Leopard manicure is modern and remains always relevant. If you want to decorate your nails with something interesting and original, leopard print is ideal for this purpose. In addition, the spots can be of any color, which gives a wide field for experimentation.
Note that leopard manicure requires some practice among beginners before the design fits perfectly on the nails, so don't give up, try again and again.
Animal prints have always been present in designer collections in recent years. You can see them mainly in accessories - shoes, bags and belts.
Leopard print shoes
Leopard dress
Leopard handbag
However, animal motifs prevail not only in the creations of catwalk designers, but also in women's manicure. This fall, one of the latest fashion trends is leopard manicure.
The women's site will help you learn about the most common and successful manicure color combinations that you can use at work.
How to do leopard print nails
- Cover the nails with light beige nail polish and allow it to dry.
- Then, using a thin brush and acrylic paints or black (or other) varnish, create an outline of the spots.
- The spots should be different in shape and size, made with varnish or paint several shades darker than the base.
- If you wish, you can use other available color and speck combinations.
Even for classic fans of French manicure, there is something creative and unusual in leopard prints.
Nails with delicate tones: milky white, light beige, caramel, pale coral, peach will serve as an excellent basis for a leopard manicure on short or long nails. If you want, you can additionally decorate your nails with decorative elements (stones, rhinestones, flat glass beads) that match the color of the nail art.
An original manicure with spots is not just one of the types of nail art and a way to keep your nails beautiful; such nail designs are accessible even to beginners.
Bright varnishes create a more extravagant manicure. If you want a more dramatic and less realistic effect, you can use neon polishes as a base.
Manicure is easy and simple to perform at home; for more sophisticated patterns on long and durable nails, visit a gel or acrylic nail extension specialist.
Video tutorials on how to do leopard print nails
Classic leopard manicure on a beige basis
Minx manicure
Pink long nails with leopard print
Leopard print with shadows
Animal prints in the fashion world are becoming more in demand and popular every season. And this applies not only to accessories and clothing, but also to regular manicure. Leopard print manicure looks especially stylish and fashionable, made in both classic and original designs.
Who might suit the leopard print design?
Unfortunately, such fashionable spots are not suitable for everyone, since short nails with this print will appear even smaller and will visually enlarge the hand. Almond-shaped and rectangular nails, slightly elongated or even as long as possible, are considered an ideal option for a manicure with this design. It is also worth considering that leopard manicure can be used not only as an original nail design, but also as an excellent way to disguise absolutely any flaws in the nail plates.
In addition, nail design in this thematic direction can complement an everyday look, fit into an office style, highlight its owner at a noisy party and make a typical evening outfit perfect.
Interesting fashionable shades of leopard print
An ordinary leopard manicure is a monotonous pattern, in the form of uneven small spots that differ in size and shape. As a rule, spots are applied to a transparent base with chocolate, brown or dark beige varnish and outlined with black varnish.
But in addition to the standard color combination, leopard nail design allows you to use other equally stylish shades. For example, bright light green, coral, blue and red colors outlined in black varnish are this year’s stylish trend. And specks of cold metallic shades, although considered catchy, look incredibly attractive.
It is worth noting that the ability to choose the colors of the spots when creating an original design makes it possible to experiment with their size and frequency. This gives you a chance to come up with a new design every time and captivate others with your creativity.
The original version of leopard manicure can be seen in the following video:
Original ideas for leopard manicure
Listening to the opinion of designers, a classic-looking leopard manicure is not the only solution, and besides, it is not at all necessary to paint a predatory print on all nails. In some cases, a couple of nails with spots are enough to focus attention on well-groomed and stylish nails. In addition, experts recommend mixing leopard manicure with a lunar or French-style design.
A typical French manicure can easily be turned into a leopard print manicure. To do this, just apply a few stains to the base. Moreover, the spots should be drawn only on the French zone. But you can also remove a couple of stains, beyond the border, onto the nail plate.
The current lunar style can also be easily transformed into leopard print. And it’s worth noting that a moon manicure with specks, like a French style, can be done in your favorite shades, choosing colors that can complement the overall style of the image.
Ideas and technology for creating a leopard manicure
If you listen to a few tips from professionals, a unique leopard manicure will delight the owner with its beauty and originality. For example, how to make a leopard manicure with a touch of exoticism and glamor, while leaving the basic style, is quite easy. You just need to decorate the prints with rhinestones, glass beads and stones.
