A half moon: Milky Ochre filling the crescent at the cuticle over Tangerine — a french turned upside down.
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 round shape the pattern has a shallow, even canvas and nothing to snag, which is why the small repeating motifs tend to end up here.
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Bottles for this nail
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How to paint Tangerine Half Moon nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two thin coats of Tangerine, curing each one.
- 2 Draw the Milky Ochre crescent at the cuticle following the curve of the nail fold, then fill it.
- 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.
Questions about Tangerine Half Moon
Is Tangerine Half Moon 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 Half Moon?
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 Half Moon work on short nails?
Round is already the shortest shape here, so yes, this is one of the designs that works at almost any length.
How many coats does Tangerine Half Moon 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.