Snakeskin is a trend that perhaps never disappears from the fashion industry. Reptile prints, accessories and shoes made from the material's likeness are all in high demand. Of course, you can’t ignore a manicure with an interesting effect that will give your nails uniqueness and truly fatal beauty.
Features of creating a “reptile” on nails
Reptiles on nails can be represented by two types of manicure. The first option is the simplest, this is directly drawing specific reptiles on the nails, be they snakes, crocodiles or other animals. The second option, much more interesting and “serious,” is imitation reptile skin on the nails.
Snake drawing on nails
In terms of manicure, this drawing does not particularly symbolize anything, but, for example, a snake is presented as an insidious and cunning creature, distinguished by amazing intelligence. That is why such details of the image can add a significant zest to your appearance.
This manicure will suit absolutely everyone. The drawings will ideally fit into the image of cheerful and carefree girls, very young representatives of the fair sex. But imitation snake skin will fit perfectly into the image of a more respectable lady who pays special attention to her discreet but sophisticated style.
Such a manicure will best fit into everyday looks, which will significantly benefit from such a sophisticated detail, and will be combined with evening outfits worthy of such exclusive details.
Suitable nail shape
Absolutely any nails are easily suitable for both reptile designs and snakeskin imitation. You can create a beautiful manicure both on short nails of natural length and on longer, perhaps even extended nails.
Manicure with imitation crocodile skin
But the longer the length, the less everyday the manicure looks. For extended nails, it is better to choose such a design only in case of preparation for a serious special event.
The shape of the nails can also be any. Round, square, oval and rectangular options are classics, but with triangular nails such a manicure will look more provocative.
Bright ideas of snake nail art
This isn't the only design that creates a reptile skin effect. Once you understand how easy it is to do, you can come up with your own variations and create a unique manicure with a strong personality. At the same time, it is not necessary to focus your attention only on imitation leather. You can simply depict reptiles on your nails, because in the picture they do not look threatening, but cute and graceful creatures. Look at the collection of photos that we have put together especially for you, and you will understand how varied and interesting this manicure can be.
Best color combinations
It is best to choose the most natural color combinations to imitate snake skin.
Reptile manicure looks perfect in natural tones
The standard colors for reptiles are green, gray and brown, especially their variations such as marsh, olive and other somewhat “dirty”, “dusty” shades.
Speaking about drawings, it is worth noting that the brighter and more contrasting the color combinations are, the more childish and frivolous the entire manicure will look in general.
The design is usually applied with the same varnish used for the main coating. In this case, you can choose either the regular option, gel polish or Shellac.
Useful tips
Snake manicure, although quite simple to perform, requires a certain style and approach to its creation:
Classic version of snake manicure
- a manicure that imitates reptile skin looks best in a classic style, formal evening with fairly simple but sophisticated dresses, as well as in everyday looks using absolutely simple basic things;
- for snake manicure, it is best to use dark and natural shades, as close as possible to natural ones; a bright snake manicure looks out of place, but too light is very exotic, you should approach its choice with special attention, carefully thinking through your entire image;
- You shouldn’t regularly do a “reptile” manicure, since this design looks very bold, and sometimes this mood should be “diluted” with other images.
Snakeskin manicure using mesh
This is most likely the fastest way to create snake scales. To create it, regular varnish is suitable. As in the previous case, you need to choose two contrasting colors. We also need a mesh. These could be pieces of large lace or tulle, old fishnet tights or other mesh. Also prepare a piece of sponge or sponge.
- Paint the prepared nails with dark varnish and wait until completely dry.
- We wrap the mesh tightly around the nail. The material should cover the entire surface of the nail. You need to think about how to secure the mesh or at least firmly hold it with your fingers so that it does not move. Otherwise, the drawing will lose its expressiveness and the varnish will be smeared.
- Drop a small amount of varnish onto a plastic plate (or other palette). Next, dip a sponge in the product and apply it over the mesh. Care must be taken not to dislodge the mesh. It is better to do this with driving, blotting movements. We process the entire surface in this way, especially carefully near the side rollers.
- Let the top layer dry a little. Then carefully remove the mesh, being careful not to damage the pattern. Now the nail is beautifully painted into small diamonds.
- We apply a layer of finishing coating that will level the surface and hide small roughnesses.
Ways to create “reptile skin” on nails
Snake manicure using mesh
One of the most expensive and at the same time the most natural manicure options is the use of natural reptile skin. For this purpose, the skin that the snake sheds during its molting is used, and then it is glued onto the nails. At home, such a manicure can be done using special stickers or artificial nail overlays, with a prepared pattern already applied in advance.
You can create an imitation of snakeskin using regular polish and a mesh dividing your nails into segments. In this way, you can choose a darker background, which can be varnished a couple of shades lighter using a mesh.
Reptile manicure using magnetic polish
You can also paint snake scales without additional equipment using regular gel polish . To do this, after applying a layer of dark varnish, light varnish is applied in spots, and the undried layer of varnish is covered with pigments on top, imitating a snake pattern. After which the manicure is fixed with a fixative.
The most unusual way to perform such a manicure is to use an unusual specialized varnish using magnets. cat's eye” varnish contains a certain number of metal elements, which, under the influence of magnetic fields during drying, form certain patterns and remain in this finished form.
Using magnetic varnish and a special plate, you can create a “reptile” manicure, both using a nail painting brush and without it:
Reptile manicure looks beautiful and rich
Genuine leather has long established itself as a high-quality and expensive material, especially when it is used to make clothes for fashionistas or leather accessories. It's not just things that are prestigious. In beauty salons they even do manicures with real snake skin. Nail art masters have learned to use the skin of snakes, which they shed when they shed.
How to draw a reptile on your nails
The easiest way to create a voluminous imitation of snakeskin on your nails is to use gel polish:
The process of creating a “reptile” manicure
- First, a base coat is applied, which will preserve the manicure for a long time, and dried in a lamp;
- then two layers of dark base varnish are applied to the nails, each of which is dried separately in a lamp;
- Subsequently, a layer of a lighter shade of varnish is applied to the nails, but not dried in a lamp, but covered with separate drops of fixative, which it is better to try to arrange in a checkerboard pattern;
- The nails are dried in a lamp, and after that an even layer of fixative is applied, which must also dry completely.
To prevent the gel polish and fixer from spreading over the nail plate, it is recommended to dry each drop separately in a UV lamp for several seconds. At the end of this stage, polymerize the nails completely for the prescribed time.
Manicure with stickers
In the case of using, for example, a mesh, the third step is replaced by applying a stencil to the nail, covering the nail plate with a light shade of varnish and drying it in a lamp.
Stickers must be used according to the instructions. Those that completely cover the nail are usually glued directly to the nail plate and do not require any additional fixing, but small stickers that decorate the manicure require going through all the stages of manicure using a base, colored varnish and a fixer.
And to make a manicure with gel polish that imitates snake skin, you need to carefully draw the segments. However, this design is quite simple to implement:
