find that in the hours and hours of sitting and reading, I now have all the drying time I could ever wish for. 

Recently I’ve been experimenting with tape to approximate professional looking designs.  This is my first attempt with this particular effect.  You’ll need a base coat, top coat, scissors, tape, and two colors. 

Here’s what you’ll need (base coat and top coat not pictured):

And here we go!

1. First, apply base-coat and let dry.

 

2. Then choose what color will constitute the “stripes”, this is the color you will paint first.  Apply this color and let it dry.  I’m using L’Oreal in The Muse’s Attitude, a metallic green. 

3. Then apply a top coat and let dry.

4. Next, using the scissors cut small strips of Scotch Tape.  Press the tape to your fingertips a few times to break down the adhesive; if the tape is too sticky it may damage your bottom coat of nail polish when you remove it.

5. Carefully stick the tape over your base color.  Of course there are many conceivable patterns, but I chose to try this.  It kind of looks like a Japanese sun?  To the best of your ability, make sure there are no air bubbles along the edges of the tape.  Air bubbles can make the edges of the stripes imprecise.

6.   Paint the next color over the tape strips.  I went with Tom Ford in Viper.  Let it dry completely and carefully peel off the strips.

 7.       Now you have stripes!  Apply a top coat and let dry! And don’t follow my example, clean up the edges of the nail with a Q-Tip and nail polish remover.

So here you have it, a non-invasive subtle way of gothin’ up your work/school outfits (I never need help gothin’ up my going-out outfits…)

Oh and here’s the green/gray combo.  Tried a different pattern this time.  It’s not very goth, but I love love love neon green and gray together for nails!

Till next time spooks