How to do a moon manicure. How to perform a moon manicure using gel polish

Nail art is a great way to spice up your style and add a little extravagance to your look. An excellent solution would be a lunar manicure, which gained popularity in 2013 and became the main trend of 2014-2015.

What is moon manicure

The moon or lune is a white area near the nail bed, which marks the transition of the plate to the base. Previously, traditional healers determined the patient’s health and lifestyle based on the condition of this area of ​​the nail. In ancient times, girls tinted the hole using white to create a snow-white effect.

The second wave of popularity of lunar manicure occurred at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 20-30s, fashionistas deliberately painted over their nails not along their entire length in order to visually reduce them and give them some roundness.

The technique for performing this nail art is similar to an inverted French manicure or Shanghai manicure. To cover the plate with varnish, a special stencil is used, only it is attached not to the end of the nail, but to the base, creating a stylish and cute semicircle.

Advantages moon manicure:

  1. This is a great way to highlight the beauty of square or rectangular nails. Visually they will become less sharp;
  2. If you are planning to attend a party in a retro style, this nail art will be the perfect completion of a vintage look;
  3. It is very easy to do at home even with minimal experience;
  4. Extensions are not a problem to adjust this style. You also don’t have to be afraid of cutting your nails, because the tips are practically not involved in creating the desired design.

Video: stylish moon manicure


Video: elegant manicure

Video: lunar black and white manicure

How to do a moon manicure

To create this style at home, you will need to prepare yourself templates. Many craftswomen cut out circles from cardboard, paper or tape. You need to be as careful as possible with adhesive tape, because if the polish is not completely dry, marks will remain on the nail. You can buy stencils at a beauty supply store. Stripes for a classic French jacket are also suitable.

Then you need to decide on a color combination. The following combinations look very beautiful: red-black (this is the most popular lunar manicure of 2015 after the Valentino show), black-silver, beige-white, blue-violet. All colors look great together with gold. Naturally, before doing nail art, you need to decide on a general image so that your nails fit organically into the style.

Instructions how to do a moon manicure step by step:

  1. Wipe off the remaining old polish from the nail plate, file in the right places, and be sure to remove the cuticle. To do this, you can use products for unedged manicure;
  2. Cover the nail with the base coat, which is needed to even it out, let the varnish dry;
  3. Now apply the chosen color for the moon to your nails, this will be the base of your nail art;
  4. After this, cover the painted moon with a stencil and paint the nail with the main color;
  5. All that remains is to fix the manicure with transparent or matte varnish. A good option is to cover the plate with glitter to create a holographic effect.

Ombre style is very fashionable this year. It is used for tattooing lips, dyeing hair and eyelashes, and now also for creating unique nail art. To do moon ombre on nails, You will need:

  1. Clean and prepare the marigolds as described above;
  2. Now paint on the moon using the stencil;
  3. After this, you need to take a piece of a simple sponge (you can even take it for washing dishes). Apply several colors of shades of the selected varnish onto the sponge. For example, for green it will be: light green, turquoise, green, dark green. Using gentle pressure movements, apply paint to the plate. Make sure that there are no stains, if necessary, walk through the area again;
  4. Sparkles look very beautiful on this manicure - they do not overwhelm the color gradient. They can be used as a strengthener.

You can use not only shades of the same color, but also contrasting palettes. Then you will get a very beautiful and cute nail art. But it should be noted that a single-color ombre looks more impressive than a multi-colored one.

Tips for creating a moon manicure:

  1. Many fashionistas cover their nails with foil, paper or glitter on the moon. This gives them luxury;
  2. To create a unique style, you can also attach a piece of lace or mesh to the hole;
  3. The darker the colors, the more spectacular the manicure will be;
  4. If you want your manicure to “last” as long as possible, then your nails need to be painted with Shellac varnish or coated with a special gel;
  5. Depending on the time of year, event or mood, you can draw patterns on the hole. Let’s say, if it’s spring now – let it be a leaf, summer – a juicy slice of fruit, autumn – a leaf, and winter – a snowflake;
  6. To create a cute style, we recommend attaching rhinestones, beads, sparkles, or glass stones to the moon.

