Like polished Calacatta countertops and rose quartz lamps, a marbled manicure is inherently chic. But unlike the home decor in your Pinterest-designed, L.A. dream pad, the nail trend — a glossy base polish with soft veins and swirls running over the top — is even better because it stays with you, and it costs a hell of a lot less than a kitchen remodel.And this winter — when the sun disappears at 4pm and you’re looking for good vibes wherever you can get ’em — is the best time to try out a quartz or marbled mani. Even better, you can easily DIY the look from the comfort of your couch with a base coat, an accent color, some polish remover, and a striping brush.If you’re still unsure of how to make it work on your fingers, scroll through for inspiration. Whether you’re into sheer blush pinks, bright neons, or moody gray-blue polish, you’ll find the marbled mani to match your vibe, ahead.Marbled nails are surprisingly simple to create at home, says manicurist Elle. For branch-like veins that look soft and not stripe-y, she suggests diluting the white polish with acetone and painting on the lines with a super-thin striping brush. If you don’t have acetone on hand, another pro trick is to mix a few drops of the color with a clear base coat, which creates a jelly-like texture that’s a littl easier to work with.Alternating base colors, like juicy pink and tangerine orange, create a cool, tie-dyed vibe.Bright polish knows no season, and this cool-toned lavender looks especially rad peeking out from fingerless gloves.If you’ve taken to the almond tip trend — filing your nails to a super rounded point — a rose quartz design adds another layer of sophistication.To elevate your marbled mani beyond the expected pale pink, add another pastel — like baby blue — for a dreamy color play.If you look closely, you can see that this marble design also features subtle gold veining, an unexpected complement to the cotton candy blue.The quartz tend isn’t exclusive to long nails or acrylics; it looks stunning on short nails, too. Here, manicurist Betina Goldstein DIY-ed the trend with Zoya’s nail polish in Jordan (a soft pink) for the base.If you’re partial to darker shades for winter, try a granite nail with a gray-blue base and white-and-silver accents.The best part about marbled nails? The beauty comes with the imperfection. The less precise your lines are, the cooler they will look.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?12 Valentine’s Day Nail-Art Ideas That Are Chic, Not Cheesy9 Super Bowl Nail Ideas — Even If You Just Watch The Commercials9 Non-Toxic Nail-Polish Shades You Can Feel Good About Wearing This Winter
Megan Decker
Source: Refinery29