Lace in Soft Cobalt over Gunmetal: fine scalloped edging with dotted infill.
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.
The oval shape is the soft one: no corners, no point, and a canvas that stays about the same width from cuticle to tip.
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Bottles for this nail
Tap a bottle to open it on the shelfWhat you need
How to paint Gunmetal Lace nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two coats of Gunmetal, floated on so the particles stay lying flat, and cure hard.
- 2 Draw the Soft Cobalt scalloped edge first, then fill behind it with dots and short arcs.
- 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.
Questions about Gunmetal Lace
Is Gunmetal Lace 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 Gunmetal Lace?
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 Lace work on short nails?
Oval is one of the better shapes for a short nail: it lengthens the look of the bed without needing free edge to do it, so the design carries over unchanged.
Do I need a UV lamp for Gunmetal Lace?
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.