Neutral manicure with gel polish on short, long nails. A photo

The appearance of women often depends on the profession and place of work. Some of them force to choose neutral colors in manicureto match the dress code. However, even short, discreet nails can look spectacular.

Fashion trends in manicure of neutral shades for short and long nails in 2020-2021

The main peak of popularity for neutral manicure comes in the fall after the holiday season and in early spring. Neutral shades have the ability to visually smooth the border of the nail. This optical illusion visually lengthens the nail plate.

The most popular combinations of neutral manicure with designs are:

• drawings and patterns;
• decorative elements;
• glitters;
• marble technique;
• combination of matting and gloss.

The first place in popularity is occupied by camouflage bases of milk and natural shades. They are versatile and can be combined with any gel polish colors and designs.

Stamping is gaining popularity this year. It allows you to speed up the execution of designs, is combined with other techniques, is indispensable for a neutral manicure.

The gradient does not lose its relevance and with a smooth transition from one shade to another, which allows you to introduce darker colors into neutral shades, avoiding excessive contrast and brightness.

Nail shape

A neutral manicure on both long and short nails looks equally appropriate. The large area of ​​the nail plate expands the list of possible design solutions and shapes.

For some of them, length is a must:

• almond;
• stylet;
• ballerina.

More versatile shapes for short nails are square and oval. On wide nails with a short nail bed, these shapes will look rough.

An experienced craftsman chooses the shape based on many factors:

• the length and shape of the fingers;
• natural nail shapes;
• the anatomical shape of the cuticle line;
• the degree of growth of hyponychia.

Neutral varnish colors

In color, black, white and gray are called neutral colors.... However, for a neutral manicure, black is considered too bright and is used only for creating designs (drawings, patterns, ornaments).

In the nail industry, neutrals mean colors of natural and pastel shades. The first ones are formed by adding white to one of the twelve primary colors.

In this way, you can get the following pastel (milky) shades:

• beige;
• pale yellow;
• pale blue;
• light pink;
• mint;
• peach;
• olive;
• lavender;
• Gray.

When the dress code allows for darker shades, the saturation can be muted with gray. Using a blend of green and gray can create a stylish cypress hue.

Successful color combinations

In a neutral manicure, a contrasting color harmony scheme is not welcome. The most successful are considered to be a combination of monochrome colors representing shades of the same color and analog. The latter are located to the right or left of the main one on the color wheel.

Contrasting monochrome colors are usually used to complete designs. This year, the most popular are paintings, patterns, monograms made with black gel paint. White is used in the ombre technique, performing stretching with a smooth transition.

A neutral manicure on short nails is often combined with glitter or gel polish with shimmer. The color of the base coat is taken into account when selecting the shade of the shimmery material.

Accessories and decorations

A neutral manicure on short nails is mistakenly considered mediocre and devoid of personality. The discreet colors of the gel polish are just a frame for designs that can be created not only with a brush, but also with various decorative elements.

The list of the most commonly used decor in neutral manicure includes the following items:

• rhinestones and broths of various sizes;
• sequins / glitters;
• rubbing;
• flexible tape (adhesive);
• foil;
• crystal chips, marmalade;
• stickers / sliders.

In addition to jewelry, there are products in the nail industry to help create designs. You can create interesting patterns using special stencil stickers.

The glue base of the stencil allows you to temporarily fix it on the nail, apply gel polish or other selected material. Then the stencil is removed with tweezers.

Depending on the shape chosen, it allows you to create various simple designs:

• geometric spaces;
• French;
• moon jacket;
• patterns;

Decor and stencils greatly simplify the creation of a design, save time for its implementation. This is especially important for beginners.

How to make a beautiful neutral manicure: step by step instructions, ideas

A neutral manicure on short nails is a complex of step-by-step actions:

• manicure;
• preparation of the nail plate;
• work with artificial materials (alignment, building architecture);
• design execution.

Artificial materials used in the modern nail industry are highly durable and wear resistant. However, all this is possible only with high-quality preparation of the nail plate, subcutaneous space and sinuses.

There are three main types of manicure:

• European;
• classic edged;
• hardware;
• combined.

Experimentally, the nail service masters came to the conclusion that the hardware and combined type of manicure is more compatible with the materials. With the classical and European technique, moisture acts on the nail plate, which reduces their adhesion.

Step-by-step instructions for neutral manicure:

1. After treating the hands with an antiseptic pusher or an orange stick, the cuticle is lifted. Using the "flame" cutter, it is required to open the subcuticular space and clean the pterygium. The cutter should be located at an angle of 45 ° to the nail plate, the direction of movement: from the center to the sinuses and further along the lateral sinus and roller.
2. At this stage, it is necessary to treat the nail plate with a buff to remove gloss from its surface and raise the scales. Having positioned the cutter at an angle of 90 °, it is necessary to turn out the cuticle for its subsequent removal.
3. Using only hardware technique, the turned out cuticle is cleaned with a diamond-coated "ball" cutter. In the combined technique, scissors or nail scissors with thin blades are used.
4. At the end of the manicure, the resulting dust is cleaned off with a brush with stiff bristles. The nail plate is treated with a degreaser, and after drying, a dehydrator is applied. The liquid dries it out, removing excess moisture.
5. To prepare for coating, a primer is applied to the natural nail with a semi-dry brush. The liquid has a chemical composition that leaves a sticky layer after drying in the open air. It acts as a double-sided tape between surfaces of different characteristics.
6. A thin layer of base coat is applied to prepared nails with rubbing movements and sent for a full cycle of drying in an ultraviolet or LED lamp.
7. The surface is smeared with a thin layer of base, after which a drop of paint is collected on the brush and, setting it closer to the cuticle, is distributed over the surface of the nail. The additional volume not only allows the plate to be strengthened, but also to form the apex. In order to avoid leaks, this action is best done with a lamp, drying one finger at a time and alternating hands. It is advisable to perform this stage if it is necessary to align the nail plate and correct the architecture.
8. After polymerization, the surface of the nails is treated with a lint-free napkin dipped in a degreaser, and the coating is started with color and design. As a rule, for a dense color without bald spots, 2 layers of gel polish are used with intermediate drying.
9. The final stage is the application of the top. This material protects color and design from abrasion and also provides a glossy sheen.

