Dreaming Nails

Inky Navy Moon & Stars nails

Almond · Moon & Stars

Doable at home

Inky Navy with a Powder Sky moon near the cuticle and scattered Midnight Navy stars filling the rest.

3 bottles: Inky Navy, Powder Sky and Midnight Navy. Inky Navy against Powder Sky is a hard contrast, so the motif reads from across a room, and any wobble in the line reads with it. 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: Inky Navy · Crème Open the bottle

Bottles for this nail

Tap a bottle to open it on the shelf
Inky Navy Base · Crème
Powder Sky Motif · Sheer
Midnight Navy Accent · Crème

What you need

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

How to paint Inky Navy Moon & Stars nails

  1. 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two coats of Inky Navy. A dark base shows every ridge, so the ridge-filling base coat matters more than usual here.
  2. 2 Draw the Powder Sky crescent as two arcs meeting at the points, then scatter Midnight Navy stars.
  3. 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.

Questions about Inky Navy Moon & Stars

  • Is Inky Navy Moon & Stars 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 Inky Navy Moon & Stars?

    3 bottles: Inky Navy (crème), Powder Sky (sheer) and Midnight Navy (crème). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.

  • Does Inky Navy Moon & Stars 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 Inky Navy Moon & Stars need?

    More than you would expect. Powder Sky 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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