Experiment with different colors and styles to get your perfect moon manicure. Any beauty salon can provide you with this procedure, and the cost is quite low. In the average salon in Russia and Ukraine, a fashionable lunar manicure will cost $10. And, say, in Voronezh or Kyiv about 9 USD.

Lunar manicure calendar

Before doing any nail art, it is correct to look at the moon phase calendar. All beauty procedures are very dependent on what lunar day and month they are carried out. Depending on your zodiac sign, you need to be able to choose the right day.

  1. In ancient times they said that cutting your nails after sunset on Friday meant money;
  2. Regardless of what your horoscope says, it is not advisable for girls not born on Sunday to undergo any cosmetic procedures on this day of the week;
  3. Avoid nail salons during your period.

Moon phases are not determined by month. This calendar depends on what sign the satellite is currently in. Pisces, Gemini, and Taurus are considered the most unfavorable. Astrologers call the signs Capricorn, Sagittarius, Aquarius and Aries “good”. Libra, Virgo, Leo are neutral. At the same time, Cancer and Scorpio are more positive than negative.

But at the same time, in the winter months - January, December and February - a growth cessation is possible, which is in no way related to the phase. In the spring, the body suffers from vitamin deficiency, so March, April and May are the months for layering nails. But in summer and autumn (from June to November), nails grow quickly, they are strong and beautiful. July, August, September are a great time for any beauty treatments. And in October, it’s better to pay more attention to vitamin baths.

Types of nail designs are becoming more and more interesting and unusual, but for several years now lunar manicure has been considered quite popular. Any professional knows how to make holes on nails.

But we don’t always have enough time to go to beauty salons, so we have to take care of our hands ourselves. So how can you beautifully and accurately paint the holes or, more correctly, lunulae?

Using a stencil

The easiest way is to use a template. You can take a special round one, use a template for a French jacket, or cut it out of tape. The sequence of creating this beauty will be quite simple:

Prepare your hands thoroughly, paying special attention to the cuticles - because that's where all the attention will be.
Apply the shade you would like to paint the crescents with and wait until it dries.
Glue the template at the required distance from the base of the nail plate.
Paint over the uncovered part, and after drying, quickly but carefully remove the sticker.
All that remains is to cover the result with a final colorless varnish.
This method is suitable not only for those who want to do a two-color manicure. It will also help those who are looking for an answer to the question of how to make transparent holes on their nails. All the steps are the same, but instead of applying the first coat of varnish, use a clear coat.

Stencils can also be used to create a moon jacket. To do this, at the third stage, two templates are attached - with the outer side of the round sticker to the base of the nail plate, and with the inner side - from the tip. All that remains is to paint over the main part and secure the result with a transparent coating.

Manually

This method is suitable for those interested in how to make holes on nails without a stencil. There are at least two ways to create a moon design by hand. First:

  1. Prepare your hands and apply base polish to them.
  2. Use a thin brush to paint over the lunula, having previously marked the outline with dots - this will make it easier to create an even outline.
  3. If the coating is not thick enough, apply a second layer.
  4. Apply sealer.

In this case, the lunula will turn out to be slightly convex due to the thickness of the layers. If the opposite effect is needed, paint the nail plates first with the color of the decorative element, and then apply varnish to the main part of the nail plate, without affecting the rounded area at the base.

The second option allows you to do a manicure without height differences:

  1. As always, get your fingers in order.
  2. Using a thin brush, paint a crescent moon in two layers.
  3. Align the edges of the drawing with a corrector pencil. You can do this with a toothpick wrapped in cotton wool and soaked in remover.
  4. Taking the brush again, carefully paint over the remaining part with the second tone.
  5. Apply a layer of sealer.

Lunar shellac

The methods for creating decor with regular coating and gel polish are different. In the second case, standard preparation should include degreasing the nail plates so that the adhesion is as reliable as possible. Next we follow the instructions:

  1. Paint your nails completely with the lunula tint and dry them in a UV lamp for 2 minutes.
  2. We attach the stencil.
  3. Paint over the remaining part, remove the template and dry your fingers again using a lamp.
  4. Apply the fixative and put your fingers under ultraviolet light.

