How to nail the magical sliced agate manicure

For readers who are confused by the headline but captivated by the images of stunning nails, allow us to explain. Agate slices, which are the inspiration behind this manicure, are a gem lover's best friend. The round or oval stones are a banded form of finely grained, micro-crystalline quartz that create a unique and charming color palette. If you're an avid user of Instagram and Pinterest, there's a fairly good chance you have come across photos of the gems online, which are believed to have "healing powers."

As modern nail art gets more creative, why not choose to combine the pretty stones with your manicure for a quirky twist? Although the design at first may appear tricky and overwhelming to execute, we have simplified the process for you. In the tutorial below, we will take you on a step-by-step journey to ensure you achieve the enchanting look.

Materials
- Gelish Soak-Off Gel in shade Sea Foam
- Lumcrissy Gel Lamp
- Elite99 Gel Nail Polish in shade 1433
- Post-It Extreme Notes
- FairyGlo Gel Polish in shades 6715, 6705, 6713, 6718, and 6717.
- Wide flat brush
- 99 percent isopropyl alcohol
- OPI Expert Touch Lint-Free Wipes
- Liner brush
- Elite99 Nail Art Gold Drawing Gel in shade 5601
- Gold foil
- Cheri Non-Wipe Top Coat

Instructions
1. To begin, paint your entire nail with the Gelish Soak-Off Gel in the shade Sea Foam. Once complete, cure the nail under the gel lamp for 30 seconds or more until it is dry.

2. Once your nail is dry, paint the Elite99 Gel Nail Polish in shade 1433 from the tip of the nail down to approximately three-quarters of the way. As you do so, create an oval shape on the nail to replicate an agate slice. The shape, much like a gemstone, does not need to be precise.

3. When you are happy with the shape you have created on your nail, dry it under your gel lamp.

4. Next, take a slice of Post-It Extreme Notes to act as a paint palette. On the Post-It note, you will mix together some gel colors to create the illusion of a gemstone. To achieve this, firstly add a few blobs of the Elite99 Gel Nail Polish in shade 1433 to the paper. When you have a sufficient amount of white gel, add smaller, randomly placed blobs of the other FairyGlo gel colors, which are listed in the materials above, on top of the white gel.

5. Take a wide flat brush and, without mixing the colors together completely, scoop up some of the gel mixture from the Post-It note, and paint it delicately onto the white oval on your nail. Feel free to add another scoop of gel if the colors do not appear pigmented enough on the nail.

6. Cure the colors you have applied on your nail under the gel lamp until completely dry.

7. Dab some of your 99 percent isopropyl alcohol onto an OPI Expert Touch Lint-Free Wipe. Brush the lint-free wipe across your dry nail.

8. With a liner brush, apply the Elite99 Gold Drawing Gel to the rim of the oval you have created on your nail. This gold rim should be thicker and thinner in varying places to give it the illusion of a unique and natural gemstone. If you are happy with the golden rim you have painted, cure the nail again under the gel lamp.

9. Press a piece of gold foil onto your nail with medium pressure to add small shards of glistening gold.

11. After you have lifted the gold foil away, apply the Cheri Non-Wipe Gel Top Coat and, finally, cure the entire design under the gel lamp. When you're manicure is dry, you'll be left with magical nails resembling the dazzling art of agate slices.
​