Women prefer short nails because of their practicality, and the maximum naturalness is ensured by the nude manicure. It is appropriate in any setting - from the office to a party. Photos of celebrities on the pages of glossy magazines clearly demonstrate this trend.
Principles of nude style in manicure
The nude fashion trend has spread throughout the world over the past five years. The direct meaning of this word is "naked". However, stylists, makeup artists and manicurists interpret it as "natural".
The French have a saying about the nude style: "like natural, only better." The style is supposed to be as simple and natural as possible, but nude colors still have more saturated pigmentation than the natural shades of the human body.
The main principle of the style is to emphasize naturalness.
In nude makeup and manicure, the highest skill is the apparent absence of interference with the image. On nails, depending on the color of the skin of the hands, the most natural colors are selected. Their task is to make the nail smooth, beautiful, shiny, so that it has a healthy look, but it seems absolutely natural. This is how classic manicure designs look in nude shades.
Nude manicure for short nails (photos are shown at all fashion exhibitions on nail art), in addition to practicality, has another undoubted advantage - it suits all styles of clothing and images.
Modern women of fashion deviate from the classic canons conceived by designers, and allow themselves to decorate a nude manicure with rhinestones and foil. But when creating designs, you should always strive for minimal interference with naturalness.
Varnishes for nude manicure
There is no single color option for nude. The concept unites a group of colors, which includes various shades. These colors should not be confused with pastel colors, which include the entire color palette, diluted more than half with white.
Nude shades are natural colors, they are as close as possible to the shades of the human body (skin, nails, lips).
The palette includes tones ranging from creamy white to peach. This includes several muted shades of pink, but a very soft color similar to the natural lip tone.
Nude manicure on short nails (photos are given later in the article) is performed with flowers that are difficult to apply. To ensure the visible simplicity and naturalness of nude coatings, you need to carefully work on leveling the nail plate before applying varnish and make the coating with a color of at least 2 layers.
Light shades have the ability to emphasize all the irregularities of a natural or artificial nail. For beginners, from the first layer, it is not possible to evenly apply varnish to the nail, without gaps. The quality of the brush in a bottle with varnish of these colors is of great importance for an even coating.
Not all manufacturers pay attention to such nuances. Therefore, in order to achieve the perfect tone in 2 layers, craftsmen often use soft proven brushes, and the varnish is collected from the palette, ignoring low-quality brushes from the manufacturer.
Experienced craftsmen recommend not striving for perfection on the first layer. It is enough to paint over the nail thinly, dry it in a lamp for 30 seconds. Apply the second layer more thoroughly without pressing on the brush. Work out the areas at the cuticle and in the lateral sinuses with a thin brush for drawing. For a beautiful manicure in nude colors, you may need 2-3 layers, each of which is polymerized in a lamp separately.
Manicure trends in nude tones for short nails in 2020
Nude manicure for short nails (photos from the collections of international nail art exhibitions are presented later in the article) remains relevant in 2020. Like a jacket, nude designs occupy the niche of an ageless classic of manicure.
Trending designs for 2020
| Name | Description | Tools |
| Natural background strokes | The nail is covered with a monochromatic nude coating, strips of different lengths are applied to the dried layer with a thin linear brush, imitating brush strokes. They are located from the cuticle upwards or from the end of the nail downwards. Performed in any contrasting color. | Gel polish (shellac) nude or camouflage base, thin brush for painting, contrasting gel polish, top coat |
| Minimalism | A simple geometric pattern is created using thin lines. Black or white gel paint is used for drawing. As an additional decoration, dots are used that are placed along the lines with dots, you can add 2-3 small rhinestones (size SS3) | Nude background coating, thin brush, gel paint without tacky layer |
| The brilliance and simplicity of kamifubuk | On the plane of the nail in a natural color, holographic or transparent kamifubuki are installed on the sticky layer of the gel coating. They are attached in the form of a pattern or randomly. Overlap with 2 layers of top, with each layer drying for 30 seconds. | Transparent or holographic kamifubuki in different sizes, thin brush to transfer them to the nail, top without sticky layer |
Modern fashion significantly expands the boundaries of naturalness and allows the decoration of nude designs with rhinestones and foil, but interference with simplicity should be minimal.
