Can you smell the rain? With this stormy weather nail stamping mani inspired by Maniology’s MXM078 Stormchaser plate, you just might need to grab an umbrella! Without further ado, here’s a list of the products used to achieve this look, along with the relevant links you need to get the same items I used:
This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. It’s okay – I love all of these products and you will too!
- Plastic Nail Guards
- Orly Bonder Rubberized Base Coat
- Liquid Latex for Nails
- Crystal Base Nail Stand
- Clear Jelly Stamper
- Nail Art Brushes
- Makeup Sponges (Bulk)
- Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Gray Polish in Heavy Metal
- SHANY Purple Nail Polish in Velvet
- PUEEN Stamping Polish in Silver Dust
- Born Pretty Stamping Polish in Black
- Sally Hansen Big Matte Top Coat
- 100% Pure Acetone
- Acetone Pump Bottle
- Mani X Me Monthly Club Subscription Box
Now that your materials (or their equivalents) are somewhat gathered up, let’s get to stylin’ those nails! If you’re like me and would rather see it done in real time, please watch the video below, for the complete tutorial A-Z.
If you’re still reading this part of the post, that means that you are not a YouTube tutorial kinda reader and that’s peachy keen too. I will do my best to sum up the steps (and all of my best nail design tips) using the written word:
Clean & Prep
First things first, let’s get those nails ready for painting! I like to use acetone-free nail polish remover and then shape my nails with a combination of 180 grit Emery board / buffer Emery board.
Base Coat
Paint those prepared nails with a base coat to help the paint adhere to the nail’s surface better and to give more staying power to that awesome nail stamping art we’re going to create.
Paint First Color
In order to start this mani, we need to paint our nails with a light to medium gray color. I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Gray Polish in Heavy Metal and only needed one coat to get good coverage. Paint nails this solid gray color and let dry.
PRO TIP – When painting your nails, do not overload the brush with polish. I like to wipe the polish off of the side of the brush that is facing me on the inside of the nail polish bottle and then use the opposite side of the brush to paint my nails. This way, the brush only has polish on one side (the side I will be applying to my nails) and I am able to get a more controlled and professional looking polish application that way.
Prevent the Mess
Doing an Ombre (and stamping in general) can get a bit messy, so I highly recommend protecting the skin around your nails in some way. I recommend using a Liquid Latex for Nails that can be peeled off afterwards or my personal fave is the reusable plastic nail guards. They come in a variety of sizes so you can find ones that will fit every nail on your hand perfectly. I like to put a piece of masking tape across the bottom, right below the cuticle, to ensure the skin around my nails is protected on every side.
Get Ready to Ombre
I use the short fat side of a cosmetics sponge and paint a stripe of dark purple polish on it. Then I cover the top half of the nail by dabbing the sponge lightly. Ombres must be accomplished in stages. I usually wait for the first coat to dry and then go back with 2-3 more coats, all applied by lightly dabbing the sponge on the top half of the nail.
Matte Top Coat
One of the problems I had when first doing Ombres is that I didn’t think they blended very well. If this is what you’re thinking right now, never fear! A top coat (your choice of either matte or glossy) is just what the doctor ordered. Apply a matte top coat for this design and watch that Ombre smudge come to life!
Time to Stamp
Now that the Ombre has been achieved, it’s time to stamp the lightning pattern from Maniology’s MXM078 – Stormchaser plate to the top purple portion of the nails. How far down you choose to go with the lightning design is up to you. I chose to keep the lightning contained to the purple area only so as to show the Ombre fade more clearly.
Remember, to cover the lightning design liberally with a silver stamping polish and to scrape at a 45 degree angle. Then, using a very light rolling motion, go across the scraped design with the clear jelly stamper of your choice. Place the stamp on your nails with a firm press and lift the stamper up carefully. When the pattern you’re stamping is of delicate lines like lightning, you may want to use a rolling motion when lifting the stamper so that the lines adhere nicely to the nail.
Let’s Stamp Again
To complete our stormy weather design, it’s now time to add in those tree silhouettes to the gray portion of the nail and have them line up right at the cuticle. Using a black stamping polish, cover the trees portion of the plate design and then scrape the excess off with your plastic card. Place the stamp on your nails with a firm press and lift the stamper up carefully. You will find that the piece of masking tape added to the cuticle area around the plastic nail guard or the liquid latex will be very handy during this step.
Smudge Free Top Coat
Whew! We’re done with the design! Now it’s time to remove the liquid latex or plastic nail guards and add a smudge free top coat. Having a smudge free top coat on hand is essential for nail stamping, because there’s NOTHING worse than creating an amazing stamped scene, only to have your top coat ruin it (see image at right). I swear by Maniology’s Smudge Free Top Coat and buy it in bulk. Remember dear reader, to use code “MELSMANIS” to receive 10% off of your order at Maniology.com.
Protect, Protect, Protect
Last, but certainly not least, it is time to protect that new precious mani with a protective top coat. I tend to get the most wear and tear out of the Maniology Matte Top Coat and that’s what I used in this nail design to finish her off.
Cleanup Time
Just a little dab of 100% acetone and your favorite cleanup nail brush are all that’s standing between you and nail art excellence. I always have my trusty acetone pump dispensing bottle within arm’s reach. Just a quick swipe of your cleanup nail brush around the cuticle area with some acetone and voila!
PRO TIP – If you find that the 100% acetone around your cuticle area is drying out that skin and is causing flaking, chafing, or the like, never fear. A little dab of cuticle oil placed around the cuticles of each skin will cure that issue in a jiff. Also, it’s good to add some cuticle oil to your nail brushes from time to time to keep those little hairs conditioned and smoothed too.
We made it, dear readers! Thanks so much for following along in this nail stamping mani tutorial and please let me know if you found this information helpful or if you have any tips or tricks you’d like to share.