Craquelure on nails is a technique for creating artificial cracks. This idea for a manicure came to us from France. Stylists borrowed this image from ancient paintings painted on canvas. Previously, paintings curled, and over time, cracks formed on the canvases, reminiscent of cobwebs. This is the craquelure effect. Do you think it’s difficult to create such an original design with numerous cracks and cobwebs? Not at all. Any girl can do such a manicure; you just need to know what materials are used to create the “crackle”, “crack” or “craquelure” effect.
Features and secrets of designing a “cracked” manicure
The craquelure effect can be created in two ways: using special enamel marked “craquelure” or “crackle” or using casting foil.
The main secret to the perfect cracked nail design is the right combination of colors. For craquelure manicure, only 2 colors of enamel are often used. It is from their successful and correct combination that the effect of cracks is obtained.
Girls who decide to make a craquelure nail design for the first time are recommended to use “crackle” polish in white or black. They are universal, so they will be combined with any shade of varnish.
To create an original nail design, stylists advise experimenting and instead of the usual vertical application of “crackle” coating, make it horizontal, circular, or diagonal.
Summer manicure
Summer delights with a riot of colors. Trying to keep up with nature, fashion designers, designers, and then the entire beautiful half of humanity strive to enjoy bright colors and bold combinations, introducing them into clothes, makeup and summer manicure .
The site about hand and nail care, Beauty-Hands.ru, offers an overview of the most notable summer trends in nail art.
Regular shape - unusual color
This summer, naturalness is king. Naturally shaped nails are at the peak of popularity. If the shape of your nails is far from perfect, you decide to get extensions, do not go to extremes. Give preference to a short length, slightly protruding beyond the fingertip, and a natural shape.
The most fashionable form of manicure is a square with smoothly rounded corners.
Summer manicure, photos and ideas of which are presented below, convincingly prove that naturalness, perhaps, ends with the shape of the nails.
Leading stylists suggest breaking away from the rule of matching polish with makeup or clothes and making a summer manicure an independent accessory! A bright manicure in itself will add zest to the look.
This summer, a combination of varnishes of two or more colors in manicure . These can be contrasting combinations or different tones of the same color. Two-color manicure is performed according to the principle of French or lunar manicure.
By mixing two or more varnishes you can achieve a “chameleon” effect. Summer manicure looks especially interesting in combinations of matte and pearlescent varnishes. To perform a chameleon manicure, you need to cover the nail plate with the main varnish and, without waiting for it to dry, apply a few drops of glitter or pearl varnish with a thin brush or toothpick. Combine both varnishes so that you get streaks . After drying, the drawing is covered with a fixative.
Step-by-step process for creating a cracked manicure
To make a manicure with a craquelure effect you will need a minimum set of materials:
- base coat;
- colored shellac without any additional effects (plain);
- crackle varnish;
- fixative
Let's start creating a vintage nail look:
- Apply base coat to prepared nails and dry.
- We apply colored enamel in 1 or 2 layers and also dry it.
- Cover the plate with one layer of craquelure. It should be taken into account that a thick layer of enamel will make the cracks large, and a thin layer, on the contrary, will create graceful lines.
- Apply a layer of sealer.
Step-by-step instruction
What materials are needed:
- Gel polish with cracking effect . The cracks can be small and thin or wide and large. Think in advance about what design you want to get and prepare the appropriate varnish. If you haven’t decided on a brand yet, look at the selection of products at the end of the article;
- Base. Any one you are familiar with – Kodi, TNL, Irisk;
- Plain gel polish . This color will serve as the basis for the craquelure, which will be visible through the resulting cracks. It looks more impressive when the background is a contrasting color with craquelure;
- Top.
It is desirable that the three phases of the coating be of the same brand, so that there is maximum adhesion between the layers.
Stages of applying craquelure:
- Apply the base coat in a thin layer and cure in a lamp. Drying time is standard - in a UV lamp - 120 seconds, LED - 30-60 seconds;
- Prepare the background. Apply a single-color colored gel polish as thinly as possible. Even if the color of the coating does not seem dense, it is not recommended to apply a second layer - after applying the craquelure, the heterogeneity will not be visible;
- After thoroughly drying the gel polish, apply craquelure. In order for cracks to form, it is necessary to apply it as thinly as possible so that the background color shows through;
- Dry the layer, cover your nails with topcoat and send the polymerization lamp again.
