Tutorial: Pastel Rose & Stripes Manicure

I know rose/flower nail art is nothing new but I was playing around with the Essie Bridal 2013 Collection recently and thought the colours would lend themselves nicely to this easy pastel rose & stripes mani.

I opted for Using My Maiden Name (an iridescent violet inspired by hydrangeas) as my base colour and My Better Half (a blue-toned pink inspired by peonies) as my base rose colour. For the rose highlight colour and stripes, I used AVON Nail Art Enamel in Cupid, Styled Green for the leaves, and Kiss Nail Art Paint in Silver Glitter also for the stripes.

1. Paint on your base colour and let dry.
2. To create the roses, dab your base rose colour in roundish shapes randomly on each nail.
3. Add the rose highlight colour to the roses to create some dimension.
4. Add leaves to the side of each rose.
5. Paint on stripes if you decide to have an accent nail (or two).

Lastly, finish with a top coat (I used AVON UV Gloss Guard Top Coat) to protect your work and keep your nails looking shiny.

The stripes are, of course, totally optional but I thought they added a bit of whimsy. Next time, however, I'm planning on sticking with roses on all my nails for a full-on floral explosion!


P.S. This nail look is also featured as my contribution to this week's FASHION Magazine Beauty Panel challenge on how to wear pastel makeup. Be sure to check out the post here.