Dreaming Nails

Black Lacquer Leopard nails

Almond · Leopard

Salon or steady hand

Leopard print: broken Snow White rings over Black Lacquer with Antique Gold flecks in the gaps between them.

3 bottles: Black Lacquer, Snow White and Antique Gold. Black Lacquer against Snow White is a hard contrast, so the motif reads from across a room, and any wobble in the line reads with it. The bottles are not all the same finish (crème and chrome), so the pattern picks up light differently from the ground.

It sits on an almond, tapered at the sides and rounded at the tip, which narrows the nail and lengthens the finger, and stretches the motif slightly as it approaches the point.

Make it yours

Pick a part of the nail, then a shade
Base: Black Lacquer · Crème Open the bottle

Bottles for this nail

Tap a bottle to open it on the shelf
Black Lacquer Base · Crème
Snow White Motif · Crème
Antique Gold Accent · Chrome

What you need

Base colour two coats
Print paint fine liner
Accent liner broken outlines

How to paint Black Lacquer Leopard nails

  1. 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two coats of Black Lacquer. A dark base shows every ridge, so the ridge-filling base coat matters more than usual here.
  2. 2 Scatter broken Snow White rings at different sizes and angles, then drop Antique Gold flecks between them.
  3. 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.

Questions about Black Lacquer Leopard

  • Is Black Lacquer Leopard 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 Black Lacquer Leopard?

    3 bottles: Black Lacquer (crème), Snow White (crème) and Antique Gold (chrome). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.

  • Does Black Lacquer Leopard work on short nails?

    Almond needs a little length to hold its taper. On a short nail the shape reads closer to round, and the design still works, it just stops elongating the finger.

  • Do I need a UV lamp for Black Lacquer Leopard?

    Yes. Antique Gold only works as a gel — the effect depends on rubbing or setting the finish into a cured tacky layer, which air-dry polish never gives you.

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