Gold leaf: Liquid Gold foil pressed into tacky gel over Oat Milk, in irregular patches rather than full coverage.
2 bottles: Oat Milk and Liquid Gold. Oat Milk and Liquid Gold are close in tone, so the design is tonal rather than graphic. It shows up in daylight and softens indoors. The bottles are not all the same finish (sheer and chrome), 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.
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Bottles for this nail
Tap a bottle to open it on the shelfWhat you need
How to paint Gold Foil nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Oat Milk, cured.
- 2 Press Liquid Gold foil onto tacky gel in irregular patches, with torn edges rather than squares.
- 3 Bury it under two thick top coats so nothing catches.
Questions about Gold Foil
Is Gold Foil 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 two colours keeps it simple: cure the first before the second goes near it and nothing bleeds.
What polish do I need for Gold Foil?
2 bottles: Oat Milk (sheer) and Liquid Gold (chrome). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.
Does Gold Foil 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 Gold Foil?
Yes. Liquid 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.