The Ultimate Guide To Make Leopard Print Dipping Nails at Home
Leopard print has always been a symbol of boldness and sophistication in fashion, and incorporating this pattern into your nail art can elevate your style quotient. Whether you're preparing for a special occasion or simply want to spice up your daily look, this guide is crafted to help you achieve salon-quality leopard dipping print nails in the comfort of your home.
Description of this leopard nails
Embrace your inner wildness with a sophisticated twist with our Lavender Leopard Print Nails. This manicure features a soft lavender base that exudes calm and gentility, while the bold leopard spots add an edge of untamed chic. It's a perfect balance for those who want to make a statement without sacrificing elegance. Whether you're going out for a casual coffee or a night on the town, these nails will show off your unique style. Visit our website to learn how you can recreate this look at home and for tips on keeping your nails looking fierce and fabulous.
Preparation for your dipping leopard print nail design at home
- Dip Essential Liquid
- 4 Dip Color for you to have the complete design, leopard design, and sheer color
- Dusky Rose (NCP008) A muted, warm pink, as quietly beautiful as a rose at dusk.
- Toasted Almond (NCP019) A warm, nutty shade evoking the rich flavor of toasted almonds.
- Onyx Obsession (NCP023) A deep, dark black that's as intriguing and mysterious as a night without stars.
- Smoky Quartz (NCP046) A smoky grey-brown shade that glistens like a polished quartz stone.
- Dip Liner Brush (Professional)
- Dust Brust
Or you can come to build your own kit and start your dip journey with our over 200 colors and 400+ nail inspirations. Whether you are a lover for years or just got on board for a few days, you'll always find the one for your mood, your occasion, and your style.
Get Your Dipping Leopard Nail Done Properly:
Pick The Perfect Color For Your Skin Tone
First, we'll begin with the creation of the leopard print nail design. The initial step in this process is to apply a base coat. For this design, we're using the color "Toasted Almond," which is a shade very similar to my skin color. Choosing this nude shade as the base is intended to better complement the deep brown tones of the leopard print, making the design appear more natural and authentic.
Liquid Applying to Determine The Success
When applying the base coat, it should be evenly spread to ensure the entire nail surface is covered. This color not only perfectly sets off the leopard pattern but also blends well with most skin tones, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal. Remember, the choice of base color is crucial for the final effect, as it's not only the foundation for the pattern but also sets the tone for the entire design.
Once the base coat is dry, we can proceed to create the leopard print. However, before doing so, ensure that the base coat is completely dry to avoid smudging or damaging it in the subsequent steps.
During this time, we will paint the other nails – the index, middle, and little fingers – in a color. The chosen color for these nails is a retro rose pink named "Dusky Rosé." This choice of a darker pink shade exudes a vintage and understated feel. Paired with the deep brown of the leopard print, it looks exceptionally stylish and enhances the uniqueness of the design. This combination also highlights the harmonious coordination of colors, adding to the overall aesthetic appeal of the nail design.
But you should remember all the dipping nail designs start with the even and thin application, you need to master the correct basic nail dipping process.
If you have never dipped your nails at home before, you should read this
Zero-To-One Guide to having perfect dip powder nail at home.
After the thumb and ring finger are dry, we start to paint the leopard print using our fine brush.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
The leopard print is composed of two parts:
- Brown spots are the main color of the leopard print.
- Black outlines around the leopard spots.
Creating the Leopard Print
We begin with the brown spots. It's important to note that these brown spots should not vary too much in size. Aim for relatively equal sizes but not completely identical. Also, the shapes should be irregular, more like distorted triangles rather than being too round or too rectangular. This irregularity makes the design look closer to a natural leopard print.
After painting the spots, we dip into the brown powder. When painting the leopard spots, it's important not to make them too dense. There should be some space between each leopard spot for two reasons: firstly, to prepare for the outlining process, and secondly, because too dense a pattern can look unattractive and unnatural.
Completing the Other Nails
While waiting for these spots to dry, we can maximize our time efficiently. Reapply a layer of pink powder on the fingers that was previously done in pink. After this, we go back to the thumb and ring finger. By this time, although I'm sure they are completely dry, I still dip them in a clear powder before drawing the black outlines of the leopard print. This step acts as an effective barrier for the black color we will use next, minimizing the chances of the black color contaminating the entire nail surface.
