Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Nail Art

As is often the case with any nail art on this blog, the theme of the design has been interpreted incredibly loosely. Nevertheless, it's a fun, festive design that's super simple to create and gives the impression of golden gifts (when in reality, it's craft gems stuck on top of a glitter mani but no one needs to know that!)

Start with Barry M's 'Peel It! Peel Off Basecoat' for ease of removal (just in case attempts 1, 2 or 32 are unsuccessful). Once dry, apply a substantial gold tip to the end of each nail using a sticker as a guide or free hand if you can. Having a guide to paint around definitely helps to keep the nails looking uniform but adding the glitter topper does hide a million mistakes, so complete accuracy isn't essential (thank goodness). 

While the gold is still sticky, pour the glitter on top and lightly press or tap down to ensure it adheres. The glitter topper used here is Ciate's 'miracle on 34th' which is both seasonal and superbly shimmery. A cotton bud is great for dusting away any excess (and pouring the glitter over a folded piece of cards means you can tip any extra glitter back into the nail pot for next time).

When the excess glitter is removed from on top and around the tip of the nail, paint on a normal top coat paying extra attention to the centre of the glitter arch. Using a delicate hand (or tweezers for extra accuracy), gently place or drop a small gemstone into the centre and hold for several seconds. This part is particularly tricky and can often take more than one attempt. Wait for it to feel suitably secure and then cover the entire nail with a gel top coat and cure. There you have the loosest ever nail art design inspired by the