Halloween nails · 6 steps · one fine brush
A pumpkin is three curved ovals and a stem. Paint them in the right order and even a first-timer gets a pumpkin that reads from across the room.
You will need
- Orange gel
- Black detailing gel
- Green or brown for the stem
- Fine detail brush
- Base coat
- Top coat
- LED lamp
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Prep and base
File and shape, buff the shine off, wipe the nail, and dehydrate with pH Bond. Brush on a thin coat of base coat, cap the free edge, and cure.
TipA clean, dry nail plate is the foundation of every gel design.
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Choose a ground color
Orange pops hardest on black, deep brown, cream or a soft nude. Apply two thin coats of your ground color and cure each coat. Super Black makes the orange glow. A cream ground feels more like a fall farm stand.
TipCure the ground fully so the pumpkin lines stay sharp on top of it.
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Paint the pumpkin body
Load a fine brush with Hot Orange detailing gel. Start with a tall oval in the center of the nail. Add a curved oval on each side, tucked against the center one. Cure.
TipKeep the gel thin. Two thin passes look smoother than one thick one.
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Add the ridge lines
Pull a thin curved line between the ovals with Black detailing gel or a deeper orange. The curves should follow the shape of each oval. Cure again.
TipWipe the brush on a lint free wipe between strokes so each line starts clean.
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Finish with a stem or a face
Add a short brown or green stem at the top for a farm pumpkin. For a jack-o-lantern, paint two triangle eyes and a zigzag mouth in black. A dotting tool makes neat round eyes if you prefer circles.
TipPick a stem or a face, not both on every nail. One accent nail goes a long way.
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Seal and finish
Seal with Diamond No Wipe Top Coat for a glossy pumpkin, or Super Matte Top Coat for a velvet skin. Cure and finish with cuticle oil.
TipMatte top shows every bump, so make sure the pumpkin is smooth before you seal.
Pumpkin colors and detail tools
Prep, base and finish
Quick answers
What colors make the best pumpkin nails?
Orange on a black, brown, cream or soft nude ground reads best. Add black for the ridge lines and a small green or brown stem.
Can I skip the freehand painting?
Yes. The Halloween Nail Art Stickers come in 14 styles, so you can place a ready-made design and seal it under top coat.
How do I keep the lines thin?
Use very little gel on the brush, touch down and pull away smoothly, and wipe the brush between strokes. Practice a few lines on a practice tip first.
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WHERE TO BUY
Find a distributor near you: https://www.cre8tionproducts.com/
Full Cre8tion catalog: https://www.cre8tionproducts.com/
Wholesale inquiries: info@cre8tionproducts.com