Pastel Dotticure

OPI My Vampire is Buff with pastel dots

Here's a fun, summery manicure! I'm really enjoying dots on my nails now they are shorter, and something made me think of the Damien Hirst Spot Paintings............ once I had those in mind I couldn't resist putting multicoloured dots all over my nails!

I used OPI My Vampire is Buff for the base - I like this shade a lot, it's a pale, warm ivory with a nice, easy to apply formula. I think it's a softer alternative to white for a lot of nail art applications, and I've worn it alone a couple of times too.

For the dots themselves I chose a range of pastel creams; looking at the pictures now I think I should have included an orange too! The shades I did use were Butter London Fruit Machine (pink), M&S Limited Collection Ultraviolet (blue), MAC In The Limelight (aqua), Gosh Early Green  (green), Illamsaqua Jo'mina (lilac) and Max Factor MaxEffect Mellow Yellow (yellow).

I applied the dots by colour rather than completing each nail before moving on the next - one or two dots per nail then move on the next colour. This is quicker than working nail by nail, as you only need to clean your dotting tool at the end of each colour rather than several times per nail. It also gives each colour a chance to dry before you start the next so reduces the chance of smudging or the colours running into each other if the dots are close together. I tested out a dot with each shade on a plastic sheet before I started putting dots on my nails to make sure that the polishes were densely coloured enough and not so runny the dots didn't work properly -  I'd originally selected OPI Gargantuan Green Grape for my green, but this polish was too thin to make good dots, so in the end I excluded it.

I prefer the effect when the dots are random rather than in straight lines on my nails and I like to include 'unfinished' dots going over the edge of my nail here and there so it looks like my nail is part of a bigger picture, not just a tiny thing in isolation. I know some people prefer their dots more orderly; I think this is just personal preference!

It looks good with matt topcoat too - now it reminds me of sugar almonds! I used Mavala Color-Matt topcoat - this is easily available in the UK (Boots, John Lewis and several independent chemists, salons and department stores stock it in my area) and very reliable - it gives a lovely soft, even finish.

OPI My Vampire is Buff with pastel dots with matt top coat

All products used for this manicure are from my personal collection and were purchased by me.