The nail industry does not stand still. The design of nails from a simple coating has become a work of art. Gel extensions (a polymer that has a structure similar to natural nails) have given way to gel polishes (a hybrid of varnish with helium), which are more practical to use and easy to apply.
In addition, a manicure coated with a mix of varnish and gel serves, without losing its original attractive appearance, much longer than a varnish coating.
Recently, it has become fashionable to paint nails with different colors of coatings with a sliding flow of one of the colors into another or gradually changing the tone of one color.
There are many ways to cover the nail plates in this way, the main one being a gradient.
The difference between an ombre manicure and a gradient manicure in 2022
If you look, then these two techniques have little difference from one another. Both in one and in the other, the base layer is applied with a colorless varnish, then one color gradually flows into the next one.
Each master has his own secrets in applying different manicure options. But no matter what technique they use, everything is aimed at the smooth transition between different shades of the same color or several colors into each other.
Translated from French, ombre means shadow. Essentially, ombre is the same gradient, only made in the same color scheme with different tonality. There is no sharp change of colors in it, their borders are not marked, you can say they are blurry. In the gradient, shading is also present, but not as smooth as in the ombre.
There is also the concept of Dip Dye, which also refers to a gradient made in bright contrasting colors.
The gradient itself can be executed in different directions: horizontal, vertical, with the transition of one color to another from the little finger to the thumb.
Technique is constantly changing and improving, but it is not particularly difficult. It can be done at home with a little practice. The main thing when performing is to stock up on time and perseverance.
Classic gradient manicure
Initially, the gradient was performed in the horizontal direction. First, the coating is applied to the edge of the nail, then slowly moving towards the back of the nail plate.
It was performed in contrasting colors, standing close in a circle of colors and in one color of different shades.
In one case, the manicure master achieves a bright, contrasting performance, in the other, a romantic, tender one.
The combination of white with any other color, as in other things, and black also refers to the classic or horizontal version.
In the classics, it is allowed to use two and several different colors. The greater their number is involved in the coating, the sharper the transition between them.
With the use of two colors of a similar shade, the transitions are smooth, and the look of the manicure is more calm.
Vertical gradient manicure
With this option, the change of colors occurs from one side edge of the nail plate to another. That is, each color has a vertical direction. The vertical gradient looks especially beautiful on short nails, visually lengthening them.
Most often, when performing this option, two colors of different tonality are used, a larger number will already look too bright and sloppy. However, everyone has a different taste, some like colorful colors, others calm.
Bright manicure is suitable for summer holidays, outings, trips to nightclubs, parties. Calm, gentle tones – for romantic dates, attending social events, going to the theater.
For business meetings, it is better to pay attention to the transitions of dairy colors to peach, lilac, coffee. For special occasions, the gradient can be decorated with glitter or sequins.
When choosing a varnish for an event, you should consider the color of your hair and skin. Cream and orange-copper transitions are more suitable for dark-skinned women, cold pink and pearl tones of transitions are more suitable for girls with pale skin.
It is not necessary to emphasize the already pale skin or traces of lack of sleep on the face with an incorrectly chosen color of manicure.
Gradient manicure option with a transition
This is perhaps the easiest option to perform. One color of varnish is selected, but with five different shades. They are applied as the color intensity decreases or increases alternately on each nail of both hands, starting with the little finger and ending with the thumb.
The art of manicure has been known to people for over 5,000 years. Coloring nails with natural henna or charcoal was practiced in ancient Egypt and Babylon. And the first fashionistas were Chinese women.
Varnish of different staining intensity can be prepared independently by mixing the color you like with white in different proportions. Having obtained by mixing the main color with an additional five different shades, you can begin to apply a gradient with a transition.
The nails of both hands can be covered, changing lighter shades to darker ones from younger fingers to older ones or in their mirror image.
The transition option can also be performed using another technique, when not one specific nail is performed for the transition, but all the fingers of the hand.
In this technique, the colors of the rainbow look beautiful, smoothly flowing from one finger of the nail plate to another.
Learning how to apply gradient manicure on your own
To perform a gradient manicure at home, it is better to use a coating with a dense texture property and good coloring pigments. The higher the quality of the varnish, the fewer layers it will need to be applied to the nails.
The easiest way is to make a gradient with one color of varnish of different tones, which, when mixed, do not give an unpleasant shade.
When using several colors, different shades of varnishes are applied to the sponge with multi-colored stripes and, not allowing them to dry, are quickly transferred to the nail plates, lightly pressing and patting. Overexposure of varnishes on a sponge can lead to paint drying out and ugly color mixing. This often happens when gel polish is thinly applied to a sponge.
So that the sponge does not leave coloring marks on the skin of the fingers, a liquid universal cuticle protector Skin defender is applied around the nail plates. By removing it, we clean the skin from coloring varnish without the use of solvents.
In addition to a sponge, the coating on the nail plates can be applied using any hard mixing plate or silicone substrate intended for manicure.
First, the entire surface of the nail is covered with the lightest of the selected shades. While the light varnish dries on the glass, two gradients are applied side by side, a dark one and a light one already applied to the nail.
The place of their contact is lightly mixed with a stick carved from an orange tree. This will partially erase the border between the two shades.
From a hard plate, the coloring matter is transferred to the sponge, from there to the nail itself ….