It is also worth noting that this nail design is combined with dull, plain clothes and the presence of spotted prints on accessories. But if your clothes contain predatory shades, it is better to choose a regular French manicure. Massive rings with colored stones are ideal companions for a leopard-style manicure.
At first glance, a leopard print manicure seems like an insurmountable task for those who are used to taking care of their nails on their own. But it turns out that creating such a design does not require any special skills. All you need is extreme accuracy and enough time.
Leopard print nails will be a great addition to the “predator” look. This trend is especially popular in manicure design, which is why this type of service is often offered in modern beauty salons. After reading this article, you will not necessarily need to turn to strangers for help, because you can try to make yourself an original leopard manicure on your own.
It is worth noting that the leopard nail design will be appropriate not only on long nails. It is possible to experiment with color combinations by choosing unusual shades found in nature. Don't be afraid to add some creativity to your print design. The frequency of the pattern can be adjusted, it is not necessary to cover the entire plate with the pattern, you can do a French leopard manicure.
As you can see, there are a lot of options; you have the power to make the design of your nails quite unique and individual, even if they are extended. If you have things with leopard print in your wardrobe, it is better to do a manicure in the corresponding color scheme. This way you will be able to create a harmonious image. (Photo)
Leopard on nails - photos, how to do it
Before you paint leopard spots on your nails, you should decide on the method to use. There are three of them, with their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, decor created using stamping (photos of leopard nail designs will be presented below) benefit from the fact that you don’t need to spend a lot of time on it, and no special skills are required for this. It is important to take into account that the pattern can only be made in one color; stamps are selected individually.
You can also make drawings with a brush; in this case, you can use several colors (2, 3). With a little practice, you will learn how to create complex designs, and the patterns will become clearer and more recognizable each time. An even easier way to create a leopard nail design is to use special stickers. This method of decoration cannot boast of durability. You will be able to perform a beautiful manicure with leopard print with minimal time losses after a few training sessions. Having gained experience, you will be able to cope with this task within 15-20 minutes.
Leopard print on nails using a brush
Tools you will need:
- varnish base;
- colored varnish as the main one;
- additional coverage;
- finish (fixer).
Before applying the leopard print, the nail plates need to be properly prepared. For these purposes, the cuticle is removed, each plate is given the desired shape, and they are perfectly polished. If you want a leopard print manicure like in the photo, you must make the surface of your nails perfectly smooth and even. Then the base is applied and dried, followed by a color coating, which is the basis of the design. The layer must be even, streaks are unacceptable.
Let's move on to the most interesting part - creating the effect of leopard skin on your nails. Use a thin brush to randomly apply colored spots. Then make an intermittent border for each one. It should be fuzzy and black. For these purposes, you can also use a dots manicure tool or a regular needle. As you understand, the edging is done after the main spots have dried. To better understand how this happens, look at the photo of leopard nails. (Photo)
At the end of the work, a transparent top coat is applied.
It would be a good idea to watch the training video. This way you will definitely learn how to create an original design for your nails, which will be appropriate if you plan to wear a dress with a leopard print somewhere.
Leopard print on nails using stamping
This method is ideal for those who are desperately short of time for themselves. To implement it you will need:
- plate with leopard skin patterns;
- scraper;
- stamp;
- base + top coat;
- two varnishes of primary colors.
After the nail plates are properly prepared, they are covered with a base compound, which is completely dried. Then apply two layers of varnish to the previously prepared decorating plate. Without waiting for it to dry, remove the excess with a rubber scraper. Press the rubber stamp pad onto the material remaining in the recesses, after which the pattern will be transferred to it. To make a leopard print on your nails, all you have to do is press the stamp to the surface of the nail in the center and print it over the entire area. Using this technology allows you to do an original manicure at home in a short time. To get a more accurate picture, it is recommended to watch a video about leopard manicure.
If you want to try an even simpler way to decorate your nails, then use stickers. But look at the photo of the leopard manicure in advance. As you can see, stickers are appropriate where you plan to cover only a certain part of the nail with a pattern or do a leopard-print manicure in a French style.
