Transparent manicure is the embodiment of tenderness, grace and elegance. Interest in natural nails or the “negative space” technique has not waned for several years. Beautiful ladies are happy to try themselves in creativity. They are looking for their own combinations of weightless-airy coatings and techniques, shades and decorations. Modern fashion trends only support beauties in these endeavors: this season, an author's, individual approach to nail design is in fashion. And experienced nail artists share the latest developments, suggesting that you don’t be shy about letting your imagination run wild, turning bold ideas into reality.
Transparent manicure: what is it?
Otherwise, this interesting technique is called transparent (in English - transparent, transparent). For all its brevity, it is distinguished by its special beauty, tenderness and airiness. To obtain the desired effect, the prepared nail plates are covered with a layer of colorless or colored loose varnish, and the coating can be either glossy or matte.
The main sign by which the use of this particular technique is recognized at first glance is that the nail plate and the free edge should be visible through the layer of varnish, even if color is added to it. This coating covers the entire nail, or only part of it. In the latter case, the technique is called “negative space”.
Since the surface of the records is clearly visible, they must be in perfect condition, without chips, damage, or growths. Processing flaws, natural imperfections or defects resulting from injuries cannot be hidden under such varnish. That is why experienced nail technicians carefully examine the condition of fingers and nails. If there are any problems, it is recommended to restore them first.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Unreel (@extremeofficial)
One tone
Plain transparent coating is the trend of this season. Choose any color - blue, yellow, red or green - to express your sophisticated sense of style.
An interesting idea is to cover some ends with a dense color, and leave some transparent. Despite the lack of decorative elements, the design looks impressive.
If you are a lover of red, feel free to use it in a transparent manicure.
It is not necessary that the coating be completely transparent. Use this pearlescent varnish to hide minor unevenness in the surface and color of the nail plate.
Monochromatic manicure - nail design in one color tone
Classification of transparent manicure
Conventionally, this technique is divided into three main groups. However, if desired, all techniques can be freely combined, inventing your own approach to the design of marigolds.
Classical
The main trend of the 2021-22 season is naturalness in everything. That is why the classics are in demand today more than ever. Natural (not extensions!) nails of a square or almond shape, short or medium length, are covered with a transparent base or gel polish. This design is universal. You don’t need to select makeup, accessories or clothes for a long time and carefully. With it you can go to work or to the cinema with friends, go on a hike or to a resort. If you want something brighter, the surface of the records is decorated with watercolor or graphic drawings, stickers and stamping, sparkling elements, turning a restrained and delicate design into a chic, atmospheric splendor.
Jelly
This unique, beautiful technique was born three years ago, thanks to Kylim Jenner, an American model. It received a self-explanatory name – “jelly manicure”. The coating is applied to elongated, extended nail plates using forms or tips. Women all over the world appreciated the multifaceted possibilities of the technology, quickly adopting and developing the original idea. Today you can find both simple, monochromatic designs and surprisingly atmospheric solutions:
- with dried flowers;
- imitation of sea waves;
- sparkles and rhinestones;
- art paintings;
- full-fledged 3D compositions on a specific topic - maritime and vacation; floral and fruit; cosmic and celestial.
Negative space
“Negative space” is one of the most beloved designs popular among ladies of all ages. During the work, part of the nail plate remains free from color. At the same time, the location, size and number of such “negatives” completely depends on the designer’s imagination. Lots of options:
- various geometric shapes - squares, polygons, semicircles, circles, hearts, flowers and birds;
- artistic painting in the form of flowers, animals, fruits, twigs on a negative background;
- framing in the form of rhinestones, casting or foil;
- outlining with colored gel polish or a contrasting color.
Traditional minimalist technique
If a woman likes strict, calm solutions without color explosions and numerous decorations, then this option is the ideal solution for her. A simple, colorless or transparent-colored coating is applied to the surface of the plates. If desired, you can complement the laconic design with a pair of rhinestones, kamifubuki in the form of hearts, stars, or a strip of foil. Or apply vertical or horizontal stripes, circles, dots with colored gel polish or glitter.
When choosing this technique, you must remember that colorless varnish will not be able to hide even the most minor flaws. Therefore, maximum attention is paid to the pre-treatment of marigolds. There should be no cuts, burrs or cracks. And the shape of the free edge must be perfect.
