cmfinished1

All those tiny dots might make it seem difficult to do a camouflage manicure, but it’s super easy! We’re going beyond the traditional army colors of green and brown, and switching it up with pinks, purples, and blues! The choices are endless if you have a variety of polishes in the same color family. You can even get some camo fabric and match your nails to your peplum skirt! Put on some combat boots and get down to BIZNASS!

cmwhatuneed

What you Need:

  • 3-4 different shades of nail polish in the same color family of your choosing. Just make sure to have at least one dark shade, one light shade, and one that lands in the middle. I used Floss Gloss Nail Polish in Wavepool for my light shade, Revlon Colorstay in Coastal Surf for the middle shade, and Color Club in Insta-This for the darkest hue (their Bright Night shade looks good, too).
  • A clear top coat; I use Seche Vite.
  • Not pictured: a protective clear base coat (I use Seche Vite Clear Base).
  • A dotting tool (you can find the exact ones I use for pretty cheap on eBay or Etsy, or just use a bobby pin! Make sure to pry open up your bobby pin and separate the ends so they are no longer close together.
  • Something to use as a palette for your polishes. I use an old plastic plate, but you can totally get something perfect at a dollar store like this one that has sections—it will keep your polishes from mixing together!

How to do it:

cmstep1

1. Apply your protective base coat, then paint all of your nails with a light shade of your choosing.

cmstep2

2. Put a generous drop of your medium shade onto your palette; dab your bobby pin or dotting tool into it and start plopping irregular blobs onto your nail. As you do each nail, the polish on the palette may start to thicken, so you might have to pour out some fresh paint. Almost cover your whole nail with these blobs, but letting your first color peek through. Let the polish set for a minute or so to avoid smudging.

cmstep3

3. Wipe off your bobby pin or dotting tool on a tissue. Make sure it is completely clean; I had a cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover handy for this. Repeat the dipping and dabbing process with your next color (or colors).

cmfinished2

4. Your nails should be looking pretty camouflaged by now! Once you’re satisfied with the pattern, let it set for a couple of minutes and apply your top coat. Rejoice—your nails are in DISGUISE! ♦