Icicle Manicure

New York had its first major snow of the year over the weekend. The ground turned (very briefly) white, and though the snow is mostly melted by now, the inspiration for this manicure remains. The Icicle Manicure is an elegant white and silvery ombre style that is subtle enough to wear to work, but fun enough to enjoy, too.

Nail polish needed:
- Soft pearly white
- Silver or blue glittery color (sheer is best)
- Clear top coat

Optional materials:
- Acrylic nails and nail glue (I use fake nails because I have a bad habit of picking at my natural nails when they get longer, so they never grow out. Acrylics prevent me from reaching my real nails to pick!)

Directions:
Step 1: Apply acrylic nails (if desired, otherwise skip this step)

Step 2: Paint each nail completely with two coats of the soft white base. Let dry after each coat before applying the next.

Step 3: Using the sheer sparkly color, paint the top 2/3 of each nail with one coat. This looks better if you make a messy line at the bottom instead of going straight across. Let dry completely.

Step 4: Again using the sheer sparkles, paint the top approximately 1/3 of each nail with a second coat. Make the line messy again. Let dry.

Step 5: If the color gradation to the tips isn't very pronounced, you can do another coat of sparkles just at the very tips. Otherwise, proceed to the last step.

Step 6: Cover with two layers of clear top coat.

A closer look at the finished result. I love how the color fading is just enough to be seen, but not too overwhelming.