The benefits and harms of shellac
Everyone knows the saying: forewarned is forearmed! We suggest studying the benefits and harms of shellac point by point and assessing how much your nails need it.
The benefits of shellac
- Persistence. Having done a shellac manicure, you can forget about it for almost a month, which saves a lot of time and money.
- Accuracy. Since shellac hardens instantly in the lamp, damage to the coating is virtually impossible.
- Compound. Shellac does not contain formaldehyde, therefore it is considered a harmless cosmetic product.
- Strengthening. Let us make a reservation that this point is very conditional. Shellac will not strengthen your own nails, but it will help prevent brittleness and splitting while you wear the coating. It is not for nothing that the name is derived from the word Shell, which means “shell”.
- Availability. Shellac can be applied to your nails in almost any salon or done at home.
- Wide selection of shades. The shellac palette is constantly being replenished, which cannot but please fans of this coating.
The harm of shellac
- Dehydration of the nail plate. After removing shellac, you may notice that your nails look dull and dry. They may even begin to break or peel. Manicurists advise periodically taking a break from using shellac.
- Application technique. If you are going to do a shellac manicure in a salon, the master must be fluent in the technique of working with it. It's not easy to master at home. You may not be able to apply shellac perfectly the first time.
- As they grow out, nails with shellac look untidy. Remove and renew the coating in a timely manner.
- If you have flexible and thin nails, shellac may peel off. There is also a risk of damaging the nail plate.
- Shellac is absolutely not suitable for nails affected by fungus.
- Shellac can give your nails a yellowish tint. Choose high-quality, proven shellac brands.
Ideas for short transparent nails
The transparent design looks especially beautiful on neat, short nails. Delicately airy, graceful and unobtrusive, it opens up the widest scope for experiments with decoration, combinations of techniques and decorations. The following solutions are relevant for this form:
Fact about manicure
The first manicure set of a familiar, modern look was made almost 200 years ago, by order of the personal physician of the King of France, Louis-Philippe. The cause was suppuration on the finger after a torn hangnail.
- jelly, with a trimmed tip or a gel cut to the required length. Transparent bright colors are in fashion - red, pink, acidic neon shades, blue and turquoise, light green;
- minimalist graphics - longitudinal stripes applied with paint or foil, glitter; stretch marks with glitter; gradient and French in all its diversity;
- floral motifs on a colorless basis look especially expressive and are suitable for the spring-summer period;
- volumetric nail design - 3D modeling, rhinestones of different sizes and colors, pearls and bouillons;
- translucent clouds, peas in combination with stripes;
- snowflakes sparkling with frost, vignettes and ornaments.
You should not frame short nails along the contour - such decor visually increases the width and reduces the length of the plate.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Unreel (@extremeofficial)
By nail length
Translucent manicure is universal not only because it is suitable for any occasion, but also because it looks good on nails of different lengths.
For short nails
Practicality and naturalness in nail art are expressed in another trend - the fashion for short nails. You can make them as natural as possible without spending a lot of time and effort by simply opening them with clear varnish.
With such a discreet coating on short nails, almost any decor would be appropriate - rhinestones, geometry, floral patterns, sparkles.
When doing a transparent manicure on short nails, do not create frames along the contour - this visually shortens and widens the nail plate.
An original design for short, colorless nails is decoration with pearl beads. Polka dot nails look playful and gentle.
For long nails
On long nails you can give free rein to your imagination. Watercolor drawing, glitter, volumetric decor - everything will look beautiful. The main thing is not to overdo it. Combine no more than one or two types of decor with a transparent manicure.
Please note that for a transparent coating, the nail plate must be perfect, without any flaws.
Among the variety of decorations for long manicures, it is worth highlighting the smoky design. The black base dissipates towards the clear tip. It looks impressive and original.
Fresh solutions for long transparent plates
This season, medium length on almond-shaped or rectangular plates is in fashion. It is permissible to slightly round the tips, making the nails graceful. It is necessary to take care of the symmetry of all plates and carefully file them to the same length. This form is the most feminine and goes well with colorless or colored coatings.
