Cherries: pairs of Milky Ochre berries on fine Rust Ember stems over Tangerine.
3 bottles: Tangerine, Milky Ochre and Rust Ember. Tangerine and Milky Ochre 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.
On a stiletto the nail narrows the whole way, so the pattern reads as tapering with it, which is worth allowing for before the first stroke.
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Bottles for this nail
Tap a bottle to open it on the shelfWhat you need
How to paint Tangerine Cherries nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two thin coats of Tangerine, curing each one.
- 2 Two Milky Ochre dots per pair, then join them with a fine Rust Ember stem in one stroke.
- 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.
Questions about Tangerine Cherries
Is Tangerine Cherries 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 Tangerine Cherries?
3 bottles: Tangerine (crème), Milky Ochre (sheer) and Rust Ember (crème). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.
Does Tangerine Cherries work on short nails?
Stiletto needs length, because the point is most of the shape. On a short nail it files down to something closer to almond, and the design still reads, just less sharply.
How many coats does Tangerine Cherries need?
More than you would expect. Milky Ochre 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.