Chilli Lacquer Polka Dots nails

Almond · Polka Dots

Easy at home

Chilli Lacquer with regular Milk Bath dots — the one dotted design here meant to look mechanical.

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.

On an almond shape the canvas narrows toward the tip, so the design reads as slightly elongated. Usually flattering, occasionally something to compensate for.

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

Base colour cured
Striper brush clean lines
Gloss top level the paint

How to paint Chilli Lacquer Polka Dots nails

  1. 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two thin coats of Chilli Lacquer, curing each one.
  2. 2 Dot an even Milk Bath grid, offsetting every other row by half a step.
  3. 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.

Questions about Chilli Lacquer Polka Dots

  • Is Chilli Lacquer Polka Dots 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 Polka Dots?

    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 Polka Dots 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.

  • How many coats does Chilli Lacquer Polka Dots 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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