If rhinestones are used, then they should not be large and bright in color. Transparent or holographic, located on the nail in a minimal amount, they will only emphasize the natural background of the design with their brilliance.
Variations on Nude for short nails
The short shape of the nails does not limit the imagination in creating designs. The use of the "nude" style somewhat narrows the choice of colors for the gel varnishes of the main coating, but allows you to add a certain variety using various manicure techniques.
Gradient with 2 colors of gel polish
Gradient - smooth transitions from color to color on the surface of the nail. There are horizontal and vertical types of gradient. Masters recommend using a vertical view for short nails, which visually lengthens the nail plate and makes it narrow.
It is recommended to purchase a special gradient brush - "scallop" for such coverage. If you choose two colors for the gradient that are neighbors on the color wheel, you can feather the border of the colors with a thin brush. In the case of combining contrasting colors, this technique does not work.
Vertical gradients are made with a fan brush, the tips of the pile of which are drawn along the junction of colors. The strokes are repeated several times until the color is mixed.For nude manicures, choose light colors that are close in contrast, which are easily shaded into a gradient transition.
Geometry on short nails with gel paints
In nude manicure, when performing geometric patterns, one cannot do without drawing the boundaries of geometric shapes with thin lines. To do this, use a thin linear brush (pile length 0.7-1 cm) and white or black paint without residual stickiness.
Complex geometric patterns are not used in nude colors. To complete the picture, 2-3 colors of different shades are enough, which are located on the nail in the form of geometric shapes. When drawing, each element is recommended to dry separately in a lamp, about 10 seconds.
After completing the drawing and covering it with top varnish, the borders are drawn with a long thin brush. The black color will make the design more vivid and defiant, and the white color will add tenderness and softness to the geometric pattern. For classic nude manicures, a white drawing is used, which does not overlap with a top.
Matte gel nude coating
Any designs, depending on the final coating, can have a glossy or matte appearance. Top in the three-phase gel system, not only provides resistance to abrasion and destruction of the design, but also gives a glass shine or, conversely, removes it from the gel coating.
Matte manicure is provided with special polymer liquids - top marked "matte". All manufacturers of gel polishes in their product line have such a material, but it does not always meet expectations.
Some top coatings immediately after curing give a good matte effect, which wears off quickly and acquires a gloss. Determine the degree of resistance of the material can only be empirically.
Velvety on short nails - flock
To create original designs in a natural manicure, the technique of contrast of textures is used. When on 2-3 fingers of one hand a "velvet coating" is made, and the rest of the nails remain with a glossy shine.
For such designs use:
- white or clear acrylic powder;
- colored acrylic;
- flock - microfibers of artificial material, come in different colors.
Flock is used to create a soft surface. It gives the nail a soft velvety feel that is pleasant to the touch, but not practical for daily use. Designs with acrylic powder have a harder roughness, but help to strengthen the nail plate and can be cleaned with a brush and soapy water.
The technique of applying the materials is as follows:
- do a manicure, cut the cuticle;
- apply a primer;
- align the nail plate with base gel until an even glare appears;
- apply the first layer of nude gel polish, dry for 10 seconds in an ICE lamp;
- apply a second layer of varnish, leveling the lines at the cuticle and side ridges, dry for 10 seconds;
- apply top liquid and sprinkle with acrylic powder or flock on a wet layer, do not dry for 1.5 minutes, then into the lamp for 30 seconds;
- brush on top with a soft, fluffy brush to remove the remnants of non-sticking material;
- the design is ready, it does not overlap with a finishing layer on top.
For nude manicures, transparent sand or micro-shine is used. For processing with flock, choose colors of beige and coffee shades.
Classic jacket in nude tones with gel polish
The nude tone has always been used in the creation of the classic jacket. On the basis of pastel tones, a "smile" was drawn along the free edge with white gel paint.
Today, masters offer several options for applying a jacket:
- the classic version is drawing with a thin brush on a camouflage base using white gel paint;
- drawing a "smile" with a flat beveled brush;
- application of openwork or classic service jackets using a stamp and an engraved plate (stamping);
- drawing a white free edge using self-adhesive stencils;
- design of the end of the nail with printed blanks - sliders.
