How to do a marble manicure: step-by-step instructions with description, technique, photo

September 24, 2018
Nail care
Tatiana Pekha

A new trend that has captured the attention of all manicurists is marble nail design. Naturalness is always in trend, so natural themes continue to adorn the nails of fashionistas. Nail industry professionals are developing proprietary techniques for obtaining the effect of natural stone on nails and actively sharing their ideas. Thanks to this, it became possible to perform such a manicure even at home. How to create a marble effect on nails and what materials are needed for this? You will get the answer to this question after reading this article.

Definition

Marble manicure is unusual stains on the nail plate that are formed by combining several colors of varnish. How to do a marble manicure at home without special preparation? First you need to study the techniques for creating this nail art and only then decide which one to use.

The marble effect is created using:

water;
cling film;
special varnish with marble effect;
gel polish;
acrylic paints.

Next we will describe all these techniques in more detail. Each of them requires different aids, and the final manicure results may vary slightly.

Advice from professionals

Unusual manicure has always been in demand among fashionistas. You can create it yourself or with the help of professional craftsmen. However, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind. They include:

Marble design is recommended to be used as a bright accent. There is no need to decorate the entire brush with such decoration. 2 fingers are enough to stand out.
When performing the water marble technique, you will need a liquid at room temperature. The cuticle is thoroughly lubricated with rich cream or liquid latex.
To make the veins look realistic, it is recommended to do them on a liquid surface of a colored coating.
To work, you will need several brushes of different thicknesses. When applying markings, consider the force of pressure on the brush. In this way, it is possible to control the length and thickness of the marble vein.
Excess coloring composition must be removed with a cotton sponge. Thanks to this, it is possible to avoid the appearance of blots and maintain the intended result.
To prevent the coating from smearing, it is necessary to take into account the polymerization time of gel varnishes. On the back of the bottle there are instructions for proper drying.

Shiny marble

How to make a marble manicure with a special shine? Just add rhinestones, bouillons, ribbon or kamifibuki. Marble nails themselves look like a masterpiece of nail art, so it’s easy to “overload” it, remember this when adding glitter to the design. For a successful color combination, you need to mix varnishes that are similar in shade. Contrasting colors when mixed can give off unnecessary shades, so it is better to dilute them with a neutral color: beige, white or gray.

Decor options

Girls who prefer a classic and discreet look, as a rule, opt for a manicure with short nails. In this case, marble nail art is considered the ideal solution for decorating plates, since it is characterized by laconicism and the absence of bright decor that can overload the image. In a design with imitation marble, discreet decoration of nails with small prints, patterns and rhinestones is allowed. In this case, shiny elements are recommended to be used in a single copy. As for the color palette, for short nails it is best to choose delicate pastel shades.

Owners of long nails have enormous opportunities to implement any design ideas. When performing a marble manicure, girls can decorate their nail plates with the following decor:

rhinestones, they are placed in abundant quantities on all fingers, completely or partially covering the surface of the plate;
glitter, which serves as an alternative replacement for rhinestones and can be placed on one or all fingers;
lace and floral patterns.

Regardless of the length and shape of the nails, stylists also recommend creating a marble manicure in the following decor options:

lunar nail art or French;
design using matte and glossy finishes;
pearl rub;
imitation marble on a transparent basis;
a combination of stains with silver and gold inserts;
design using colored chips.

Recommendations for choosing colors for marble manicure

The very name of this design speaks of the image of a natural stone on the nails, but it does not have to be marble (blue, white, black or red stone with veins). You can also imitate other semi-precious or precious gems: lapis lazuli, opal, ruby, turquoise, jade, malachite, etc. When mixing colors, you get eye-catching pebble nails, each finger is decorated individually and uniquely, because it is impossible to draw identical stones.

To obtain such stains and patterns, use the trend colors of 2022: blue and light blue, gold and green, beige and white, white and lilac, as well as combinations of three colors (black, white and blue). How to make a “malachite” marble manicure? It is enough to mix different shades of emerald color on the nail.

An extravagant solution for manicure would be a mixture of rich and bright shades. In order to get a marble manicure, like in a salon, you can try using varnishes with different textures: metallic, pearl, matte, holographic, rainbow.

Pebble nails using water

Using water you can get an interesting stone structure, which is very simple and easy to make. Let's look at how to make a marble manicure in the turquoise style using this technique. We will need: a container with water, a toothpick, three colors of varnish (black, gold and turquoise shades) and finish. The polish dries quickly, so open the bottles in advance and act quickly. So let's get started:

cover the nails with the main color;
drop a drop of turquoise varnish into the center of the container with water;
wait until the drop spreads evenly over the surface of the water and a circle forms;
add a drop of black varnish to the center of the turquoise;
again we wait for the colors to spread completely;
drop gold varnish into the center of the resulting circles and wait;
carefully mix all three colors with a toothpick;
the color mixing technique can be changed each time and you can get different patterns;
one by one, lower each nail into a container of water;
hold the nail parallel to the water surface and try to ensure that the varnish completely envelops the nail plate;
take your fingers out of the water and remove the varnish from the skin, but you need to act quickly before it dries;
repeat the procedure with the remaining nails;
Finally, the nails need to be coated with a finishing agent.

How to make a marble manicure with varnish so that it does not dry out prematurely? In this technique, you need to use only warm water, otherwise the varnish film on the surface of the water will harden too quickly.

Water method

The water method (aquamanicure) is absolutely not complicated. Despite the fact that the technique includes quite a lot of steps, experience and dexterity will allow you to get an excellent result.

