Supplies:
- Makeup sponge
- Pointed cotton swabs
- Small paint brush
- Essie's Blanco
- Essie's Knockout Pout
- China Glaze's Liquid Leather
- Essie's Bikini So Teeny
- Sally Hansen's Mellow Yellow
- Top coat
Instructions:
Step 1: Base
Begin with a white base coat. This will help the colors in your gradient to pop.
Step 2: Prep the sponge
Get a makeup sponge damp (so the colors don't absorb into the sponge as much) and paint on three stripes of paint. You may need to do a few coats for the first application.
Step 3: Gradient
Press the sponge on top of your nail, lightly pressing back and forth to reach the sides. Pick it up slightly and repeat sponging to make the colors blend. Let it dry and then do another coat to increase the color saturation. While still wet, brush on some top coat to help the colors blend seamlessly. Let dry.
Step 4: Clean up
Clean up the edges of your nails with a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover.
Step 5: Birds
Using the small paint brush and black polish, paint a line across the bottom third of your nail. Then paint the bodies, beaks and tails of the two birds facing each other. Complete the scene with a romantic heart floating above them. Continue the wire line across the rest of your nails and finish with a top coat.
Before you go, check out our Valentine's Day nails slideshow below.