With the help of stamping and sliders, complex designs with small details of floristry or monograms can be performed even by beginners. It is recommended to cover the design from above with 2 layers of a rubber top, aligning the plane of the nail.
Rhinestones in nude manicure
Decorating with rhinestones is allowed when creating nude designs, but the number of stones should tend to a minimum. For decoration, use transparent crystals or "champagne", which are placed at the hole of the nail or along the line of the jacket.
As a rule, one large stone and 2-3 small ones are used, decorating them along the connection line with broths. Rhinestones are attached using special glue or on a rubber base. For this, the material is applied with a thin brush only in the area of the decor location. The composition is dried in an ICE lamp for up to 1 min. Then broths are installed on the sides of the stone and the nail is sent to the lamp for 30 seconds.
Acrylic powder in the design of nude manicure
Acrylic powders are used to create rough, colored surfaces. They come in different fractions of grinding. For a durable manicure, it is best to use a medium grind, which will create texture on the nail and adhere firmly to the surface. The technique of applying the material was described above.
Nail art masters create nude designs by sprinkling with acrylic powder not the entire plane of the nail, but only individual elements.
For example, a monogram or part of a geometric pattern. In this way, voluminous, convex designs are created on the nail. Often this technique is used to sprinkle flowers drawn with white gel paint.
Technique for applying acrylic powder to the "flower" drawing:
- residual stickiness is removed from the main nude background (with alcohol or buffing);
- stencil roses or flowers are drawn with a thin brush, which are sprinkled on wet with acrylic powder;
- the design is dried in an LED lamp for 1 min;
- cleaned with a fan brush, does not overlap with finish.
If dirt gets on the embossed flowers during wearing, it is removed with soapy water and a soft brush. The volume of the drawing will not be affected. Hands with this design can be soaked in water.
Drawings in designs for short nails
Nude manicure, which is made on short nails using drawings (photos of designs are given for example), is not considered a classic option. Drawings are located on 1 or 2 fingers of the hand. This is floristry or geometry in the style of minimalism. Recently, designs made by dots are considered fashionable (drawing dots of different diameters in the form of a picture).
Modern craftsmen often use white flowers made with gel paste on the ring finger, while the nude design is no longer decorated with anything.
Rub for natural shine of nails
To create a natural shine, sometimes it is not enough to use a glossy top, then the masters resort to pearlescent powder. The rub may have several shades, even holographic overflows, but on the natural colors of the main background, it will give a natural soft overflow of mother-of-pearl, provide a play of light when exposed to sunlight.
The rub is applied to the layer without residual stickiness using a cosmetic sponge. It is better to rub it in immediately after drying the main color in the lamp, "hot". After application, the free edge of the nail is worked with a buff from the end to remove the powder and avoid chipping of the varnish in the future. It is recommended to overlap the design with 2 layers of finishing gel.
Lunar nude in short nails manicure
Lunar manicure on short nails involves highlighting the color of the nail hole (near the cuticle area). The classic version of the moon manicure highlights this area with a white semicircle or "negative space" (an area of a natural nail that is not colored).
Today the hole is decorated with different geometric shapes - triangle, square. To emphasize the borders, the color junction zones are drawn with black gel paint.
Marble nude - natural stone texture
Stone textures are a popular trend in manicure.In nude designs, this decor covers 2 fingers of one hand - the ring and middle fingers. On the natural background of the nail, there are thin veins that imitate the structure of a stone in a cut.
The main background of the nail is covered with a special base for spreading, along which streaks are drawn in the form of thin uneven lines with black gel paint. Due to the peculiarities of the base, they begin to blur into a dark haze. At this stage, the nail is sent to the lamp for 10 seconds.
After drying, thin lines are reapplied, focusing on color spots, and clearer accents are placed. Dry in a lamp, 10 seconds, and cover with a top without a sticky layer. Shades of white or sand tones are chosen as the main background.
Accent holes in the gel polish design of short nails
In nude designs, it is allowed to form an accent on the nail hole using a contrasting color - white, silver, gold. For summer designs, use a multi-colored coloring of the holes on each finger in a different color (blue, pink, yellow, green). For drawing, they take pastel shades of gel polishes so as not to destroy the general trend of natural manicure.
