I have something exciting to share with you! For a little while, I’ve kept this quiet, but now it’s time to let the cat out of the bag. (Poor cat! Why were you ever put in a bag to begin with?) 😉
You may remember that recently, I told you about my print magazine feature for Prom Canada. Well, I got another amazing opportunity to collaborate with them!
I’m 1 of only 2 hand-picked Canadian bloggers to be chosen for the amazing opportunity to be featured on Prom Canada’s website! (Check out the post to see both of our nail creations throughout the year.)
For alternating months, I’ll be sharing a nail-art tutorial using Nicole by OPI nail polishes.
My first Prom Canada nail-art tutorial went up a couple of days ago, and it shows you step-by-step how to create funky Leopard Nail Art!
This leopard design makes it a snap to coordinate your nail art to your gown, and it’s highly customizable, so you can use loud colours for playful tips or muted, neutral shades for a classier look.
The beauty of leopard nail art is that the focus isn’t on perfection. In fact, the more asymmetrical each blob is, the more it looks like an authentic leopard!
You’ll have a lot of fun painting each nail, and since this is a freehand design, it guarantees that nobody else at prom will be wearing exactly the same manicure as you!
(You know how much I love the leopard print! In fact, I’ve featured it in a tutorial on Swatch And Learn quite some time ago in this post, and I’ve done several leopard manicures including this and this.)
What You’ll Need:
- Base coat
- 3 different colours of nail polish
- Top coat
- Dotting tool
- Small piece of foil
To create the look, I used the following items:
The Nicole by OPI nail treatments and polishes are all from the 2014 collection, and they were provided to me by Nicole by OPI‘s fantastic PR team.
From left-right, they are as follows:
- Nicole by OPI 3-in-1 Base, Top Coat & Strengthener
- Nicole by OPI I Shop Mintage
- Nicole by OPI Teal Me Something New
- Nicole by OPI This Blue Is So You!
- Nicole by OPI Matte Top Coat
The finished look:
Step 1:
After applying a base coat (e.g. Nicole by OPI 3-in-1 Base, Top Coat & Strengthener), paint alternating nails with 2 of the lighter nail-polish colours.
Shown here:
Nicole by OPI I Shop Mintage on index and ring fingers.
Nicole by OPI Teal Me Something New on middle and pinkie fingers.
Step 2:
On the piece of foil, add a few drops of the first light nail polish. Using the large end of a dotting tool, randomly blob on asymmetrical dots on alternating nails. (Repeat this step with the second light nail polish.)
Step 3:
On the piece of foil, apply a few drops of the third, much darker nail polish. With the small end of a dotting tool, outline all the blobs with small “C” shapes.
Shown here: Nicole by OPI This Blue Is So You!
Step 4:
Using the small end of the dotting tool dipped in the much darker nail polish, fill in sparse areas with extra blobs or dots.
Step 5:
Wait 20 minutes or longer before applying a top coat. (It looks great shiny, but give your manicure a distinctive spin with the Nicole by OPI Matte Top Coat, as shown here.)
Tips:
- Don’t have a dotting tool with a small and large end? Use a toothpick and bobby pin, respectively.
- Prevent smearing the design by lightly running the bead of top coat without letting the brush touch your nail.
I hope that you enjoyed this simple tutorial on how you can create a funky pattern using just a few items!
Remember to check out the original post on Prom Canada’s website!
You might also want to follow Prom Canada on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. (Nicole by OPI can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.)
Are you a fan of leopard print, too? What colour combination would you use for this design? Have you already picked out your prom dress? (If you enjoyed your prom years ago, what did your dress look like?)
That is so cool!!
Congratulations 🙂
Hey Joyce!
Thank you for your support! 🙂 It was an honour to be chosen, and it’ll be fun to share more tutorials on their website throughout 2014!
Woot! Congrats, Mary! Looks like everyone is discovering how talented and amazing you are! 😀
Seriously, though, your blog is one of the main reasons that I’ve gotten addicted to polish and designs. You always have something new and fun yet easy enough for everyone to try.
Hey Karen!
Aww, my eyes are tearing up! Thank you so much for all your support and kind words. It means so much to me to be able to share my thoughts and manicures with readers. But it’s a whole other feeling when readers take the time to motivate me to continue blogging. Thanks for making my blogging journey more rewarding than I ever thought possible!
AMAZING !!
Hey Cris!
Thank you! 🙂 I’m glad you like it!
What a cool design. Can’t wait to try it! And thanks for the tip about how to apply the top coat without smearing the design. Cannot wait to try that tip out.
Hey Melissa!
You’re very welcome! When I learned that little trick, it really helped me, so I had to share it, too!
I love this mani! So cute!!
Cosmetics Aficionado recently posted: MAC Honey Jasmine Powder Blush Review, Swatches
Hey Cosmetics Aficionado!
Glad you like it! 🙂 I can’t get enough of leopard. Haha, will I one day become a crazy old lady dressed head-to-toe in leopard print? Who knows! 😉
Cute mani! I like the mattified look. Congrats on having your nail art featured!
Hey Jess!
Thank you! I need to mattified manicures more often because I think they help the colours stand out more.
I just looked at your blog today after finishing my manicure and I am wearing the almost exact same manicure. As you except for different brands. Such a coincidence.
Hey Maddy!
Hahahaha, that’s so cool! Great minds think alike! *High five*
True! *High five*
Have you decided what you’ll be wearing for Valentine’s Day yet?
Congrats! Nice design too–I’ll have to give that a try.
Hey Beth!
Please do try it out. It’s soooo easy and fun! 🙂 Please share a photo of it with me when you do. I love seeing other people’s manicures! I find it very inspiring!