The roe-reminiscent Caviar Manicure puts luxury on your fingertips
Giving ombre nails and holographic enamel a run for their money is
the Caviar Manicure. The elaborate nails were first seen on the runway
at the Cushnie et Ochs Fall 2011 fashion show. Manicurists used beads
from the designers' collection directly on the nail, creating a
pearlescent, 3-D effect.
The inspiration behind the Caviar Manicure came about when Charlotte
Knight, UK-based celebrity manicurist and Ciate creative director, was
looking to create 3-dimensional nails for a front cover magazine shoot
and wanted to develop something feminine, indulgent yet delicately
extravagant.
Her brand recently launched limited-edition Caviar Manicure kits to
create decadent nails at home. Each set (available on sephora.com and
ciate.co.uk/caviar-manicure contains a Ciate base polish and "caviar"
micro pearls in one of three shades — Rainbow, Mother-of-Pearl and
Black.
For an inexpensive do-it-yourself manicure, you could grab your
favourite nail polish, purchase small beads from the local craft store,
and have a field day.
DIY Caviar Manicure
You need: Base coat, opaque nail polish (no shimmer), clear micro beads available at most craft stores, top coat.
You need: Base coat, opaque nail polish (no shimmer), clear micro beads available at most craft stores, top coat.
Step 1: The Basics
First, apply a clear base coat on completely bare nails. Next, apply one coat of no-shimmer white polish (a thinner formula is best) onto your nails and let them dry.
First, apply a clear base coat on completely bare nails. Next, apply one coat of no-shimmer white polish (a thinner formula is best) onto your nails and let them dry.
Step 2: Coat and caviar
Apply a generous second coat of colour to one hand, and let the polish get tacky for 10 seconds. Then, over a sheet of paper, a cup, or a plastic tray, pour the microbeads over your nail bed, ensuring you coat the entire surface of your nail bed like glitter over glue.
Apply a generous second coat of colour to one hand, and let the polish get tacky for 10 seconds. Then, over a sheet of paper, a cup, or a plastic tray, pour the microbeads over your nail bed, ensuring you coat the entire surface of your nail bed like glitter over glue.
Step 3: Im-pressed
When each nail is entirely covered, use the pad of your finger to press and secure the caviar beads. Repeat this on your other hand.
When each nail is entirely covered, use the pad of your finger to press and secure the caviar beads. Repeat this on your other hand.
Step 4: The Leftovers
Pour the excess beads back into the jar to save for later, then apply a tiny drop of top coat along your nail tip to seal the caviar. The look should last two or three days before the beads start to fall.
Pour the excess beads back into the jar to save for later, then apply a tiny drop of top coat along your nail tip to seal the caviar. The look should last two or three days before the beads start to fall.