So this week we’re moving on to something (just a little) more exiting and creative…

The half-moon mani that was popular in the 1920s (quite obviously) gets its name from the little white half-moon shaped bit at the base of your nail.

It is kind of a “reversed” French Mani, because you accentuate the little half-moon at the base of your nail, instead of your nail tip.

And unlike French Mani’s, it is not really done in natural/nude colours, but rather with 2 complementing or contrasting colours.

Here’s a little step by step that I prepared for you to try your own :

Step 1. After a clear base coat, cut some paper reinforcement ring stickers in half and stick them on the base of your nail over the natural half-moon. (you can also use French tip guides instead of the ring stickers)

Step 2. Paint a coat of your chosen nail polish colour from the edge of the ring stickers to your tips and allow to dry.

Step 3. Paint a coat of your chosen glitter nail polish, before removing the makeshift nail guides and allowing to dry.

Step 4. Carefully paint on your second colour in a “rounded sweeping” brush stroke – following the border that was created by step 2&3 – on the half-moon area of your nails.

Step 5. Lastly, use a nail art pen and a 3rd colour to paint a thin line where your first 2 colours meet, and a coat of clear top coat to round off the look.

For a more edgy look – you can also go for a regular, or slightly curved triangular shape instead of the half moon.

Here I used 2 ring stickers stuck together, to create curvy triangles:

 Article by Mariaan Enslin