Before applying the finishing layer, you can add accents to the design - rhinestones, sparkles. However, the craquelure looks complete even without decorative elements.
Types of topcoats: how to choose a topcoat, review of the 10 best brands
Craquelure effect using casting foil
If you were unable to buy shellac with a craquelure effect, then you can go the other way - create a design for cracked nails using casting foil. Its main difference from regular manicure foil is that it is matte. Making nail designs with foil is no more difficult than with varnish:
- Apply base coat and colored shellac to your nails.
- Without removing the sticky layer, take the casting foil and press it onto the nail with a matte surface. The movements must be fast, and the position of the foil must be changed each time.
- Apply topcoat and dry nails in a lamp.
By the way, to create a craquelure effect, you can use several colored strips of foil. The result will be a non-standard, expressive image.
Impressively beautiful: craquelure manicure
Since its inception, the vintage style has not gone out of fashion. Many girls and women happily wear wardrobe items “from their grandmother’s chest,” accessories with history, and family jewelry. But there is one more nuance that can become a feature of your image, its name is craquelure manicure.
The amazing design on the nails is based on one of the painting techniques. Many of us have repeatedly seen artificially aged canvases when small defects form on their surface - cracks and creases. This is one manifestation of a popular trend. Thus, the vintage style, like the love of many fashionistas for everything ancient and extraordinary, is reflected in special nail polishes.
Many cosmetic brands today produce lines of varnishes with a craquelure effect. If you want to be on trend, collect your own collection of “vintage” products!
Fashion trends craquelure
What prints, popularized by the world's leading brands, will look beautiful and harmonious on your nails?
First of all, these are predatory patterns. Crocodile and snake prints, done in dark colors, look very stylish and impressive. If you want to create the image of a femme fatale, a gothic beauty or a vamp lady, this is an excellent choice.
Craquelure varnishes with mother-of-pearl and metallic shades of gold, bronze, and silver will help create a shimmering shine on your nails. They are indispensable for decorating women's hands if you decide to create a playful glamorous look.
Lovers of elegant outfits can be advised to paint their nails to resemble Gzhel, Khokhloma or antique porcelain. Such patterns on nails look simple and beautiful. According to some experts, they will easily fit even into a strict business dress code.
The choice of nail polishes with a craquelure effect today is chic and can satisfy the wishes of the most discerning fashionista. Interestingly, in addition to a variety of shades, cosmetic companies also produce products with varying numbers and sizes of cracks. They all give a different effect on the nails, beautiful in their authenticity.
Craquelure effect color palette
Before you reproduce the current trend on your nails, you need to think about the color scheme. The classic combination of monochrome looks harmonious - black and white together with pink, orange, green, yellow, red, blue and other rainbow shades. In a palette of calm tones, you can choose purple, blue, cherry, emerald, burgundy and brown shades as the basis for a manicure.
Imagine, craquelure varnish is fertile ground for experimentation! You can recreate the “antique effect” on all nails, or you can decorate just one or two nails of one hand. Craquelure can act as a complete coating of the nail, or it can become a print decorating some part of the nail plate.
Craquelure design in calm and colorful colors
If for an everyday look you need to choose shades of varnishes that are in the same color scheme, then for weekends, vacations, and holidays, stylists advise trying on bright looks. Moreover, a craquelure manicure in this case will look good on both short and long nails.
And for everyday life it is better to choose calm shades in the same color scheme, for example, lilac with purple, blue with dark blue. Various options with classic varnishes are also allowed: black, white, gray.
The everyday crackle effect should be created on short to medium length nails. It is not necessary to cover all nails with crack varnish. You can, for example, highlight one nail and paint the rest with basic shellac. Or make only fragments of crackling on the nails.
With additional design
More often than not, craquelure is not complemented with other decor, since turning a stylish manicure into a hodgepodge in this case is easy. However, some manage to combine craquelure with other design elements.
Everything is included in one manicure - craquelure, sparkles, drawings and a yellow background, but at the same time the design looks fresh and harmonious.
Here the situation was practically repeated - sparkles, patterns and bright colors. This manicure would be appropriate for a celebration or theme party.
Not everyday, but an interesting option. Craquelure is used only within clearly defined boundaries, different for each nail.