The most popular neutral manicure ideas are:

• drawings and patterns in a restrained style;
• inlaid with rhinestones;
• glitters (sequins of various sizes);
• foil;
• rubbing.

Matte manicure in neutral tones

Nail designs, the surface of which visually resembles velvet, stand out with a special charm. This effect is achieved through the use of a matte top with a special formula. The matte surface visually looks softer and more delicate.

This type of top has a viscous consistency and, when applied in a thin layer, can strip after drying. Masters recommend applying it to gel polish with a middle layer with a slight alignment.

After polymerization, a dispersion layer forms on the surface of the topcoat. It must be removed with a lint-free cloth dampened with a tackifier.

It is worth considering that the surface after using the top will be porous, therefore, dust, lint and other small particles will linger on the surface. You can clean it with soap and a brush.

Drawings on the nails in a discreet style

To create an accent in a neutral manicure on several nails, drawings are allowed, preferably in a restrained style.

The most common ones are:

• floristic patterns;
• geometry;
• monograms;
• watercolor.

To carry out hand painting, you will need not only a set of professional brushes of various shapes and purposes, but also artistic skill. Drawing fine lines, tiny petals and twigs will take a lot of practice.

That is why such technique as stamping is gaining more and more popularity. It allows you to create designs with drawings using a small set of tools. Manufacturers of stamping plates are constantly replenishing the theme of drawings, analyzing fashion trends in this direction.

Minimum stamping kit:

• plate with engraving;
• scraper (to remove excess paint);
• silicone stamp;
• stamping paints;
• paint stripper.

Step-by-step instructions for stamping on a neutral manicure:

1. A small amount of paint is applied to the selected pattern.
2. By pressing the scraper from the surface of the plate, excess material is removed (scraped off).
3. The silicone stamp is pressed against the plate at the paint application site.
4. The stamp with the pattern is pressed against the surface of the plate to imprint the pattern.
5. The result is fixed with a top and dried in a lamp.

Patterns on your finger can be removed with a lint-free cloth and stamping ink remover.

Glitter manicure

Neutral manicure on short glitter nails has a lot of variations and ways to do it.

The choice of technique for performing and fastening on the surface depends on several factors:

• the size of the sequins;
• consistency;
• appointment;
• general idea of ​​manicure.

The most harmonious ideas and options for applying sparkles are shown in the table:

Manicure with rhinestones

The main task in inlay is to keep the measure and balance. A composition overloaded with volume or quantity will bring dissonance to the overall concept.

The ideal option is to use rhinestones of medium size or less. You can use crystal chips to fill in the gaps between elements. In the absence of using a thin brush, you should apply glitter of the appropriate shade to these places. Experienced nail service masters recommend performing a smooth transition from large parts to smaller ones, reducing them to nothing.

The most optimal arrangement of the composition:

• geometrically;
• arc in the cuticle area;
• along the lunula line;
• asymmetry (from the cuticle to the lateral ridge);
• chaotically.

Not all manicure fans readily agree to designs with rhinestones. The motivation is that after a short period they chip off and the design does not look aesthetically pleasing until further correction. The reason for the chips is the wrong choice of materials for fastening.

List of materials used for secure attachment of rhinestones:

• thick top;
• base;
• a mixture of base and acrylic powder;
• modeling gel.

For small rhinestones, broths, crystal chips, a thick top is sometimes used on a rubber base. Medium rhinestones are heavier, therefore a base or a blend with acrylic will be required. Larger flat or voluminous conical rhinestones, stones are attached to a thick modeling gel. The rigidity of the material ensures good structural strength.

Rub-in manicure

A separate direction in manicure is the use of rubbing. For neutral manicure, pearl rub, unicorn or with a slight metallic sheen is suitable.

The use of this pigment allows you to expand the variability of the available designs with a limited set of gel varnish color palette.

However, for its effective application, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors:

• the pigment shows all unevenness and blemishes;
• the effect depends on the density of the rub in and the base color of the gel polish;
• apply the material to the dried top without a sticky layer;
• after application, it is necessary to process the end of the free edge with a soft file or a hard buff;
• before applying the topcoat, the end is coated with ultrabond, and after drying with the base (capturing the free edge by 2-3 mm);
• use a top with a sticky layer to secure.

There are no difficulties in applying the material itself:

• Using a finger or an eye shadow applicator, lightly rub the fine powder into the top. Particular attention is paid to the area near the cuticle and lateral ridges. The remains are brushed off with a soft brush, as a hard one can leave furrows.
• The pigment clogs all the pores and creates a dense film, impairing the adhesion of the topcoat to the nail. For this, it is necessary to file the butt, cleaning it from rubbing, and then apply a primer (bond). The tackiness of the primer helps to set the pigment in place and reduce the chance of chipping.
• For the final fixation of the material, a top with a sticky layer is used. Therefore, before sending the nail for polymerization, it is necessary to let it soak the rub in for 2-3 seconds.

Calm, verified tones of gel polishes add lightness to the image. A wide variety of shades and designs allows for a neutral yet effective manicure, even on short nails.

Video on the topic: neutral manicure gel polish

Neutral manicure ideas: