Dreaming Nails

Inky Navy Petal Flame nails

Almond · Petal Flame

Salon or steady hand

Long petal-flames in Powder Sky pulled from the cuticle outward over Inky Navy, tipped in Midnight Navy.

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 one coat
Two gel paints contrast pair
Liner + dotting tool shapes and curves

How to paint Inky Navy Petal Flame 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 Long Powder Sky strokes from the cuticle outward, one per petal, then tip them with Midnight Navy.
  3. 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.

Questions about Inky Navy Petal Flame

  • Is Inky Navy Petal Flame 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 Inky Navy Petal Flame?

    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 Petal Flame 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 Petal Flame 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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