A noteworthy manicure idea with smooth cracking of the polish. By the way, look closely - there is also a gold accent on the ring finger.
Bright and juicy manicure with polish from Look Nail and nail sliders with an orange print.
You can even go to your own wedding with this decor. This design cannot be called everyday, but for a holiday or corporate event this design is appropriate.
One of the advantages of craquelure is its completeness even without additional decorations, but if your soul still requires variety, be inspired by our selection of ideas. Which design did you take note of? Tell us in the comments!
All manicure design ideas.
Imitation of reptile skin on nails for extravagant girls
The craquelure effect on nails simulating python, crocodile, and turtle skin is simply and realistically done using crack varnish. This look may seem daring to many, but it looks amazing, especially if the manicure complements the wallet or snakeskin handbag.
This design is chosen by bold, original individuals who strive to surprise others.
Craquelure, reminiscent of reptile skin, is suitable for themed parties. The main thing is to skillfully combine the selected shades of varnish, as well as select the appropriate outfit and makeup.
Remember! In everyday life, such a bold design will look defiant and even vulgar.
Manicure for long nails 2022
In 2022, a beautiful manicure on long nails will definitely become a source of pride for any fashionista. And although over the past couple of seasons the popularity of long marigolds has decreased somewhat, this does not mean that they have lost their position 100%. So, from time to time it’s still worth pampering yourself with a truly luxurious manicure. And don't listen to those who tell you that it's not fashionable. Moreover, here you will find truly interesting and incredibly stylish design options.
Main fashion trends of long manicure
Before moving directly to decor options, you should first study the main fashion trends regarding nails in general. This will help you create a truly stylish and trendy manicure that you can be proud of.
- Nail shape . Naturally, this is the first place to start. So, remember, in the coming fashion season the following shapes will be relevant for long nails: oval (the most popular), almond-shaped, soft square and the ballerina nail shape resurrected from the nineties.
Oval and almond shaped nails
- Length. It would seem, what about the length? After all, we are now talking about long nails. Yes, that's all true, but there is one very important note here. Namely: your nails should not look provocative. That is, they can be long, but let it be a moderate length. Not maximum, but slightly more than average.
- Colors . The choice here is simply huge. To begin with, in the warm season you should pay attention to pastel-colored gel polishes. And especially highlight among them: coral, mint, beige, gray, muted yellow, lavender and ivory. Closer to winter, you can give preference to more saturated colors, such as: purple, burgundy, dark blue, black, dark green. Metallic shades will also be timeless and incredibly popular: platinum, gold and silver.
Types of craquelure varnishes and their features
In the nail industry, there are 2 nail coatings in the cracking style:
- Spider coating.
- Fence craquelure.
Spider is different in that when applied to the nail, an interweaving of thin threads is created, reminiscent of a cobweb. The texture of this coating is thinner than that of fence craquelure, so the lines are more elegant.
However, most often fashionistas use fence craquelure. This shellac covers the nails with obvious, large cracks.
Why choose craquelure nail polish? Because the vintage style (antique effect) has been trending for several years. French stylists do not intend to remove craquelure designs from the nail industry.
After all, marigolds that resemble the crackling of porcelain, pieces of furniture, and paintings look original and stylish. And with a skillful combination of colors and the correct manicure technique, you can create an interesting design that allows any girl to remain individual, spontaneous, and original.
As you already understand, cracking nail polish is easy, and craquelure shellac or casting foil will come to the rescue. This vintage nail design deserves attention, because, firstly, the nails look original and stylish, and, secondly, any girl can do a manicure at home.
With our step-by-step process for creating a cracked nail polish effect, secrets and tips, as well as unique photos, you can create a unique and fashionable nail look.
Types of coating
First, a few words about what craquelure is and why nail polish got its name. Craquelure is the name for cracking of the coating on various works of art, for example, paintings, as well as antique furniture, jewelry boxes, etc. This is usually how varnish or paint coatings crack. Thus, the craquelure varnish cracks on the nails as it dries, thereby creating a unique and inimitable design.
There are two types of craquelure varnishes. The first of them creates tiny cracks, between which the base on which it is applied cannot be seen. The second creates large cracks and gaps between areas of varnish, into which the background coating, usually a color contrasting with the craquelure, is visible. These types are called as follows:
- Thread spider - craquelure;
- Cracks or fence craquelures.
