Skitch-I-Y: Animal Print Nails!

Instagram: LilaLane

So, I posted a few days ago an animal print nail art I did on my nails on my Instagram and I've been getting a few requests on how to make it. I think it's cheaper than getting those nail art stickies I've seen around (unless you found them for $0.25 on clearance at your nearest Walgreens like I did. Then you can splurge on a bunch of them!). I think the best part of this nail art is that both of your hands will turn out neat! I mean, don't you hate it when you paint your nails on one hand really nice and the other hand just looks like a hot mess because you don't have the same motor skills with the other? Since this is just random splatters of paint, I'll assure you you'll be satisfied with both.

You'll need:

• Two nail varnishes of similar hues. Make sure one is darker than the other. If you want to be a little more playful, you can use different colors just as long as they're contrasting.

• A nail art pen or a thin brushed varnish in black. I got these Kiss Nail Artist Fine Art Pens on Clearance at Walgreens for only $2! The pack brought this black color and a silver one.

• Clear top coat

Step 1: After prepping your nails, coat them with two coats of the lightest color. For mine I used Wet n'Wild's "I Need a Refresh-mint". It's a beautiful turquoise color similar to Tiffany Blue. I am absolutely loving this new formula they came out with. I've had this nail art now for about 4 days and STILL NO CHIPPING. The formula is a bit thicker but it glides on smoothly and opaque in just two coats. Also, the brush is wider so you get more coverage in just one swipe. 

Step 2: After making sure your base color is completely dry, paint on some random spots all over the nail. They don't have to be perfect circles. The more irregular, the more close to animal print they will look. Make sure the brush isn't loaded with varnish. Remove the excess before applying it to your nail or else you will get huge pools of polish that will never dry up and will be a mess. I used Bettina's "Art Deco Aqua". 

Step 3: Once your dots are completely dry, take your nail art pen and dot along the corners of your turquoise spots. I like to add about 2-3 big splotches of black around each one and make some smaller random ones along the blank spaces of the nail to simulate the animal print best. 

Step 4: Cover your nails with a final swipe of top coat and you're done! If you use these nail art pens, it is a must that you use top coat as they will fade away with wear. Once they're coated, they wont go anywhere. My favorite is Bettina's Glossy Top Coat.

And there you go!

Now you've got a super fun and chic way to play up the color on your nails. You can try out different color combinations and they're a perfect mani for any occasion. Remember to subscribe to the blog for updates and follow me on Instagram! I'm LilaLane.

Sorry for the crappy quality, it's from my phone!