Recreate your body’s natural blush with this pink sponge design

There are few things sweeter than the natural flush of color that covers your cheeks when you’re in love. That rosiness blossoms effortlessly, and most of us take great pains to create something equally radiant with makeup. Blush manicures have taken a cue from the way adrenaline affects our nervous system, and the result is pure beauty.

This pretty manicure starts with a nude base. Pink radiates from the center of the nail outward, and you can achieve this effect by using an eye shadow applicator to apply the nail gel. Build up the color in the center, and then give the entire nail a wash of nude gel to blend the shades seamlessly.

Materials
- Nude nail gel (Orly FX, Sheer Nude)
- UV or LED lamp (Lumcrissy, not shown)
- Pink nail gel (Nail Labo Presto Gel, #173 Espirando)
- Disposable sponge eye shadow applicator
- Sealer nail gel (Gelish Top It Off)
- Dotting tool
- Heart- and dot-shaped iridescent glitter

Instructions
1. Paint your nails with two coats of nude nail gel, and cure it between coats with the UV or LED lamp.

2. Apply pink nail gel to a disposable sponge eye shadow applicator. Gently dab the paint against the middle portion of your nail, leaving the tip and cuticle areas unpainted. Cure the wet paint with the lamp.

3. Repeat step 2 to deepen the pink portion of the nail. Cure the wet gel again with the lamp.

4. Apply another coat of nude gel over the entire nail, then cure the gel again.

5. Layer a single coat of sealer nail gel over the painted surface, and use a dotting tool to place holographic glitter into the wet gel. Cure the gel once more to complete the manicure.

Stay pretty!