If you wish, you can do without templates and draw a crescent yourself, but this will require much more accuracy and perseverance.

4 ways to draw a hole on your nails - video

How to choose colors

Typically contrasting shades are used for lunar designs. The most popular color for semicircular decor is white. It looks great with any foundation. But you shouldn’t limit yourself to this example. You can always come up with something more original.

For example, you can combine different types of the same shade - dark and light tones of green, purple, pink, blue. The color can be almost any. The choice will largely depend on what you plan to wear.

Another way to make your hands look more unique is to use metallic colors. Silver or gold lunulae will look good with almost any shade and are great for evening style. This effect can be achieved using glitter paint or transfer foil. In the latter case, you will need to purchase special glue.

In a lunar manicure, you can combine different colors, but the following combinations look most attractive:

  • lime and brown;
  • Red and black;
  • peach or beige and black;
  • brown and mint;
  • red and orange;
  • lilac and blue;
  • pink and black.

Asymmetry would be an interesting solution. Example: all fingers have a red base with a dark lunula, and the ring finger has a red crescent and a dark background. Another idea is that one of the fingers remains without decoration, but is completely painted in the color of the holes of the other fingers.

How to add some flair

The classic design with lunulas has become very popular in recent years, so it won’t surprise anyone anymore. A little higher you learned how to make holes on your nails with shellac or regular coating. Now let's figure out how to create something more non-standard.

  • The edge of the decorative element can be emphasized with glitter. Using a brush, draw a thin line right along the border of the two colors.

  • Use rhinestones to add sparkle. Attach one large rhinestone to the center of the crescent border, or glue several smaller ones to highlight the border. You can also use contrasting dots for this.

  • Between the rounded element and the main color, you can draw a thin line in black and draw a bow.

  • The hole can be separated by only one line. A thin strip is glued along the border of the lunula even before staining begins. The entire surface is covered with one varnish, and after drying the strip is removed.

  • On a white background with a transparent lunula, you can draw a collar and buttons in black.

Now you know how to make holes on your nails without the help of specialists, how to choose the right color and how to add zest to your manicure. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination and come up with new, original solutions that will definitely arouse the admiration of others.

The popularity of gel polishes is growing every day. An increasing number of girls dream of mastering working with shellac at home in order to create their own manicures and pedicures. This is a truly amazing coating that allows you to create any nail art, from the simplest to the most complex. One of the fashion trends of recent seasons is moon manicure with gel polish on nails.

If you consider yourself a fashionista, then you need to know how to do a shellac moon manicure. What materials will be required, the procedure technique, harmonious combinations - nail service masters talk about all this and much more.

Moon manicure, reverse French manicure, Hollywood nail art - all these are variations of its designation. Such design is not a product of modern thought, but revived from the past. In the distant 30s of the 20th century, girls thought, why not leave the hole unpainted. This trend was very popular with the masses, but was soon undeservedly forgotten.

The second wave of popularity hit the lunar French after the incomparable Dita Von Teese, the queen of burlesque, appeared in public with marigolds of a similar design. The paparazzi did not leave this feature of the manicure unnoticed, inflating the hype, and literally the next day, the holes became a trend.

The epithet “Hollywood” was attached to the design thanks to the love of celebrities for this nail art. Every now and then they flaunt on the red carpet with a reverse French jacket, and also often use it in everyday life.

Unlike the classic French, when only the free edge of the nail plate was highlighted in white, the lunar one implies highlighting the base of the nail. As a rule, two colors are used, and the hole is made arched and smooth. However, more and more often you can find a triangular hole, a hole made of rhinestones, foil, etc. Thus, lunar design is a testing ground for your imagination without iron canons and clichés.

Creation technique

How to do a moon manicure with gel polish is a frequently asked question in search engines. Many girls strive to carry out the procedure at home, mastering the art of nail art on their own. The key to the success of the event is adherence to technique, so it is recommended to follow step by step without deviation.

