Really Simple, Sweet Girly Gradient Nails

You’ve seen these fabulous ombré nails everywhere and you always asked yourself how is it possible to attain such flawless state of blended gradient? There’s just one secret, keep reading and you’ll find out the key to the perfect ombre nails!

The colors in this combination are perfect for summer and spring, but once you mastered the technique, nothing will stop you from getting the right gradient for each season and occasion! For this sweet mani, you need two complimentary nail polishes, a regular makeup sponge (base coat, top coat).

Using Zoya Kendal for the base and Zoya Sweet for the gradient, this gorgeous result will not only stir the envy of onlookers but it will also last you at least 4 days without chipping!

Start by painting your nails with the soft lavender polish – or your neutral of choice for this manicure (after applying your base coat – see here the start up guide for a successful manicure at home: part one, part two, part three)! I used Zoya Kendal (ZP594) which is neutral but also girly and sophisticated.

Can’t get enough of the versatility of this beautiful polish! Depending on the light, it can be cold or soft, worn simply on its own and it’s still a gorgeous sight!

After it dried (apply 2 coats, wait at least a 30 minutes coffee break between coats to make sure they’re completely dry), take your makeup sponge, your Zoya Sweet (ZP404) and your Kendal close. Now here comes the big secret to a perfect gradient manicure! (are you ready? Drumroll please!)

Soak up your makeup sponge! Your sponge needs to be water-saturated, not just wet – not drippy either, notice that there’s no water dripping out of the pictured sponge!

Once you’ve got your makeup all wet, apply a few strokes of Kendal and continue with few strokes of Sweet like in the picture below! (say you’re applying from left to right: start with Kendal 1 brush length then go towards right and layer a second row with Kendal. Now take Sweet and repeat, depending on how long your nails are and how much of your nail you want the ombre to take. Between Kendal and Sweet, overlap a brush each so you get a nice, smooth transition from one color to another).

Apply the sponge on your nail, dabbing softly until you’ve covered the entire surface, side to side. Don’t worry about the mess, it will clean right off with acetone! After doing both hands (re-apply the polish on the sponge when needed), repeat for a perfect result.

Wait 10 minutes and prepare your cleaning tools: a brush like the one in the image and acetone. Clean the excess polish around the nails. Now you’re ready for the top coat. Choose a glittery topcoat to hide any imperfections – I used a holo glitter Konad top coat because I was out of China Glaze Fairy Dust and wanted that special holo effect to balance out the sweetness of the lavender-pink gradient: aren’t they wonderful?

If you feel like trying a different kind of gradient, you can also consider this fabulous manicure here!