After my semi-fail of a pastel neon watermarble, I couldn’t face trying to achieve anything half-decent on my right hand. I had to wear this for a couple of days, so I used the same polishes plus some holo top coat to create this blurry, Pastel Rainbow effect.
Excuse the jump back to long nails! As you’ll have seen from my Holographic Waterfall design, I’ve filed them down short, but I’m really behind in posting. I’m trying to catch up!
I already had a white base from the watermarble plans, so I made the most of it by dabbing and swiping seven different colours. They are from the Color Club Poptastic collection and they blend really well, so it took me no effort at all to create this effect.
Polishes and tools
Your favourite base coat and top coat
Cirque Carpe Diem
Color Club Disco’s Not Dead, Hot-Hot-Hot Pants, Feathered Hair Out To There, Diggin’ The Dancing Queen, Meet Me At The Rink, Til The Record Stops and Under The Blacklight
ILNP My Private Rainbow X
There was no need for liquid latex to keep things clean, and I only needed to do minimal clean-up. If you have some colours that are similar in finish and tone, then this would be really easy to achieve at home with no skill whatsoever.
After the white base, i just worked through all seven polishes, making sure there wasn’t too much loaded on the brush. I dabbed and painted in different spots on each nail.
The colours overlapped and blended easily, so I had no need to use a sponge to make this gradient effect. That would have taken much longer – I found this really quick!
Pastel Rainbow
Once the colours were all on, I added a coat of my favourite holo top coat and finished it off with Seche Vite.
The colours really come alive in sunlight, and you definitely see their neon tendencies when outside. Certainly not your average pastel polishes.
This design worked great alongside my slightly ropey watermarble. I hate it when my hands don’t match, but this worked really well. Are you won over by this watercolour effect, or do you long for those eye-searing true neons?
August 5, 2016
I really love the effect
August 6, 2016
Thank you Joanna 🙂
August 5, 2016
Looks great! Love the shade and the simple design.
August 6, 2016
Thanks Dean – the colours really come alive in bright sunlight!
August 5, 2016
I love these – they would be perfect nails for our holiday!
August 6, 2016
Thanks Kara! They would be lovely on holiday and the holo would twinkle in the sun 🙂
August 5, 2016
Love the effect but much prefer brighter colours 🙂 looks great xx
August 6, 2016
Thank you 🙂 I’m sure it would work in true neons too.
August 6, 2016
So girlie !
I love it <3
August 6, 2016
Thank you!
August 6, 2016
The watercolour effect looks great and perfect for the summer! 🙂
August 6, 2016
Thank you – I agree!
August 6, 2016
This would be perfect for a wedding, amazing colour choices x
August 7, 2016
Perfect for a wedding, delicate and fun
August 7, 2016
These are so pretty, I love the colour. I could see myself wearing that all summer 😉
August 7, 2016
Thank you Melanie!
August 7, 2016
Lovely nail art. My wife loves it so much. She wants to try it as well.
August 7, 2016
Thank you!
August 7, 2016
Another gorgeous design! They are so pretty, we love rainbows here for so many personal reasons, I so wish I could do this on my own nails!
August 7, 2016
This is a really easy one – you don’t need anything other than the polishes! Give it a go
August 7, 2016
These are really pretty, perfect for the summer. xx
August 8, 2016
Thanks Yvonne! I agree, very summery
August 7, 2016
Another beautiful set of nail, this colour is amazing. 🙂 Love these too!!
August 8, 2016
Thank you Claire! I love how easy the colours were to work with.
August 8, 2016
Ooh I love this pastel take on the rainbow. It is so unexpected but beautifully so!
August 9, 2016
Thank you Ana!!
August 9, 2016
These would make great holiday nails wouldn’t they. I love the coulours
August 9, 2016
Thank you Zena! I wouldn’t be able to stop looking at them sparkling in the sun