Concentric arches in Terracotta Hour and Studio Black stepped inward from the free edge, over a Vanilla Cream ground.
3 bottles: Vanilla Cream, Terracotta Hour and Studio Black. Vanilla Cream and Terracotta Hour sit a comfortable distance apart: the motif is clearly legible without shouting, which is the easiest range to freehand in. The bottles are not all the same finish (sheer and crème), so the pattern picks up light differently from the ground.
On a round shape the pattern has a shallow, even canvas and nothing to snag, which is why the small repeating motifs tend to end up here.
Make it yours
Bottles for this nail
Tap a bottle to open it on the shelfWhat you need
How to paint Rainbow Arch nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. One coat of Vanilla Cream, cured.
- 2 Paint the outermost arc in Terracotta Hour following the curve of the free edge, then step inward with Studio Black.
- 3 Top coat over the arc edges so the ridges do not catch.
Questions about Rainbow Arch
Is Rainbow Arch hard to do at home?
It is the hardest tier on the site. It is doable at home, but the technique is the point rather than the colour. Budget an hour or more for a full set, and three colours means three chances for something to bleed, so cure between each one rather than working wet on wet.
What polish do I need for Rainbow Arch?
3 bottles: Vanilla Cream (sheer), Terracotta Hour (crème) and Studio Black (crème). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.
Does Rainbow Arch work on short nails?
Round is already the shortest shape here, so yes, this is one of the designs that works at almost any length.
How many coats does Rainbow Arch need?
More than you would expect. Vanilla Cream is translucent, so the colour builds over three thin coats rather than covering in two. Stop wherever you like the depth — that is the point of a sheer.