... And today we will talk about leopard nail design. I'll show you 12 variations... 12 Ways to Use This Spotty Manicure Technique. You yourself will be surprised at the variety of leopard nails that you can do at home. You will receive a beautiful stylish manicure. And the satisfaction of realizing the fact that YOU YOURSELF created such beauty.
I will show and tell you everything in great detail. I’ll give you a photo and a step-by-step detailed breakdown of how to make a leopard print manicure. So... let's get started.
Brown and sandy leopard shades on the nails.
Leopard print nails look very beautiful, made in the same natural tones as the leopard skin. Depending on whether the spotted predator is young or old... depending on the season... on the lighting of the sun or moon... the skin of a leopard can have different shades from a brown palette to light sand.
And this same color scheme can be used on your leopard manicure.
How to draw leopard spots.
Do you know the beauty and convenience of leopard spots? The fact is that if you are a girl with an unbalanced temperament, then it is a real pain for you to paint your nails evenly - you always end up with uneven marks, especially on your uncomfortable right hand... and JUST leopard spots will hide all the flaws in your manicure. All crooked brush marks... or under-dried careless dents... all these imperfections will be hidden under the beautiful stylish leopard spots.
Even a child can create a leopard pattern on his nails. Now you will see how simple it is.
White background for leopard manicure.
The classic leo print and the classic black and white cinema can be combined into one manicure technique. Both the strict version of “black on white and white on black”… and gray spots in the black border of the strokes will look very nice.
Golden brown leopard spots on a white nail background look beautiful.
Red passion leopard manicure.
The combination of red + gold + leopard looks very nice. Very luxurious and sophisticated. It turns out to be an evening manicure - under a beautiful... special dress.
The red and gold leopard manicure from the photo above (to the right) is very easy to do.
- Paint your nails red.
- We tape the sides of the nail diagonally with tape - and on the open area we make a white background and black leo spots.
- We remove the tape. And on the border of the white and red zones, carefully draw a golden stripe with a thin brush.
Adding BLUE color to leopard print nails.
Leopard print nails will look fashionable and original if you highlight the contrast of the spots with an unexpected blue color. Blue leopard harmonizes best with the sandy-brown color scheme of the main color.
LILAC color of leopard nails.
The combination of soft purple shades with blue or red flowers looks advantageous here.
Leopard spots on metallic nails.
A leopard print nail design goes well with a metallic base nail shade. The sparkling background will emphasize the calm beauty of the spots and create the feeling of an expensive nail design.
Leopard print nails with a zoned background.
You can do it yourself leopard print background make it not just one color - but zone the nail into different colors. That is... cover the halves of the nails with different base varnish. And then dot both zones with spots. You can make sure that the leopard print is only on one half of the manicure... or just a little bit beyond the border of two colors (as in the photo to the left, below).
Leopard print manicure on gradient nails.
Leopard print looks very gentle on the smooth transition of color on the nails. To do this, we use a sponge to apply a smooth transition of the color of one varnish to another onto the nail - and then draw spots and strokes on top of this gradient color. (I described exactly how to make such a smooth transition of the background on nails using a sponge in a special article
And... I really like it reception of BORROWING COLOR (see photo below). That is... where there is a pink background we draw blue spots... and where there is a blue background we draw pink spots. The result is a gentle interception of color - when each background takes on the leopard spots of the color of the neighboring background...
Leopard French manicure.
The photo below shows another option for placing leopard spots... As we can see, first we do a basic French manicure. And then, when the French base dries, we make leopard spots on top of it.
Moreover, you can (see left photo) draw specks only on the French zone.
Or you can (see right photo) and bring a flock of spots beyond the French border onto the nail plate.
ZONED leopard manicure (scotch technique).
You can also do this zoned leopard manicure at home - for this you will need regular tape.
- We paint the nails in the base color - not completely, but only the part that is needed. We are waiting for it to dry completely.
- Then we seal this part with tape (diagonally or straight).
- On the part of the nail that is not hidden behind the tape, apply a different color of varnish... Dry it... Apply a leopard print pattern... Remove the tape. And we get two zones - one-tone and leopard.
- On the border of these two zones, you can lay out a chain of rhinestones or simply draw a strip with a different color of varnish... or you can stick on a metallic nail strip.
Leopard spots + designs on nails.