First of all, check if you have all the materials in stock. You will need:

  • Base coat.
  • A pair of colored gel polishes.
  • Top shellac.
  • Curing lamp.
  • Degreaser.

First, prepare your nails: remove the cuticles, shape the plates, and trim the length. Degrease the surface. Cover the nails with the base and dry the layer under the lamp. Next, apply the first gel polish, this is the color the hole will be.

The coating is applied to the entire nail and dried under ultraviolet rays. All layers must be thin. Next, the hole is covered with a stencil sticker and a second colored shellac is used. The layer is also dried in a lamp. At the end, the top is applied and dried too.

There is a slightly different way to create a moon jacket. Unlike the first one, a stencil is not used here, and the hole is drawn by hand. This requires some skill. The steps are identical, the surface is degreased, a base is applied, dried, then a color layer, again under the lamp.

Now, instead of a sticker, you need to draw a hole of the desired shape and dry it. Cover your nails with top coat and secure under the lamp. If you want the hole to remain transparent, then you need to paint with only one colored shellac and cover the entire nail with it except for it.

Some people use foil when creating a Hollywood French jacket. To do this, after the base and color, the hole site is treated with glue. When it has set a little, the transfer foil is attached to the area, waited a little and removed with a sharp movement. It turns out original and interesting. The combination of a dark, deep nail color with a foil hole is considered especially attractive.

According to nail service experts, shellac is a unique coating. Its ability to keep your manicure looking pristine for two weeks is amazing. Glossy shine, no chipping, and a beneficial effect on the nail plate are the main advantages of gel polishes over acrylic and gel modeling and conventional decorative coatings.

Making a moon manicure with gel polish at home is easy. Knowing the features of the step-by-step execution technique, even a beginner can cope with this, professionals admit. However, it is important that the materials are of high quality and the technology is strictly followed, otherwise you cannot avoid detachments.

The competent process of manicure removal plays an important role, so it is better to rely on the master and go to the salon. To be fair, we note that a moon manicure with shellac at home is not inferior in effectiveness to a professional one, if you do everything correctly and have the necessary tools and materials.

At the peak of popularity now are such combinations for lunar design as gold and black, matte and glossy textures, and the use of additional accessories such as rhinestones, stones, and sparkles. Moon manicure with shellac can be done on both long and short nails.

Experts say that it looks even better on short ones, so this is an excellent nail art for those who find natural length difficult. A reverse French jacket is appropriate for special occasions, vacation trips and gray everyday life.

Marina Ignatieva is the editor of the “Beauty” section of COLADY magazine, a hair and makeup specialist.

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Having reached the peak of fashion back in 2011, lunar manicure has not lost ground even two years later. This type of manicure is one of the most popular, representing style and fashion. A certain mixture of modern and classic styles looks very unusual and original. What is a lunar manicure and is it really possible to do it yourself at home?

What is a moon manicure?

It is believed that lunar manicure, which has taken a strong position in the field of beauty, is a type of French manicure, or French manicure . Due to the fact that short nails are in fashion this year, lunar manicure has become especially popular, although it takes its origins back to the 30s of the last century. This fact once again confirms that worthwhile things do not go away forever, but are only forgotten for a short time. Those who hear the name of this manicure for the first time think that it is something unearthly or mysterious. To some extent this is true.
The origin of the name moon manicure is 2 theories . On the one hand, it is believed that he has something in common with crescent , which, as we know, is the moon. On the other hand, this manicure focuses on that part of the nail called lunula or hole among the people. And this manicure has such a name only in our country, since abroad it is most often called Hollywood French.
Although this manicure is a type of French manicure, in addition to the inverted shape, it has another important difference - commitment to use contrasting varnishes . It is possible to combine both a moon manicure and a classic French manicure on the same hand, when there are crescents at the top and bottom of the nail plate.

