How to Design Your Nails using Arctic Fox Vegan Nail Lacquer

@nailartbysig in Sunset Orange, Frosé, and Purple AF The Fox Fam are already totally head over heels in love with the awesome AF hair color range. But hold up, there’s more?! Yup. NEED more of THOSE bright colors? Sure you do. Want even more intricate shades, patterns, and prints, but this time for your nails? Well, duh! That’s why we’ve been mixing up some of our most popular shades into the Foxology collection of nail lacquers with all the bold AF colors you know. Sprinkle in patterns and prints and your nails can become a canvas with unlimited possibilities; you can paint almost anything your mind can imagine. Before you unleash your nail art work worthy of the Louvre, we need to do a little basic prep, but don’t worry we’ve made it simple to follow, even for Nail Art novices. Nail Art: The Basics Start With a Clean, Dry Base Just like when dyeing your hair, you’ll want to always start off your nail art with clean, dry nails. Visionaries like us (tongue slightly in cheek) need a clean slate to work with. Start by scrubbing away any old polish to reveal your blank canvas. But it’s not quite time to dip the brush into the paint yet. First up, cleanse the nail bed to make sure your nails are clean underneath too, because this will not only give you healthier nails, but also a better overall look once you add your custom nail art. We always use lukewarm water to soak and clean under nails to reduce the drying impact on the skin and prevent aging (it’s totally preferable to scorching your skin in molten hot water). We’re always looking out for you, Fox. Now, you might want to trim and file your nails BEFORE painting to get them in tip-top shape for your design. Since you're creating nail art, try not to cut them too short - you might need that extra real estate to work with for your exquisite patterns. Follow these simple steps and you’ll soon have a perfect clean surface to add a base coat before you add polish! Use a Base Coat You’ll want to set up the right foundations for your inner Picasso with a base coat. Apply one layer of base coat and allow it to completely dry before moving forward. *Waits impatiently* *Twiddles thumbs* Base coats are usually clear or slightly bluish in color and protect your nails from getting stained or damaged by nail polish and other nail art materials. The long story short is, your base coat will help the polish stay in place longer, without chipping the design, so it’s kind of a must have if you want your dazzling nail display to last. We have a fab base coat with all the juicy and healthy vitamins you nails need to thrive in our Foxology line up. It sets things up perfectly, ready for your masterpieces. (Muse entirely optional). Intricate Designs For intricate designs, make sure your base layer is fully dry and has enough coats (2- 3 usually works) this will make your design easier to realize and it will last MUCH longer. Fox Pro Tip: Plan out your design! It’s easy to get carried away and jump right into painting, but.... planning the execution of intricate designs before-hand and knowing what you want to create step-by-step usually results in something more beautiful and refined. Here’s another couple of pointers for your application technique. Ombre If you’re going for an ombre effect, use a sponge. Apply the polish with the sponge from the tip of the nail downwards with a tapping or pressing motion. With the first coat decide where the ombre line will finish. Use a clean side of the sponge to dab and fade out the finishing line. Finally, apply a second coat over the top section of the nail and gently fade it out to blend in with the previous coat and achieve the ombre pattern to faded perfection. Need a little more ombre inspo? Try out Sunset Orange and Cosmic Sunshine for an ombre that’s prettier than a sunset. Or completely switch temperatures and blend Periwinkle into Sheer Nude for a cool blue and white winter ombre tone. Patterns To shape intricate designs on your nails with patterns use a much smaller pointed brush to have greater control over the lines and artwork you create. You are working in a small space so it makes sense to use a smaller tool, right!? For bonafide proof this works, check out how @nailartbysig created this awesome blood drip effect design ready for Halloween with Foxology shades and a fine brush. It’s the inspo you need! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arctic Fox Hair Color (@arcticfoxhaircolor) And there’s more. @nailartbysig has been maxing out the potential of the Foxology collection with some delicious color and pattern combos. Going as a “Pink Lady” with your crew this Halloween? This powerful pink mix of Frose and Virgin Pink has us calling our squad immediately. With a unique pattern on each nail this look has some added complexity that we find completely satisfying. @nailartbysig in Frosé and Virgin Pink Next up, let’s take a look at this perfect autumnal blend. Purples, oranges, and a frosted pink help set up an impressive display for your digits. This design is anything but uniform, with block colors contrasted with a small circle dot on each nail. There’s even room for a seasonal ghost wearing a witches hat for Halloween. Loving your work! @nailartbysig in Sunset Orange, Frosé, and Purple AF Blue Jean Baby with a single stand out leopard print pattern is the flawless go to design when you want to unleash your Queen of the jungle phase. @jadetoblack in Aquamarine and Blue Jean Baby Want to add a little pop to your prints? Try this kaleidoscopic design from @jadetoblack in Aquamarine, Phantom Green, Cosmic Sunshine, Poison, and Virgin Pink to add complexity and contrast. @jadetoblack in Aquamarine, Phantom Green, Cosmic Sunshine, Poison, and Virgin PinkFinally, why not try making waves and your friends green with envy via this Phantom Green and Frosé combo. Block forest green colors are contrasted with a single digit in Frosé with a wavy Phantom Green line pattern. @jadetoblack in Phantom Green and Frosé Want to inspire someone else with your artistic flair? Paint a colorful picture for the rest of the Fox Fam by tagging us @arcticfoxhaircolor.