Required:

Clean water at room temperature.
Convenient water container. The best solution is disposable tableware that can be thrown away after use.
Nail primer (special liquid with a gel-like consistency).
Base coat.
Top coating.
Drying device (UV lamp).
Toothpick or needle (for drawing patterns on the surface).
A thick cream to protect the skin around the nail plate (optional).

What is water for?

An aquatic environment is a place where water has optimal qualities for stirring varnish. Thanks to which, the paints mix well and remain on the nails, gently enveloping the skin of the fingers.

Using cling film to create marble on your nails

Regular cling film will help you create marble nails. As with the previous technique, you will need few tools and materials, just enough cling film, contrasting varnish colors and a finishing agent. Let's consider the steps in order:

first, cut a piece of film and remember it well in your hands;
Apply the base color of nail polish to your nails and let it dry completely;
Paint the entire nail plate with a contrasting color and, without waiting for it to dry, quickly blot the top layer of varnish with a soft piece of film.

The film will remove a small amount of nail polish, leaving small streaks of color. The procedure should be quick, until the varnish seizes in lumps and dries. For beautiful streaks and veins, you need to choose thick varnishes so that the color does not show through. If the result meets your expectations, then dry it and, as usual, secure the design with a finishing coat.

What are its advantages and disadvantages

The number of fans of marble manicure is constantly growing. The undoubted advantages of this design include:

Unique design on nails. Using 2-3 shades creates an impressive look.
Simplicity of execution - even a novice master can master the design technology. A slight sloppiness will not only not be noticeable, but will add a special charm to the picture.
A variety of implementation options - today there are 9 techniques.
Effectiveness and relevance of design at all times of the year for women and girls of different ages.
Durability of the coating – manicure lasts on nails for up to 3 weeks.

Along with this, marble manicure with gel polish has several disadvantages. If the design is made on a white or light base, the design becomes easily soiled and requires especially careful care. To work you will need thick varnishes of very high quality. A coating that is too liquid will spread and will not give the desired effect.

To create marble nails with gel polish you will need a large amount of materials. The cost of such a design would be significant.

Special varnish for marble effect

Regular polishes and gel polishes have a similar effect. No special skills are required in this case. How to do a marble manicure without unnecessary materials? It is enough to buy a special polish of the desired shade (white interspersed with black shimmer or turquoise with the addition of colored chips) and paint your nails with it. To make the marble effect more intense, you need to cover your nails in two layers. To secure the design well, do not forget to use a topcoat. If you use a finishing agent with a metallic sheen, you will get an original design that combines shine and stone structure. Use rubs with different shades to make the shimmer of the stones look more unusual.

Finishing

To make marble manicure even more attractive, it makes sense to apply different types of finishing to already painted nails. The following finishing options can be offered:

make a gold frame around the perimeter of the nail;
stickers;
single broths;
make a strip of rhinestones in the middle of the nail or along its edge;
black stripe along the edge;
use special foil, i.e., combining two techniques - marble and metal manicure.

Stone manicure has a wide variety of textures, colors and shades. The most common methods of applying such a manicure are presented, but you can safely experiment and come up with your own versions of a stone manicure.

Marble design using gel polish

Transforming nails with a gel-based composition is a little more complicated. First you need to prepare everything you need: an ultraviolet or LED lamp (preferably with high power so that the gel polish dries faster), a thin brush, files and buffs, a high-quality set of gel polishes (2-3 colors, base and finish). Let's get started with marble manicure:

Use a soft buff to file down the glossy layer of the nail, achieving a matte and smooth surface.
We degrease and coat the nails with a base product that protects the nail plate from the influence of chemicals.
We seal the ends of the nails with the base.
Dry your hands one by one in a UV lamp (or Led) for about 1-2 minutes.
Apply the base color of the varnish and also seal the ends.
Dry your nails for 1-2 minutes.
All that remains is to paint your nails with marble. To do this, use a brush and a contrasting color of gel polish.
The stains can be made in several shades, for example, on a white background of gel polish, draw gray veins of marble, then use a thin brush to paint in black. This way the design will look like it has a 3-D effect.

You can paint your nails with acrylic paints; we’ll look at the technique below.

What is necessary?

Very little.

This is your irrepressible imagination, the desire to always look fashionable, drive and knowledge of basic techniques. Perhaps during the creative process you will come up with completely new ideas that no one has used before. It is not at all necessary to visit an expensive beauty salon and receive the services of a professional.

A necessary condition is mandatory preliminary preparation of hands and nails, which in no case should be neglected, the use of only high-quality materials, including special drying lamps (UV) and compliance with all stages of the operation.

Marble painting with acrylic paints

The technique for performing this design is not particularly different from the “water” method, it’s just that acrylic paints are a little thicker than regular varnish, so it’s easier to work with them. Paints can be mixed with each other; use a palette made from a small piece of foil for this, and a toothpick will do instead of a brush. Next, use a container of water and drop the desired color of paint into the center of the liquid. Dip your nails into the smeared circles of colored paint and then wipe off the excess. Cover the result with two layers of topcoat. The chic design is ready, don’t be afraid to experiment and be inspired by the surrounding nature.

What does it look like?

This is natural stone - noble marble! Isn't it great?

Various patterns, fancy patterns and the whole range of different shades that can be. That's what nail design in this style is. Add to this the various colors of varnish that are available to you and the additional use of a variety of acrylic paints. There is room to show your imagination here.

Don't be afraid that nothing will work out the first time. Moreover, there is no need to create patterns that are absolutely identical to each other for each nail. And if you can’t come up with anything on your own, you can use photos from the Internet.