Adding Detail To The Leopard Print
After completing the preliminary steps, we took out the fine brush again to draw the outlines of the leopard print. Typically, we outline each leopard spot with three edges. These edges should ideally be disconnected from each other and should have a certain curvature. Also, it's important to vary the thickness of these lines slightly; they shouldn't be too uniform. This variation adds to the consistency and natural look of the leopard print.
Tricks For Getting Your Leopard Print More Vividly
After outlining the brown spots with the leopard print edges, here's a little trick:
Remember when I mentioned leaving some space between each spot? In these gaps, add one or two small vertical dots. Doing this will make the overall pattern and flow of the leopard print look more aesthetically pleasing.
After completing the outlines, we dip the brush in black. If it's not possible to finish everything in one go, you can first outline the edges of the brown spots with the leopard print and then gently add the black irregular dots. These black dots are not uniform and should be placed sporadically, which adds to the authenticity of the leopard print design. The key is to create a balance between the outlined spots and the black dots, ensuring they complement each other without overwhelming the overall design.
You can apply the black color in stages. Afterward, it's crucial to wait for the black to completely dry, as black is a color with very strong pigmentation. Once it's fully dry, apply a base coat. This is important because it minimizes the risk of smudging the nail surface. The purpose of applying another layer of base coat is to prepare a layer of clear powder. Using clear powder helps to even out the entire surface.
Firstly, this technique locks in the design of the nail surface, and secondly, it makes it easier to file and shape the nails later. This way, you won't damage the leopard print pattern and will also find it easier to file and shape the nails.
Afterward, when you feel great about the whole design of the dipping nail, apply the activator to get your nail completely cured and hardened.
After waiting for the entire nail surface to dry, proceed with shaping and sanding. Smooth out the entire nail surface, ensuring that the areas with the leopard print and those without are equally flat. Once the sanding is complete, reapply the third layer of polish. After that, apply a top coat. This completes our design for today: the vintage rose pink leopard print manicure. Remember, leopard print can also be paired with many other colors for different variations.
Complete The Full Process
Don't Forget Your Clear Powder
As long as you follow us on social media, you already know we use clear or build powder very frequently, especially when it comes to some designs that have glitter or if you would like to paint some persona design.
"Why Your Nail Say No to Your Request When Ask For A Dipping Nails Design?"
Clear powder is a must-have. It should be applied to protect the shine of the glitter on your dipping manicure, especially during the filing and buffing stages which can easily cause damage to your nail design. In essence, if you don't apply clear powder, your glitter nails are likely to get messed up.
Additionally, clear powder can seal the brilliance of your glitter or shimmer nails, elevating your dipping manicure to the next level in terms of both durability and flawlessness.
No Need for UV Lamp? Let's Find Out!
The activator used in the dip powder process is strong enough to cure and harden the nail without needing any additional light source. This not only saves time but also eliminates the potential risks associated with UV lamps.
Normally we will go for 2 times of applying the activator liquid, before and after the file & buff process, and here are the tips you should follow strictly:
- Timely Clear Up The Loose & Excess Powder On Your Nail Bed, this really helps you a lot when step into further process.
- Make Sure Your Activator Dried Completely, see why you will have problems.
- The More Layers You Apply, The Longer It Will Take To Dry, do you really know how your activator works in your dip system?
The Importance of Filing and Buffing
Filing and buffing are crucial steps in the dip powder process, as they help to smooth out the surface of your nails. This is especially important if you have any unevenness or ridges on your natural nail beds.
Furthermore, filing and buffing also helps to create a clean canvas for your dipping manicure, allowing the powder and activator to adhere better for a longer-lasting result.
Seal the Beauty Of Your Dip Manicure
After applying the buffing and activating your nails, it's time to seal everything in with an air-dry top coat. This final step not only helps to protect your nails from chipping or cracking but also ensures that your dip powder manicure will last for up to 4 weeks.
Make sure you know your nail surface is completely dry before you get the top coat applied because this is the only reason why you harden your liquid brush.
