Leopard Print Camo Nails

Arden: I've got a crazy nail design for you today!  I just bought a new skirt + cardigan combo in a military green color palette (is there a better word for that color?  forest green? olive green?) and decided I wanted nails to match.

My first thought was to make camo nails, but I wasn't super confident in my ability to recreate camouflage on my nails, so I decided to use some very camo-like colors in a similar pattern that I'd never tried: leopard print.

I started by painting my nails with two coats of OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window (yes, it is actually called that).  I think this shade might have been discontinued, because I bought it in the mark-down bin at my local beauty supply store, so if you love it go searching for it now!  This was my first time trying it out, and I was surprised by how much I loved the luscious forest-y greenness of this polish.

I then used a dotting tool to make uneven splotches all over each nail using Essie Playa del Platinum.

Note: I referenced this tutorial for how to make leopard spots on your nails.  It says to just do a dot of your first color.  I'm not really sure why I chose to do splotches instead of dots-- maybe because I was still thinking of camo?

I then used Essie Little Brown Dress to make three smaller splotches (now using the smallest dotting surface I own-- a small nail) around the perimeter of each tan splotch.

Some tutorials suggest making just two marks in the darker color--- it's possible that might work better.  Some of my spots look good, but some of them got a little overwhelmed by the three perimeter dots.

And then, since leopard print seemed like it would lend itself well to mattification, I applied a think coat of Essie Matte About You on top.  I tried to be SUPER careful, but unfortunately the matte top coat caused a couple of the nails to streak.  (Please divert your gaze from my ring finger.)

When I was done I couldn't believe how much I loved these nails.  The matte top coat made them a little lighter, which I think helped showcase the whole camouflage-color-palette better.  And they matched my outfit perfectly!

Have you tried leopard print?  If you do, email/tweet/Facebook us pics!  We're hoping to do a whole post of Casa de Polish readers' nails sometime soon, so if you try any of our manicures, PLEASE send us a picture!