A magnetic cat eye: Pistachio pulled into a bright Milk Bath band by a magnet held at an angle.
3 bottles: Pistachio, Milk Bath and Fern. Pistachio and Milk Bath 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 (crème and sheer), so the pattern picks up light differently from the ground.
It sits on an oval, with walls that follow the finger and a tip rounded off, which flatters a short nail bed without needing much length and keeps the motif undistorted.
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Bottles for this nail
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How to paint Pistachio Cat Eye nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two thin coats of Pistachio, curing each one.
- 2 Apply Pistachio magnetic gel and hold the magnet at an angle for eight seconds to draw the Milk Bath band out.
- 3 Seal with a no-wipe top coat; wiping the tacky layer kills the effect.
Questions about Pistachio Cat Eye
Is Pistachio Cat Eye 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 Pistachio Cat Eye?
3 bottles: Pistachio (crème), Milk Bath (sheer) and Fern (crème). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.
Does Pistachio Cat Eye 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.
How many coats does Pistachio Cat Eye need?
More than you would expect. Milk Bath 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.