Nuance Tortoise Shell Tutorial

In my studio, we go gaga for tortoise shell designs of all kinds. You want a punchy traditional amber tortoise? say no more. You want a blonde tortoise? I got you. The one type of tortoise that was missing from my arsenal was a melty, caramel swishy tortoise. The kind of tortoise that would adorn a vintage compact or music box.

VIntage Tortoise Shell Box for Inspiration

This technique utilizes wet layers, meaning we’re going to me smushing and swirling a a bit before the hand ever goes in to the lamp for a cure. The trick with wet layers, is that you want to give them a moment to settle in and disperse before you cure.

Let those wet layers swirl and twirl, don’t overwork them.

Products Used:

Kokoist Color Gel in E-223 Midnight Chocolate

Kokoist Color Gel in E-239S Giallo Yellow Glass

Vetro No. 19 Gel Pod in #261 Jewel Umber

Nail Labo Gold Foil

Vetro No. 19 Gel Pod in #260 Jewel Topaz

Kokoist Ultra Glossy Non Wipe Top Coat Gel

Kokoist Round Brush

Nail Thoughts x Kokoist Detailer 

Celestial Opal Nail Tutorial

It’s no secret I like my nail art simple, unique with some serious depth. Enter stage right, Celestial Opal, checking allllll the boxes. This look is beautiful as a full set on all ten nails or as an accent on a few. She’s versatile and universally flattering on EVERYBODY.

This is another look that builds it’s depth with layers, starting with a milky base and layering in duo chrome flakes and gold filter foil like a sassy Opal inspired seven-layer dip of awesome.

I originally create this look for my client Missy, late last year and was super excited to add it to my press-on shop and now a step-by-step for you to recreate.

Step 1: Prep and Base Coat, cure.

Step 2: Apply single layer of Presto Color Gel #3 and cure

Step 3: Leaving sticky layer in tact, add Kokoist Rainbow Mica and Nail Labo Foil Flakes, then tap and burnish Clou Good Fiber along the perimeter of the nail.

Step 4: Apply a coat of Kokoist Art Clear, give it a moment to self level and then cure.

Step 5: Add single coat of Presto Color Gel #180 and cure

Step 6: Leaving sticky layer in tact, burnish additional gold fiber to create depth

Step 7: Apply a thin coat of Kokoist Art Clear, give it a moment to self-level and then cure.

Step 8: Add a cuff around the top of the nail using Kimagure Cat Liquid Metal Gold gel and then cure for full 60 seconds.

Step 9: Apply Kokoist Ultra Glossy Non Wipe Top Gel and cure

Products Used

Kokoist Bonding DUO in Bottle

Kokoist Ultra Glossy Non Wipe Top Gel

Kokoist Art Clear

Presto Color Gel #3 & #180

Kimagure Cat Liquid Metal Gold Gel

Kokoist Rainbow Mica R-2 Golden Purple

Nail Labo Foil Flakes Pink Aurora

Clou Gold Fiber

I'M NOT A REGULAR AUNT, I'M A COOL AUNT

Eighties Paradise is one of the most popular styles in my shop. Originally based off a freestyle design I created for a client. It was inspired by that bygone gauche era of status, indulgence, excess and prosperity. Everybody had a cool aunt. You know the one, the cool condo, the car phone the mauve leather sofa and wicker coffee table. The aunt who totally let you watch Dirty Dancing even though your parents wouldn’t allow it, maybe she took you to get your ears pierced and taught you the most important rule of growing up: it’s better to apologize than ask permission.

While I definitely have cool aunts, I kept envisioning our next-door neighbor, my mom’s friend Rosalind Tallerico when I was creating this set. I was a pretty sheltered kid, so it was always fun to escape to her house and watch cool movies and pretend I was a teenager. She was stylish , tan and had big hair. Her house was ALWAYS perfection because her husband was always on the road for work. I remember getting a perm in her garage, yes I already had curly hair, but I wanted that perm SO BAD. Oh man, the 80’s/Early 90’s WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE.

Anyhow, back to the nails…

This look is unique, visually dynamic and also TOTALLY wearable. Even for clients that are a bit gun-shy about nail art will love it.

I filmed myself creating a full set of press-ons so that you'll get to see how I create a balanced and cohesive look on all ten nails. It will also give you insight on my process when it comes to selecting products, purposeful placement and balancing random elements.

I can't wait to see you recreate this look and put your own spin on it.

Feel free to leave any questions in the comments below.

Products used:

Presto Gel JC-3

Kokoist E-127 Strawberry Latte & E-196S Tulip Petals

Orly GelFX Builder-in-a-Bottle

Aprés Non-Wipe Topcoat

Princess Nails Rainbow Mylar

Young Nails Gold Foil

Riccagel Color Gel Brush

Young Nails Gel Sculptor Brush

Put the Lime In The Coconut In the Ombré

As the days get longer and the sun shines a little brighter, I had to create a perfect sparkly neon green ombré to welcome SUMMER with open arms! Can you believe it? Wasn’t it December like a week ago?

Gel Ombré can be pretty intimidating and clients LOVE them. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars trying to find a hack (most notably an airbrush and airbrush gel that was a HOT mess) to do them quickly. But there really is something to be said for the old adage that practice matters. If you don’t get this right away, keep practicing and you’ll get it in time. Don’t let a fear of failure keep you from trying.

Whether we are doing our own nails or a clients' nails, our biggest roadblock will always be our own perfectionism. This is one of those looks where you have to not only trust your skill and product knowledge, but you also have to trust the process. We're doing ultra thin layers with highly pigmented gels, it's gonna work out. Promise.  If anything goes awry, just add extra glitter.

Just remember two things: 

• Use purposeful placement and lay the bulk of the color down conservatively and where you want the most intensity. For an ombre like this, the intensity is going to be closer to the tip of the nail, so you'll notice whenever I go into the green, I work from tip upward.

•   It's easier to ADD color than to remove it. Work with sheer thin layers and build up to the coverage that you want. It's easier to fix any mistakes that way.

Notes on the products I used:

 I discovered the Medusa gel line through a fellow manicurist and I'm SO impressed with the color pay-off and the product consistency- it's the PERF texture for this kind of art. If you're looking to do a black or white ombre (baby boomer), I recommend checking out Aeropuffing Gel Paste- it's the best I've found for those particularly challenging colors. 

 Products used:

Aprés Soft-Gel Full Cover Tip in Short Round Natural

 Miho Nails Melty Gelato 

Medusa's Nails Green 14 

Daily Charme Dreamy Fairy Dust 

Concelect/Britney Tokyo Square Head Brush 

Latex-Free Makeup Wedge 

Palette Knife 

Palette (this is a quartz coaster I got from Saje)

Make-up Brush, cleaned and free of debris 

BioSeaweed Gel No-Wipe Topcoat