Pistachio Checkerboard nails
Pistachio and Milk Bath in alternating blocks — a loose grid, and the wobble is what makes it look painted.
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.
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 Pistachio Checkerboard nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two thin coats of Pistachio, curing each one.
- 2 Block alternating Milk Bath squares with a square brush, four or five to a row.
- 3 Two top coats — the first fills the grid, the second flattens it.
Questions about Pistachio Checkerboard
Is Pistachio Checkerboard 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 Checkerboard?
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 Checkerboard 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 Checkerboard 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.