CND Shellac Nail Art - Studio White & Glitter Fade

This is the second CND Shellac manicure that I did on my cousin Nat and this time she was after something a bit more glitzy for her week off work. For someone that hates glitter she seriously oooo'd and aaahhh'd over my collection of Gosh nail glitters. So I showed her how I could do a glitter fade and she was hooked!

I have to say, I was quite impressed with my first full attempt at a glitter fade, I'd done it before as an accent nail, but never as a full set.

For the main Shellac colour I used Studio White from their 6 new 2011 colours. And the glitter used for the glitter fade was Gosh Nail Glitter in 01 Silver and 09 Ruby Red for the accent nail.

The great thing about this look is that it can be done with a gel polish or a normal polish. Just follow the quick step-by-step guide below according to your tools:

You will need: A base coat, a block colour polish in your chosen colour (preferably a creme - so no glitter or shimmer), a pot (or pots) of nail glitter in your chose colour, a clear polish, a ceramic/glass mixing palette or dish, a medium size nail art brush (or artist's brush), a top coat - it is best to have a separate bottle of top coat for layering over glitters in case there are any stray particles that make it back into the bottle.

Step 1: Prepare the nails (cuticles, file, prepare the nail plate etc.)

Step 2: Apply your base coat and let dry (or cure if using Shellac)

Step 3: Apply two coats of a your colour and allow to fully dry (I used Shellac Studio White, curing for 120 secs in between each coat)

Step 4: Create a glitter paste in your dish by mixing together some clear polish and your chosen nail glitter colour (I used Shellac top coat and the silver and red Gosh nail glitters)

Step 5: Create the glitter fade by using the brush to paint a rough french manicure 'tip' onto each nail with your chosen coloured glitter paste and brush the remainder up the nail, from tip to base, to create the faded look. Allow to dry (I cured the Shellac for 120 secs)

Step 6: Seal everything with your top coat  (I used Shellac top coat and cured for 120 secs)

Et Voila! A glittery addition to your nails, perfect for the Christmas period!

What do you think? Have you tried a glitter fade before? What colour combinations would you go for?