Nail experts offer the following options:
- French jacket with stickers in the form of hearts, flowers, fruits;
- smoky coating, more intense at the hole and lighter towards the tips;
- transparent and delicate manicure with clouds and sea waves;
- colorless or slightly colored varnish with plenty of glitter;
- holographic foil, “broken glass”;
- natural dried flowers;
- opaque accents on 1-2 fingers, from matte or glossy color coating to bright stickers, watercolor painting;
- graceful vignettes, patterns and lace on a black background;
- matte transparent design with matte top;
- three-dimensional modeling, crystals and drawings, rhinestone inlays - geometry, butterflies, flowers and twigs, birds.
Marble effect
If you wear extended nails or cover your nails with gel polish, ask the specialist to give you a beautiful, trendy transparent manicure with a marble effect.
This pattern is increasingly appearing in photos on social networks. Usually white color is used as a background for a pattern with veins, but a marble pattern made on transparent nails looks very unusual and fashionable.
Shiny decor on transparent manicure
Large and small crystals, broken crystal, pearls look good against a transparent background. You can complement the design with silver or gold sparkles or kamifubuki. The sparkling elements are distributed over all fingers or 1-3 are selected, as desired.
About ombre shellac nail design 2022 2023, photo
A design option such as a gradient manicure, also called ombre, looks no less beautiful on nails. This design involves demonstrating a combination of two or three shades using a smooth transition from one color to another. To achieve this effect, a special method of applying gel polish in layers is used.
Ombre options can be either classic, horizontal, or vertical flow.
This design looks incredibly beautiful on nails of any shape and length, both medium, long and short nails. The ombre transition can be performed using two technology options. If you decide to use a bright color scheme to create a gradient manicure, first apply white varnish for the purpose of its further polymerization.
Next, apply a couple of strips of gel polish to the nail plate in the colors that were chosen to create the ombre, and use an orange stick to connect the edges between the applied shades. After this, you need to use a sponge and apply squeezing movements several times to smear the applied gel polishes, and then use nail polish remover to remove excess from the skin around the nail. The final stage is the polymerization of the achieved effect.
If the master has developed good accuracy in applying shellac, then you don’t have to resort to using additional devices. to create an ombre, it is enough to apply several layers of selected gel polishes with different brushes, so that one layer smoothly overlaps the other. And of course, don’t forget about polymerization for a few minutes to consolidate the result.
Single-color and transparent manicure with different colors
This season, monochromatic coatings on all fingers or individual nails, without additional decor, are at the peak of popularity. The trend is both bright, rich and pastel shades:
- turquoise, azure;
- sunny, pink;
- red, olive, light green;
- lilac, milky, beige.
It is permissible to alternate monochromatic coatings of different colors, or use opaque varnishes. To give a soft, pearly glow, craftsmen recommend choosing pearl-clear varnishes.
About nail design using shellac tape: photo
When there is not enough time and ideas for an excellent manicure, scotch tape can come to the rescue, because it can literally make an ordinary manicure bright and unique. Scotch tape, which is used for nail design, involves a multi-colored self-adhesive strip with a characteristic, shiny tint, of varying widths.
Scotch tape will make your nails interesting
Usually the thinnest tape is used in the design, and it is relatively inexpensive, which is why it is popular.
The main advantages of adhesive tape:
- The tape can be used on any surface, as it has a good adhesive layer;
- It is applied exclusively to dry nails, and therefore does not leave indentations in the gel polish;
- During application, you need to step back a little from the nail contours so as not to get caught by the edges of the adhesive tape;
- After applying the tape, it is recommended to cover the nails with a fixative to improve the effect.
Nail art with transparent coating
On a translucent or colorless surface, any design looks stylish and refreshing. It stands out favorably, creating a certain mood, emphasizing the chosen image.
Negative
Experienced craftsmen achieve the so-called “negative space effect” by applying a design to a transparent varnish.
The difference from the usual technique is that the background for the drawing is colored, and the image is covered only with transparent varnish.
More often, recognizable objects without special details are used: butterfly wings, hearts, animal faces.
Simple geometric shapes are often used: polka dot nails made in inversion look very interesting - a bright background and transparent circles.
Universal transparent jacket
French technology combines naturally with a transparent base. “Smile” can be designed in any way you like, from modest minimalism to luxurious display designs.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by Unreel (@extremeofficial)
