Have you ever gotten lost in a watercolor painting? Following its fluid washes of pigment and tracing each brushstroke as it melts into the next brings art lovers\u2014including us at Allure<\/em>\u2014a sense of peace. This season, nail artists are bringing that vibe into their manicures. Watercolor nails echo the romance of Impressionist paintings and feature sheer, blended color that feels expressive and artistic.<\/p>\n Nail artists are particularly excited about the trend, as it allows them to fully tap into their creative range. \u201cI love watercolor nails and being able to use actual art supplies to create unique nail designs,\u201d says Hadley Dunn, a nail artist based in Kentucky.<\/p>\n There are several ways to achieve this look. Dunn prefers a more literal approach: \u201cI coat my base in a matte topcoat before using watercolor paint on the nail and sealing it with a [glossy] topcoat,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n When San Sung Kim, a Korean nail artist, creates her watercolor nails, she starts with a cat-eye base, as its light-shifting shimmer particles make the finished look more dynamic. \u201cI have been working with velvet polishes since the beginning of my nail journey, and I always try to come up with fresh new takes,\u201d she previously told Allure<\/em>, noting that colorful swirl candies inspire her take on watercolor nails.<\/p>\n Courtesy of @Sansungnails<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n Courtesy of @sansungnails<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Kim then uses a nail art marker (a felt-tip pen filled with polish) to paint swirls and patches in varying sizes, before taking a wet nail brush to blur her hand-painted design for a realistic watercolor look. The result? A dreamy manicure that would feel at home next to paintings by Monet and Renoir.<\/p>\n Courtesy of @nailzzwithannie<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Some nail artists, like New York City-based Natalia Mercedes, prefer using an airbrush to achieve watercolor paint\u2019s signature blend. \u201cIt\u2019s similar to how aura nails are created with an airbrush,\u201d Mercedes says, noting that she uses polish formulated specifically for the tool (like the polishes from Favai) and builds color in sheer, controlled layers.<\/p>\n With color theory in mind, each shade subtly shifts the one beneath it: \u201cWhen I layer yellow over blue, I get a bit of green, and that\u2019s what creates that seamless, diffused effect,\u201d Mercedes adds. To keep the layering intentional rather than muddy, she lightly cures each layer before adding the next.<\/p>\n Annie Ngo, a nail artist in Atlanta, uses a more unconventional method: dabbing eye shadow pigments onto the nail in layers to achieve the watercolor effect. Ngo coats each nail with a matte primer, which creates a smooth base, before buffing the powder across the surface with a nail sponge. She does this with multiple colors, allowing them to overlap at the edges to create that beautifully blurred look, then seals the look with a glossy top coat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Pink](\"https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/69efa3a0afbc754ca806f41c\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Sansung%2520Pink%2520watercolor_.png\"\/)
<\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n![\"Green](\"https:\/\/media.allure.com\/photos\/69efa3a07acd8a7f4efcb397\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/sunsung%2520green%2520watercolor.png\"\/)
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