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A Girl Named PJ

Ombré manicure: Pretty pink nails for Valentine’s Day

February 13, 2014

easy pink ombre manicureAs much as I love a spa pedicure, I hardly ever get manicures at the nail salon.

  • I generally prefer how I file and shape my own nails. I’m that annoying customer who asks the manicurist for her nail file and buffer so I can tweak her handiwork before she paints my nails.
  • Salon manicures nearly always chip by day three, so it seems like a waste of money to pay for one when I’ve discovered a DIY manicure that lasts a week.
  • I like wearing what’s trendy when it comes to nail polish, and the nail salons I go to in Omaha usually don’t have the latest “it” colors.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I had the urge to go pink, so I thought I’d experiment with an easy ombré manicure. It took two attempts to nail it (pun intended!), but I liked how much it looked that I thought I’d share the how-to with you.

There are two things to remember when doing an ombré manicure. First, try to use as few coats of polish as possible. The more layer of nail polish, the more likely they are to chip.

Second, apply your top coat while your polish is still damp. Brush it on as soon as you finish painting both hands. At first I applied my top coat after finishing each nail, but polish was too wet and it blended the light and dark pinks together rather than sealing the ombré look I had created.

Ready to learn how to do an ombré manicure?

easy ombre manicure

  1. Apply your favorite base coat. I’ve had the best success with this and this.
  2. Paint one coat of bright pink polish from the base to the tip of your nails.
  3. Apply a second thin coat of pink polish starting at the base but stopping 3/4 of the way up your nail.
  4. Next, apply your lighter pink or almost-white polish (I chose one with a little bit of golden sparkle) from the middle to the tips of your nails. There will be only a small overlap between the two layers of dark pink and the single layer of light pink.
  5. Finish with a thin layer of top coat. I love this one.

revlon colorstay nail polishFor this at-home manicure, I paired Revlon Colorstay nail polishes in Passion Pink and Calla Lilly. When used with Color Stay base and top coats, they last the longest on my nails–up to a week! (No, this post wasn’t sponsored by Revlon, but maybe it should’ve been!)

So what do you think of the pink ombré manicure? Would you try it at home or do you prefer to get salon manicures?

If you try an ombré manicure, show me your nails on Instagram at @bunnyanddolly!

PS – Fall nail polish trends to take you through spring. Also, should little boys wear nail polish?

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  1. Breaking the nail biting habit - A Girl Named PJ says:
    July 10, 2014 at 7:00 am

    […] – An ombre manicure to try at home and my secret to making manicures last a week. Also, what do you think about boys […]

    Reply
  2. Nailing it: A Modern Manicure in NYC - A Girl Named PJ says:
    September 16, 2014 at 8:20 am

    […] – A DIY ombre manicure and my trick for a making an at-home manicure last a […]

    Reply
  3. Housewarming Party - The PINK edition! - Pink Heels Pink Truck says:
    February 11, 2015 at 11:01 pm

    […] ONE: How about these super cute donuts from Legal Miss Sunshine? Spell out your Love Message with Donuts!! TWO: The perfect rag wreath from Third Stop on the Right for Valentine’s Day! THREE: Need a Valentine’s Day Table Runner? Simply {Darr}ling has you covered! FOUR: Want a quick and easy decor idea? How about printing out this Valentine’s Printable from Cre8tive Compass and popping it into a frame! FIVE: How about this for fun office gifts? This Girls Life shares a “You Blow Me Away” Valentine gift idea! SIX: Thumb-body Loves You from Tried and True Blog is so fun!! SEVEN: Fluff up your front door or fireplace with this Tulle Heart Wreath from My Sweet Sanity. EIGHT: Love those Conversation Hearts? Make a box for them and share the love! (from Cre8tive Compass) NINE: I love monograms and I love custom t-shirts that have glitter on them, so this Valentine’s Day Monogram Tee from Simply {Darr}ling is perfect! TEN: I love EOS lip balm and would love to receive this as one of my Valentine’s! Super cute from Tried and True Blog. ELEVEN: A super cute Valentine’s Day inspired manicure from A Girl Named PJ…check out this Pink Ombre Nail Manicure! […]

    Reply
  4. 13 Pretty Ways to Wear Pink Nails | HelloNatural.co says:
    April 11, 2015 at 7:00 am

    […] Pink ombre manicure by A Girl Named PJ. Ombre will never go out of style for me, and this mani idea reminds me why that […]

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