Self-adhesive strips in nude manicure
Self-adhesive strips are convenient for creating simple geometric designs. They come in different thicknesses (1.2.3 mm), gold or silver. Multicolored ribbons are not used for nude designs.
The tape is glued to the nail surface covered with the base color. The edges of the strip should not protrude beyond the plane of the nail. The tape is firmly pressed against the nail using a silicone brush ("hoof"). Overlapped with a thick rubber top, drying for 60 sec.
How to use foil for nude designs with gel polish
Foil, as a bright decorative element, is not often used in nude designs. Accents are applied to 1 or 2 nails of one hand. To do this, use a tear-off foil and reprint it in fragments, and not on the entire plane of the nail.
How to print foil for a nude manicure:
- the main color is applied to the nail after manicure and a layer of base coat;
- dried in an ICE lamp, 30 sec;
- apply a second layer, leveling it at the cuticle and lateral ridges;
- dry for 30 seconds;
- a small fragment is cut from the foil sheet and degreased from the matte side of the sheet;
- after the alcohol-containing liquid has dried, this side of the foil is pressed against the nail with a sticky layer of gel polish (shellac);
- with a sharp movement, the foil is torn off the nail;
- if necessary, the procedure is repeated several times;
- Overlay foil design with 2 layers of top.
For printing, they use gold or silver foil, as well as holographic designs. To print holographic foil on a transparent base, the sticky layer of gel polish will not be enough. You will need to apply a special foil glue.
Charmicon lettering for short nails
Recently, inscriptions on nails have not gone out of fashion. It is almost impossible to make such small drawings correctly on your own; for this, words and phrases printed by typographic method are used. They are applied in the form of self-adhesive charmikons, which are separated from the transparent base with tweezers and transferred to the nail.
Transparent nude or "negative space"
The desire for maximum naturalness has given rise to such a type of design as "negative space". The surface combines areas with colored gel polish and uncoated parts.
As a rule, in nude designs, the nail is divided into two parts horizontally or vertically, one of which remains unpainted. The border of the connection of the sections is emphasized by drawing thin lines or self-adhesive tape.
In nude manicure for short nails, fingers are combined on one hand, on which gel polish (shellac) is applied and, for example, one palette without coating. They draw on it with white or black gel paint or have a small slider. For this, the nail is only covered with a layer of a transparent base.
How to use water stickers for design
Water stickers (sliders) are a real salvation for masters who cannot draw. It is difficult to create a subtle pattern on the surface of a short nail, but sliders solve the problem.
How to apply the slider:
- cut the drawing as close to the contour as possible;
- put in a container with water at room temperature for 2 minutes;
- use tweezers to get the picture and move the thin film with the picture to the surface of the nail, discard the white cardboard base;
- straighten the pattern on the nail with an orange stick or silicone brush;
- cover on top with 2 layers of top, drying for 30 seconds.
For the background, nude gel polishes are used, and the picture is chosen in a contrasting color.
Quick manicure with kamifubuki
Multicolored confetti is available from all nail design manufacturers. These can be solid round plates of different sizes, or they can be transparent with a holographic overflow.
As a rule, these are the ones used to decorate nude designs. They are not striking with a bright shine, but they attract attention to the manicure with overflows when exposed to sunlight.
Kamifubuki are attached to a liquid layer of the top or base, which is applied over the main background.
With a dots or a thin brush, the circles are placed in the desired order on the surface of the nail. Then they dry in the lamp for about 30 seconds. To fix the manicure on top, alignment is carried out using a rubber top, which will allow the surface of the confetti and the nail to be leveled, making it smooth and uniform. The finishing layer dries in an ICE lamp in 60 seconds.
All the material outlined above confirms that nude (natural) manicure does not mean "boring" at all. Short nails and natural shades allow for a variety of impressive and unique designs.
Photos of the masters' works confirm and clearly demonstrate this in the best possible way. And the unique design, correctly selected for the style of clothing and the image of the owner of the manicure, is considered the most successful.
Video with ideas for nude manicure for short nails
What design to make for a nude manicure:
Author: Anna Beauty