Chilli Lacquer Matte nails

Round · Matte

Easy at home

Chilli Lacquer taken down to a flat matte, which deepens the colour and kills every reflection.

3 bottles: Chilli Lacquer, Milk Bath and Brick. Chilli Lacquer and Milk Bath 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 (crème and sheer), so the pattern picks up light differently from the ground.

Round nails are the setting: minimal length, a curve that matches the finger, and the least fragile free edge in the catalogue.

Make it yours

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

Bottles for this nail

Tap a bottle to open it on the shelf

What you need

Colour gel two thin coats
Base coat ridge filling
Gloss top high shine

How to paint Chilli Lacquer Matte nails

  1. 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two thin coats of Chilli Lacquer, curing each one.
  2. 2 Two thin coats of Chilli Lacquer, cured, keeping the surface as level as you can — matte hides nothing.
  3. 3 Matte top coat, cured — and no cuticle oil over it, which spots the finish.

Questions about Chilli Lacquer Matte

  • Is Chilli Lacquer Matte hard to do at home?

    Yes. There is no freehand work that has to be accurate. Budget about 30 minutes 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 Chilli Lacquer Matte?

    3 bottles: Chilli Lacquer (crème), Milk Bath (sheer) and Brick (crème). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.

  • Does Chilli Lacquer Matte 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 Chilli Lacquer Matte need?

    More than you would expect. Milk Bath 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.

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