nailart - shatter tips

SHATTER TIP

this post is on acheiving a unique and simple nail design.
It's my personal favourite actually... it doesn't take too much time and also, very EASY to do. Seriously... anyone can do it!!

All you need is a bit of patience... while the nailpolish dries...

So... here are what you need...

base coat (I'm using OPI's 'Nail Envy' nail strengthener as my nails are thin and brittle *sob*)

nail colour of your choice (for me today, ORLY's 'It's Up To Blue')

shatter polish (OPI's 'White Shatter)

top coat (OPI's 'Top Coat)

nail french tip tape or cellotape (I'm using cellotape. Will show you how soon!!)

Once you've got your nailpolishes ready start off with clean nails.

Go wash your hands.. clip bits here and there.. use a nail file.. cuticle treatment.. anything to get them looking nicely shaped.

Apply a base coat.

reason for this is to make the nail surface smooth and even.

Also, to make your polish last longer and to protect your natural nails.

I like to use a nail strengthening base as my nails tend to crack and chip off.

Not nice... I know...

a base coat will give your nails an extra layer to prevent that.

while waiting for your base coat to dry, get cellotape ready.

cut a bit off and stick it on the surface of your hands.

leave it there for a bit and take it off and stick it back on again.

rub it a bit and take it off.

when you touch the sticky side, you should feel that it's not so sticky as before but a slight stick.

Reason for doing this is so that the cellotape tack won't be left on your nails.

If left, the tack will make your nails sticky, making it hard to apply nailpolishes,

leaving lumpy bits

Cut to a piece that will overlap your nails when stuck on to your fingers.

stick it on straight.

make sure you stick to the edges too!!

(I've done the cellotape demonstration on my pinky finger only)

now apply the first coat in your choice of nail colour.

(I've also chosen to leave one finger fully painted. one reason, that nail broke so it's shorter than the others, another reason, so that you can see what the shatter looks like...)

make sure you get the nail edges too!

as that tends to wear off quickly while we do our daily routines.

Wait to dry and apply a second coat.

this is what it looks like after you've taken off the cellotape.

really straight right?

heehee

however....

don't and i mean, DO NOT!!

take off the cellotape till you've done the shatter.

Otherwise it's going to look wonky...

Okay...

so now that you've applied your second coat...

wait for it to FULLY dry before applying the 'shatter polish'

it won't work if you apply it to a non-dry surface.

at first you may think it's just another nail polish that covers the other nail colour..

BUT...

as it dries it starts to make shatter marks here and there.

really cool to see it change but watching it happen is like watching paint dry...

REALLY...

wait for the 'shatter' to completely dry.

you'll know when its dry when you touch it.

feels like...

dried paint on a smooth desk?

once it's dry apply a top coat if you wish.

you don't really have to but apply it will make the shatter last longer, and also makes it shinier.

so... yeah...

once you've applied top coat to it, and when its dry...

you're done!!

really simple huh?

just the whole patience thing...

lol

here are some of my other shatter looks...

this is the one with one of OPI's 'Katy Perry range'

with black shatter.

pink with silver shatter

black tips with white shatter and a sparkly silver lining

black and silver shatter

to be honest..

at first, getting the shatter to work nicely took a bit of time (and nail polish remover..)

but once I got it, it became really easy... with a few occasional mistakes.. still..

if you think the tip shatter is a bit hard or you don't have time to do the details,

try painting your whole nails and applying the shatter like my pictures above.

that still gives your nails a nice and different look!

the Shatter range from OPI come in, as far as i know and have, are seven.

OPI 'Black Shatter'

OPI "Silver Shatter'

OPI 'White Shatter'

OPI 'Turquoise Shatter'

OPI 'Blue Shatter'

OPI 'Red Shatter'

OPI 'Navy Shatter'

find your colour and have fun with it!!

Good Luck~