Artist: Julie Le (@nailartslanger) nail artist and OPI design team member
Inspiration: “I was inspired by all of the things that my clients usually ask for during the fall season: plaid, leaves, earth tones, etc. I wanted to do it all, but also find a way to make it cohesive. I love the mismatched style—where each nail looks different. The key is to use the same color palette throughout the entire five nails to keep it cohesive.”
Favorite Element: “I love the effect that the matte top coat gives, adding texture and making the gold accents pop.”
Fall Nails How To:
1. Remove the shine from nail surface using an OPI Flex Buffer.
2. Cleanse the nail with N.A.S. 99.
3. Apply one coat of Stay Classic GelColor Base Coat. Cure for 30 seconds in an LED lamp/2 minutes in a UV lamp.
4. Apply two coats of GelColor Samoan Sand, curing for 30 seconds in an LED lamp/2 minutes in a UV lamp after each coat.
5. Cleanse the inhibition layer with NAS 99. Pro Tip: Removing the tacky residue will help fine lines and details stay immobile and in place.
6. Paint on leaves one at a time using the lightest color first (Falling for Milan), medium color in between (My Italian Is a Little Rusty) and darkest color (That’s What Best Friends Are Thor) on top. Use a longer striping brush to paint one line for the stem. Then with a smaller detail brush add a tear shape on each side of the stem to create leaves. Cure each leaf individually.
7. Once all of the leaves are fully cured, apply one coat of Stay Shiny GelColor Top Coat. Cure for 30 seconds in an LED lamp/2 minutes in a UV Lamp.
8. Cleanse the inhibition layer with NAS 99 and finish with cuticle oil. The look is complete!
