I don't normally post on Tuesdays, but I really buckled down to get these photos ready since I already . Plus, guys, the backlog is out of control at the moment! Ah! *Blogger Problems*

Anyway, I am really happy with this nail art look, and I hope you like it!





I started off with a base layer of China Glaze- Dashboard Dreamer. On the middles nails I just used Scotch tape to tape a straight line down the middle of each nail. I taped out a v-shape on my pinky, although Essie- A Cut Above is not really dense enough to truly fill out and show off that shape. On my thumb, I used two pieces of tape to delineate a horizontal stripe.

For the gradient, I painted Dashboard Dreamer, China Glaze- More to Explore, and China Glaze- I Brake for Colour onto a dry makeup sponge. Gradients can blend better when you dampen the sponge first, but I was lazy. What I do is apply a few layers of each polish in overlapping stripes. The sponge will absorb some of it, which is why wetting it first prevents that. Either way, sponging a gradient has been about experimentation for me. I've done it both ways, and I'll probably try the damp version in the future again.

I was really itching for some matte glitter, so I finished the whole look off with one coat of Essie- Matte About You.

Polishes used:

left to right: China Glaze- Dashboard Dreamer, China Glaze- I Brake for Colour, China Glaze- More to Explore, Essie- Matte About You, Essie- A Cut Above

Can you tell how old and thick my Essie- Matte About You is? It defied gravity while on its side! Still, it hasn't developed the white particles(?) that I keep hearing about in old/ depleted bottles of Matte About You. It's still my most-used matte top coat, although I like the Butter London one too!







I think gradients + taping is my new favorite technique right now! I've already done another version with different shades from the the Road Trip collection, and I'll show you that one soon too!