Snakeskin Nail Art

4th September, 2011 - Posted by Emily - 11 Comments

If you read the blogs you might remember seeing articles about snakeskin manicures a while ago. Terri Silacci’s salon in California started catering snakeskin manicures, created with real shedded snake scales (i.e. no snakes were harmed, phew!). Beautiful as they are they do come at a price…

Now like most people I don’t have a snake pet at home nor any access to discarded snake scales. I figured there must be an easier way to recreate the effect of snakeskin.

1

This is what I came up with! I don’t have a picture tutorial to show you how I did these but hopefully my explanation on how I created them will make it clear to you (if not, do ask me questions in the comments!).

  • First I painted my nails in a solid white, you could choose any base colour, it’s entirely up to you. I painted two coats and waited for them to dry, then I added a third coat. It is vital that this last coat remains tacky and wet so only paint the final coat of base colour over a few fingers at a time.
  • Grab a piece of fishnet or lace (preferably with a small fishnet design) and place it on top of your nail. Press it down so it sits inside of the slightly tacky polish.
  • Take a sponge and add any colour you’d like to use, I used a light and dark brown. Sponge over the lace until you’re satisfied with the coverage.
  • Remove the piece of lace. It will drag!!! Since we placed it on top of a wet polish it will drag the white up so be careful, when it’s removed pat it down slightly and add a topcoat!

I know it sounds totally bonkers to place the lace on top of wet polish, but if you don’t, your lace will move around and polish will get underneath. The snakeskin effect will be totally lost. Using a slightly tacky base worked for me, it may not work for you but definitely give it a try.

What I used:

  • Catrice Snow Motion
  • China Glaze Classic Camel
  • China Glaze Ingrid
  • Essence Studio Nails Top Sealer (my new favourite topcoat!)
  • A piece of lace (since I didn’t have any fishnets)

11 Comments

Polish Vixen Marisa

September 5th, 2011 at 12:13 AM    


This came out amazing!! XOXO

Emily

September 5th, 2011 at 1:00 AM    


Thank you!!! X

Llama

September 5th, 2011 at 3:03 AM    


That looks so cool! Also, good idea with the wet polish, did you come up with that at once, of was it trial and error? ;)

Emily

September 5th, 2011 at 3:11 AM    


Thanks! And actually it was by accident! :D My polish hadn't dried properly on the first few nails I did and when I came to the ones that had dried properly they just didn't came out right, all of the white was covered and the mesh/fishnet effect was completely gone. Funnily enough you do really need to have it be wet.

Manon

September 6th, 2011 at 3:13 PM    


Looks amazing! :O

Emily

September 6th, 2011 at 4:05 PM    


Thank you!!! :)

kayleigh

September 7th, 2011 at 6:38 AM    


Sounds like a pretty good technique, this turned out great!! :)

Emily

September 7th, 2011 at 12:04 PM    


Thank you!

Ms. Strong

September 28th, 2011 at 9:03 PM    


Absolutely beautiful! And it looks pretty realistic, too. Very nicely done.

Emily

September 28th, 2011 at 9:29 PM    


Thank you! :)

manicure mondays – snakeskin manicure « Fab Fatale

November 7th, 2011 at 2:46 AM    


[...] a few manicures that inspired this post, besides my own snakeskin manicure, of course :) – very emily and my good friend xoxo, Trina. Is this a manicure you would try? It’s so fun and I [...]

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