Have you ever gotten lost in a watercolor painting? Following its fluid washes of pigment and tracing each brushstroke as it melts into the next brings art lovers—including us at Allure—a sense of peace. This season, nail artists are bringing that vibe into their manicures. Watercolor nails echo the romance of Impressionist paintings and feature sheer, blended color that feels expressive and artistic.
Nail artists are particularly excited about the trend, as it allows them to fully tap into their creative range. “I love watercolor nails and being able to use actual art supplies to create unique nail designs,” says Hadley Dunn, a nail artist based in Kentucky.
There are several ways to achieve this look. Dunn prefers a more literal approach: “I coat my base in a matte topcoat before using watercolor paint on the nail and sealing it with a [glossy] topcoat,” she says.
When San Sung Kim, a Korean nail artist, creates her watercolor nails, she starts with a cat-eye base, as its light-shifting shimmer particles make the finished look more dynamic. “I have been working with velvet polishes since the beginning of my nail journey, and I always try to come up with fresh new takes,” she previously told Allure, noting that colorful swirl candies inspire her take on watercolor nails.
Courtesy of @Sansungnails
Courtesy of @sansungnails
Kim then uses a nail art marker (a felt-tip pen filled with polish) to paint swirls and patches in varying sizes, before taking a wet nail brush to blur her hand-painted design for a realistic watercolor look. The result? A dreamy manicure that would feel at home next to paintings by Monet and Renoir.
Courtesy of @nailzzwithannie
Some nail artists, like New York City-based Natalia Mercedes, prefer using an airbrush to achieve watercolor paint’s signature blend. “It’s similar to how aura nails are created with an airbrush,” Mercedes says, noting that she uses polish formulated specifically for the tool (like the polishes from Favai) and builds color in sheer, controlled layers.
With color theory in mind, each shade subtly shifts the one beneath it: “When I layer yellow over blue, I get a bit of green, and that’s what creates that seamless, diffused effect,” Mercedes adds. To keep the layering intentional rather than muddy, she lightly cures each layer before adding the next.
Annie Ngo, a nail artist in Atlanta, uses a more unconventional method: dabbing eye shadow pigments onto the nail in layers to achieve the watercolor effect. Ngo coats each nail with a matte primer, which creates a smooth base, before buffing the powder across the surface with a nail sponge. She does this with multiple colors, allowing them to overlap at the edges to create that beautifully blurred look, then seals the look with a glossy top coat.
