Purple Plaits
This manicure is pretty plain compared to some of the others I've done, but I wanted to do a tutorial of what I think is the easiest way to achieve a braid effect. I've seen lots of step-by-steps which I find much more complex than this way, so if you've struggled with plaits before, see if you find this tutorial easier :)
The equipment:
Natural Collection 'White'
Fearne 'Cotton Candy'
Rimmel 'Pompous'
Models Own 3-in-1 clear coat
Silver gems
A fine nail art paint brush
I started off with a white base, and applied 2 coats for a clean finish. I made sure that the polishes I used in this manicure have a thick consistency, as the colours were to be layered on top of one another. Using watery or pale nail varnish will cause a plait manicure to be extremely tricky, so stick to thick brands and opaque shades.
Once dry, I started adding diagonal stripes in pale and dark purple. The Fearne brushes are quite smooth and narrow, so easy to apply freehand. However, Rimmel brushes are quite thick, so I had to use a paint brush for the dark blocks of colour.
When my first set of stripes were dry, I began to create the plait effect. Using the dark purple, I painted a triangular shape on top of the white at the base of my nail, and made sure it joined up to the pale purple stripe neatly.
I then used the white to create another diagonal stripe, which cuts across the pale purple and ends on the edge of the dark purple. The pattern repeats with two more diagonal stripes, and I made sure that the colours remained in the right order.
I neatened up any suspicious looking areas and then applied a clear coat, which made for a better finish. On my other fingers I just applied 2 coats of 'Cotton Candy' and finished with silver gems! As I said before, it's a pretty simple manicure, but it looks really cute. The plait will probably look more effective with thinner stripes so that the pattern can continue for longer, so next time I think I'll just use a fine paint brush all the way through!
Has anyone else attempted braid/plait nails? And what kind of technique do you use?
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