You can combine leopard print with other designs on your nails - with a classic stripe or some symbolism (for example, a heart). Or add fluffy strips of velor nail powder... or draw lace.
Here is a step-by-step master class on how to create such a leopard-print manicure with lace - I specially drew it so that you understand HOW SIMPLE IT ALL IS.
Here is a selection of ideas for leopard manicure. Make your own mini-masterpieces... Come up with bold color combinations... add other manicure techniques to leopard print and create beauty for the joy of yourself and your loved ones.
And also...
I'll tell you and show you - how can you combine such leopard print nails with your clothes - with a dress, with jewelry, and shoes.
You will learn that it is not necessary to do such a manicure under a leopard print dress. The dress can be plain - and the leopard print will be well supported by a scarf, handbag, bracelet or earrings.
Many girls have a leopard print swimsuit or dress in their wardrobe. It is not surprising that leopard nail designs are also in great demand. Even beginners can recreate a tiger print on their nails. This manicure looks equally good on short nails and long ones.
Don't mistakenly assume that animal prints(leopard, zebra, etc.) can be decorated exclusively in natural colors. They can increasingly be seen in completely unexpected designs. The spots can be a calm beige or stand out in a bright red color. Each fashionista decides for herself what color she wants to create a leopard print manicure.
How to make a spotted nail design
First, decide how you will make such a design - using regular varnishes or gel polish. Of course, in the latter case, the pattern will last much longer, delighting you with its beauty. Nails can also be anything - any length, any shape, extensions or natural.
After this, carefully prepare your nails. Remove the cuticle and treat the side ridges. File your nails, moving the file strictly in one direction so as not to injure the plate. Sand the plates with a buff if you decide to use gel polish.
Next, prepare the varnishes you need, an orange stick or a thin brush and acrylic paints. Everything should be at your fingertips. It is worth noting that if the ornament is drawn by hand, then it looks more elegant and natural. But if you don't have experience, then ordinary varnishes and an orange stick are suitable for starting.
Consider the option with gel polishes:
As you can see, there is nothing complicated here. If you wish and have the necessary materials, you will quickly master the technique of applying an animal print to your nails.
Leopard print jacket
You can make a French version with “leopard”. It looks stylish and elegant. You can make it with rhinestones. Only rhinestones should be added in small quantities so as not to overload the nails.
An office option might look like this:
- Get a classic manicure.
- After the base, apply the main calm shade (beige or soft pink).
- Highlight the smile area with animal spots.
And for a holiday or party, make a bright leopard jacket. Do you like to be the center of attention? Then the main color will be red. But remember that both red and animal print are a little aggressive on their own. Don't overdo it or create an off-putting design on your nails.
Requirements for short and long nails
Of course, any animal print looks attractive on long nails. But owners of short nails shouldn’t be upset either. They just shouldn’t cover all their fingers with such patterns. It is enough to decorate two fingers with it, adding stones or sparkles to the design.
At the same time, the shape of the nails can also be any - round will add femininity to the image, and square is more durable. Therefore, the form is selected individually, depending on the girl’s preferences.
Manicure with stamping
Stamping is a unique technique with which you can transfer a variety of designs to your nails. Animal ornament is no exception here. You will need to buy a stamping kit, which includes:
- several boards with different images;
- silicone or rubber stamp;
- scraper;
- special varnishes with high pigmentation.
But it’s better to purchase all this separately, because you will need a board with a certain image.
It will be very easy to do a manicure using this technique. But you must first practice transferring the design onto artificial tips, since the special varnish dries quickly - you have no more than ten seconds to transfer the image. Then the already dried varnish will not adhere to the surface of the stamp or nail.
Of course, these are far from the only ways to create such an interesting and individual design. Acrylic modeling paired with “leopard” is also used. And if you don’t want to spend a lot of time with drawing or stamping, you can buy special stickers with the image you want. Nowadays you can even order sliders with a specific image.
Transferring the sticker to the nail is easy, but it requires some skill. To make the gel polish sticker last longer, you need to cover it with two layers of top coat. By the way, with its help you can diversify your manicure. The top comes in glossy and matte finishes. With each of them, the same manicure will look different.
Don't be afraid to experiment and recreate the most unexpected designs on your nails. Show your individuality and imagination.
