Ikat Print Nails

Ohmygoodnessgracious. I start college tomorrow! So for the first day I wanted to have some awesome nail art! Here's the design I chose and a tutorial to go with!

I actually did this design last year and I loved it so much, I wanted to do it again! It's called "ikat print" and is a tribal, aztec, kind of design. It is one of my favorites because the shakier and messier you are, the more it adds to the design, and the better it looks, which is perfect for working with your non-dominant hand. :) Plus, it's just downright GORGEOUS! So, on to the tutorial!

Step 1:

Start with a base color of your choice! I chose Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in "Sizzlin' Saffron" which is VERY similar to the original formula of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "Mellow Yellow" which I did a little review of here. 

Step 2:

Next, take a white nail striper and begin painting the basic shape of the ikat print, which is kinda like jagged diamonds. I like it best to vary the positioning of the print on each nail, but it's totally up to your preference!

Step 3:

Take a black nail striper and outline the white shapes you made, mimicking the same jagged look, making small strokes with the small brush! I also found that it would sometimes help to have a lesser amount of polish of the striper than you usually would, to make it look better.

Step 4:

Now, with the second color of your choice (I used Essie "Boxer Shorts") to make a similar jagged diamond in the center of each white shape. You don't need to, but I used a small brush for this step so I could have a little more control.

Step 5:

Finally, come back in with your black striper and make another jagged shape inside the purple (or whatever color you chose). I didn't make the small black shapes centered in the purple but rather put it off to the side or a little off balance, depending on the nail, to give it a more detailed and messy look. Now topcoat your design so it will last and be all smoothed out (trust me, it really helps smooth everything out and makes it look PERFECT!)

Before & After

So here's the same design I did almost exactly one year ago in different colors and the design I did this today.

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Thank you SO much for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and try it out for yourself! Use the hashtag #PolishAndBeyond on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram if you try out this design or any other of my designs! Love you! <3