Gunmetal Glitter Tip nails

Almond · Glitter Tip

Doable at home

A glitter tip: Soft Cobalt packed at the free edge over Gunmetal, in place of a painted smile line.

3 bottles: Gunmetal, Soft Cobalt and Graphite. Gunmetal and Soft Cobalt 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 (chrome and crème), 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: Gunmetal · Chrome Open the bottle

Bottles for this nail

Tap a bottle to open it on the shelf

What you need

Sheer base milky wash
Tip colour liner brush
Gloss top seal the smile

How to paint Gunmetal Glitter Tip nails

  1. 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two coats of Gunmetal, floated on so the particles stay lying flat, and cure hard.
  2. 2 Press Soft Cobalt glitter along the free edge, densest at the very tip.
  3. 3 Two thick top coats to bury the texture, so nothing has an edge to catch on.

Questions about Gunmetal Glitter Tip

  • Is Gunmetal Glitter Tip hard to do at home?

    Yes, with a steady hand. The motif is freehand, so the first nail is usually the worst one. Budget around 45 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 Gunmetal Glitter Tip?

    3 bottles: Gunmetal (chrome), Soft Cobalt (crème) and Graphite (crème). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.

  • Does Gunmetal Glitter Tip 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 Gunmetal Glitter Tip?

    Yes. Gunmetal 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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