This ombré effect is perfect for fall! Each nail is painted descending shades of the same color.  We’ve never tried anything quite like it, and we had to share!

First, choose a rich, opaque shade (one that will mix well with white.) A die-hard OPI fan, I used “Manicurist of Seville,” a deep raspberry hue, from their new Espana collection. For my white polish, I chose OPI ‘s “Alpine Snow.”

I used four small glass jars to mix my polish. You can also use small disposable plates, but we like small jars or plastic containers with fitted lids – that way, you can save your ombré palette for touch-ups.

InStyle’s instructions suggest adding the white polish to your pigment, but we found it easier to start with white, and add tiny drops of color, as needed. Remember, a little goes a long way! To mix the lightest shade, barely half a drop of your dark color will do.

Mix your other three colors, adding a little pigment at a time until you feel you have just the right amount of variation to your shades. The fifth shade is straight-up from the bottle.

With your the darkest, from-the-bottle shade, paint the same finger on both hands, starting with the pinky. InStyle doesn’t mention this, but you will need to rinse your brush with nail polish remover between shades. I found this to be a little bit of a pain, especially with wet nails, and might try disposable craft brushes next time.

After you’ve applied two coats to all ten lovely nails, don’t forget to finish off with a clear top coat! You don’t want it chipping, after all that hard work!

I’m totally loving my ombré manicure! This would also be fun technique to try with black or a deep green!

Thanks to In Style for the great inspiration!

xoxo,
Cody