Instructions for self-applying lunar manicure

To create a lunar manicure you will need to purchase:

  • adhesive stickers
  • thin brushes
  • basic base for manicure
  • varnish fixer
  • varnishes of various colors

Having all this, you can proceed directly to the manicure:

Alternative methods of applying moon manicure

  • In the first of them, you can first apply the main color of its surface to the nail, after which you can paste a sticker along the upper border of the lunula and paint over it. This method is useful for those who do not have the opportunity to buy stickers designed specifically for this type of manicure, because you can use those that are suitable for a classic French manicure.
  • The second method will save those girls who don’t have any stickers at hand. But here you will need extreme precision and accuracy, since the varnish will have to be applied to the lunula area with a thin brush, which leaves no room for error, otherwise the entire nail will have to be redone again.

For anyone who wants to learn how to do a lunar manicure with their own hands, it is important to remember that this type of manicure cannot be rushed, so qualities such as patience and accuracy are essential. In addition, you should not neglect the requirement of this manicure to use light shades of varnish for the crescent, although any color combinations are allowed.
Having initial ideas about the method of creating a lunar manicure, all you have to do is achieve precision application in practice, which is quite possible after several practice attempts.

No wonder they say that everything new is well forgotten old. In the 20s of the last century, fashionistas, painting their nails at their own risk, left a small distance along the nail hole, covering the tips with bright red or pink, thereby showing that they did not allow themselves indecent liberties. Fortunately, in our time, women have no restrictions in design and style, but this type of manicure has remained fashionable and popular.

Lunar manicure at home: step-by-step description

Lunar manicure can be done in almost any salon or nail studio. But many girls have become so adept that they do it themselves on their own hands. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this and after reading this article you will be able to do such a manicure, avoiding all possible difficulties.

Like any other type of manicure, regardless of whether you cover your nails with regular nail polish or use gel polish, your hands need to be prepared by removing all unevenness and roughness from the surface of the nails and the skin around them, polishing and trimming the nails to the same length, and degreased upon completion. By the way, for several seasons now, short, neat nails, with a slightly protruding free edge, have remained in trend. You can learn more about all these stages of preparing the nail plate for any further coating.


Apply clear polish to the prepared nail surface. Let it dry completely and cover the nail with an even layer of rich, thick polish in red shades. Once completely dry, apply another sealing coat of clear varnish.

  • Option with colored, contrasting lunula.

If the texture of your nail polish is thick and dense, then paint the entire nail with the color you planned to use for the main top coat.

With a very thin or, conversely, wide brush, paint a hole on each nail with colored varnish after the bottom layer has completely dried.

If you understand that by applying two selected varnishes to each other, they will merge or become transparent, then first draw neat holes, and after they have completely dried, paint over the main part of the nail with a contrasting varnish. Don't forget to seal the layers with clear varnish.

Stencils for moon manicure

Modern fashionistas are much luckier than their predecessors in the 20th century. After all, as soon as a trend becomes more or less popular, all sorts of auxiliary accessories immediately appear on the market in this area. Marilyn Monroe could only dream of this!

With the help of special stencils for moon manicure, you will create the perfect design on all fingers in just a few minutes.

The principle of operation is almost the same as using a brush.

  1. Apply a base clear coat.
  2. Wait for it to dry completely.
  3. Apply the polish you prepared to color the lunula over the entire surface of the nail.
  4. Let it dry completely.
  5. Apply the stencil evenly to each nail as if it were the final result.
  6. Paint the rest of the nail with your base polish color.
  7. Without waiting for it to dry, remove the stencils and then wait until the layer dries well.
  8. Secure the layers with clear varnish.

If you have chosen the option with a classic lunar manicure, where the lunula of the nail will remain unpainted, then skip steps 3-4 and go straight to step 5.

Stickers for moon manicure

You can make such stickers for moon or French manicure yourself using ordinary tape.

You will need:

  • narrow or wide tape (you can use colored or transparent);
  • sharp manicure scissors;
  • gel pen or thin felt-tip pen.


Moon manicure for short nails: features of execution

As we already wrote above, long nails have long faded into the background. Young modern women choose a short, neat manicure.

Moon manicure, or, as it is often called, an inverted French manicure, not only visually lengthens the nail plate, but also makes the fingers visually thinner, making a woman’s hand look more elegant.


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