Play with tone and texture with these gorgeous labradorite-inspired nails

If you want to up your nail game, there's a wealth of inspiration out there to get you started. And one place where nail inspiration is abundant is in the world of semi precious gemstones. The abundance of colors and tones, plus depth of finish, means there's always a fun option to try out. And these labradorite inspired nails are no exception.

The labradorite stone has a dark base, but often features flashes of brighter, peacock blue and green tones. This makes it the perfect starting point for some beautiful nail designs. By using complimentary colors and flashes of shimmer and glitter, you can look as though you're wearing jewels on the tip of each finger.

Materials
- Black gel paint
- Perfect Summer dark blue clear gel in 012
- FairyGlo 6705
- FairyGlo6713
- Holographic chrome powder
- Cheri non-wipe top coat
- Toothpick
- Orly basecoat (to prevent glitter contamination)
- Small round gel brush
- Liner gel brush
- Lumcrissy gel lamp (not pictured)

Instructions
1. Starting with a black painted nail, apply a thick coat of a clear top coat. Allow to dry.

2. Use a brush to apply iridescent glitter of the center of the nail.

3. Take a toothpick and carve some deeper set lines within the glitter layer. This will create the "crack" effect seen on labradorite stones.

4. Apply a layer of clear base coat on top of the whole nail. This will prevent glitter transfer. Allow this to dry.

5. Apply a layer of sheer blue gel polish in a dabbing motion across the center of each nail. Do the same with a sheer yellow tone, then blend the two together with a liner gel brush. Allow time to dry.

6. Apply a second layer of the blue and yellow gel polishes to build up the intensity of color in certain areas.

7. Using black nail polish, paint on some very think lines to mimic the appearance of the cracks the gemstone's surface appears to have. Allow the polish to dry.

8. Seal in your work and ensure it lasts with a gel top coat.