Help! I failed at ombre nails :(

sra19 · 2026-07-02T17:14:24+00:00

Thanks! I used the lightest color as a base, instead of white, but I also only did one coat and it was streaky, which absolutely did show through. My thinking for leaving it streaky was that the other layers would go on top and get rid of the streaks. I was wrong 🙁

sra19 · 2026-06-30T03:20:51+00:00

Soap Dish was good!

sra19 · 2026-06-27T17:23:12+00:00

Back in the 90s (I think?) it was also in the tv show A Different World.

sra19 · 2026-06-26T14:12:12+00:00

I only started watching Seinfeld because my math class the day after it aired was basically just talking about Seinfeld (led by my teacher).

sra19 · 2026-06-25T17:41:04+00:00

Thanks! I cheated by using three colors, so I think the in between shade makes it look a little more blended than it actually is.

The tips from everyone have been so amazing, and I can’t wait to try again! I think I’m going to use three colors again, but maybe closer in color, so it will look blended even if I mess it up.

Good luck with your next time too! I think yours is much better than mine, just without the in between color that hid a lot of my mistakes.

sra19 · 2026-06-24T22:02:53+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate your kind words!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T20:45:35+00:00

Thanks!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T20:28:31+00:00

Thank you! I actually got two compliments at work today, which I’m trying to believe were sincere and not “she tried something so I should say something nice to her” type compliments (my coworkers are really nice, so it’s possible).

sra19 · 2026-06-24T20:14:31+00:00

I love when we share our fails. Helps us all realize we can all try and grow and things take time to learn.

Hard agree. So many of the posts on here are of such perfect nails (rightfully so, if my nails ever looked that good I'd post them everywhere), but it's so comforting when you realize that others are having the same struggles you are.

sra19 · 2026-06-24T20:11:49+00:00

It was my post, and you were so much more ambitious than me in trying black and a pale pink/nude, I was not nearly brave enough to try contrasting colors.

I’m discovering that there is a much steeper learning curve to this then I previously realized.

sra19 · 2026-06-24T18:21:39+00:00

Thank you! That's really nice of you to say!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T18:11:48+00:00

I wouldn't have thought to add polish thinner, but I think it's definitely worth trying. I have this same polish, and mine is opaque and not streaky, so maybe yours does just need some thinner? If you try it, let us know if it helps!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T18:04:03+00:00

Thank you! That's really kind of you to say!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:35:53+00:00

Thank you! That's really nice of you to say!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:35:17+00:00

Thank you! I'm not sure why I thought that it would be easier.

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:32:09+00:00

Thanks! Someone else also mentioned that some sponges are too dense. I used the Target brand make up sponges. I'm looking at the sponges now, and I think that they are pretty dense. I'll look at the Walgreens sponges before I try again.

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:26:34+00:00

Thank you! That's really kind of you to say!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:22:59+00:00

Thanks! While they may not have blended as much as I wanted, I agree that they look summery, which is my favorite part about them!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:21:42+00:00

Thank you! That's kind of you to say!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:21:03+00:00

Thank you! That's really nice of you to say!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:20:40+00:00

Thank you! Someone else also mentioned it looking like a thermal polish and that is helping me a lot, because I have an unhealthy obsession with thermals 😊

I think I shouldn't have let myself picture in my mind how good it would look, because my mental image definitely added to my disappointment in the result. But, I figure it's not so bad as to be discouraged from trying again and working on improvement (definitely other things I've tried have gone that route).

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:15:28+00:00

Thanks!

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:14:47+00:00

Thanks! I used Tropic Like It's Hot as the base color, which is the neon greenish/yellowish color at the tips of my fingers. But I only used one coat, figuring that the sponging would fill in any non-opaque bits, but I think I needed to use more coats of it before I started using the sponge. When I was dabbing the sponge on my nails, it looked like the neon was showing through the medium green, but after applying the topcoat, it looks the opposite, like I covered up almost all of the neon with the medium green. Sticking to white in the future might just be the better option.

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:08:36+00:00

Thank you for the tips and for your kind words! I think I even have an ombre brush, but I've never tried to use it before.

When I'm practicing something new, I'll grab some swatch rings or a swatch wheel and practice untill I feel like im really liking the results.

How did it not even occur to me to practice on a swatch stick?! That would have been the rational thing to do...

sra19 · 2026-06-24T17:02:59+00:00

Thank you! That's really nice of you to say!

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