Monarch Manicure

I have been getting a lot of compliments on my "monarch manicure". My current job is working as a research/field technician for the monarch monitoring project for the NJ Audubon in Cape May, NJ, where I work hands on with monarch butterflies; so anything monarch related is always appropriate (and earns itself plenty of compliments!). I have people ask me every day how I did this manicure, and I'm excited to share with a step-by-step tutorial (below). This manicure is perfect for the butterfly enthusiast or nature lover who wants to stray away from the more "conservative" or typical manicure. Just be prepared for compliments! Even the most un-outdoorsy person will recognize these nails as resembling a butterfly's wing, and no one will believe that you did it yourself.



I can't take the credit for this awesome idea, however, as you can find images of this awesome manicure on google, pinterest, etc. But now going on week 4, and the third manicure since the monarch season began early in September; I learned that with practice, you can finish the entire manicure in under 30 minutes, and with proper prepping and coating of your monarch "wings", the manicure can last up to 2 weeks!

First things first. Gather your supplies. The materials you will need include:

-Orange base coat
-Black polish with precision brush
-White polish with precision brush
-Clear top coat


I don't particularly endorse the brands pictured here, I have a huge collection of polishes and try to use what I have before buying more. I personally prefer to purchase only from brands that do not test on animals when possible. For cruelty-free brands that do not test on animals, visit here. Unfortunately most nail polish brands DO test on animals, and some even lie when they say that they don't. Watch for phrases such as "final product was not tested on animals"... because this still means that all of the ingredients were. My personal favorite brands are "Wet n Wild" and "E.L.F. cosmetics" because they are really cheap and can be found at your local drugstore. Most other drugstore brands in general DO test on animals though, so if you want to be cruelty free, be aware.

If you don't have nail polish with a precision brush, or nail art pens of any type, a sharpie marker could be substituted for the black, and regular white polish with a toothpick can be substituted for the white. If you have thin artist's brushes, they can be used with regular nail polish as well for artistic designs (but make sure you rinse well with nail polish remover after use to prevent the polish from ruining your brush!


1. Remove old polish and prep nails.

Remove old nail polish with polish remover and a cosmetic pad or cotton ball. To maximize the use of a single cotton ball, separate the cotton once it appears to be covered in old polish and fold the used portion inward to display clean unused inner cotton on the outside. Might not seem worth the trouble, but if you paint your nails often this can be environmentally friendly and save a lot of waste over time.

Use a cuticle remover to cut away cuticles which will increase your nail's surface area and make nails appear longer. Trim nails if uneven, brittle or splitting on tips. Use base coat if desired.



2. Apply 2 coats of orange.

Apply 2 thin layers of orange polish and allow a few minutes of drying in between. Allow to dry completely before proceeding.



3. Paint black veins.

Using black polish with precision brush, a paintbrush, or a sharpie marker, draw monarch veins onto each nail. Start by making a loop coming out of one of the bottom corners of the nail. Next make a few lines coming out of the loop and finish with a black border to mimic the black edge of a monarch's hind wing. Allow to dry for a few minutes.

4. Add white dots.

Using the white polish with precision brush, or a toothpick, add white dots along the black border of the nail. If possible, try to fit 2 dots next to each other to look more realistic. Allow nails to dry for 10 minutes.

 

5. Apply clear coat.

Using a clear polish, coat each nail entirely, including edge to prevent chipping and prolong the lifespan of your manicure up to 2 weeks. Make sure nails are entirely dry before applying this final coat to prevent smearing of black polish. Let nails dry completely before doing anything to prevent smudges!!

Enjoy your manicure and be prepared for plenty of compliments!!