Since I saw the fantastic tutorial by Sammy from The Nailasaurus I couldn’t get gradient manicures out of my head. I have done them in the past and liked them but I did use a different technique and never dared to make a gradient manicure with one specific nail polish finish: creams.
The gradient nails technique I used back then was to apply a drop of nail polish to aluminum foil, pick it up with a sponge and dab it on my nails. With glitters and rough shimmers it was a bliss and worked perfectly. Because of their texture the not smooth blending was never a problem though but for creams it could have been.
Now thanks to Sammy’s fantastic technique smooth cream gradient nails are no longer impossible. Thank you so much Sammy! ♥
Isn’t it surreal how smooth the gradients look? They look like they are airbrushed but they are sponged. I love this gradient manicure technique. ♥
Illamasqua nail polishes can be purchased at illamasqua.com for currently £13.50 a bottle or at selected Sephora stores and sephora.com for currently $14 a bottle. The official Illamasqua store ships international.
Illamasqua – Blow: two
Illamasqua – Caress: two
Illamasqua – Nudge: two
Illamasqua – Wink: two
Three for each gradient
Base coat: OPI – Nail Envy Matte
Top Coat: Essence – Better Than Gel Nails Top Sealer
I can’t mention often enough how I love this technique for gradient nails. It is a bliss to use and I have never seen more perfect gradients than with this sponging technique. Sammy’s tutorial inspired me so much that I wanted to try a gradient nailpalooza featuring vertical gradients with four colors which all fade into each other nail by nail – a skittle/ombré gradient manicure.
Also with this gradient nails technique you can vary how smooth the gradient is by using different kind of sponges. For this gradient manicure I used very smooth makeup sponges.
Have you tried gradient manicures and do you love them too? 
Thanks for looking and have a great week! ♥
Случайно вышла на ваш сайт,здравствуйте!Ваши свотчи градиентов потрясающие!!!Маникюр и ногти выше всяких похвал!
Thank you so much Elmira! I hope Google translator did well but I am glad you like my Skittle Gradient Manicure.
I’ve never felt like pastels look good on me, but your photos make me want to buy all four polishes and give this technique a try. Your mani is absolutely stunning! And I’m just crazy about the vertical gradient versus the horizontal – thanks so much for posting this for all of us!
Thank you so much Carol!
I am glad you love the gradient manicure and also love the used nail polishes!
What a total stunner! Fantastic execution with beautiful colours. I don’t usually go for pastels because they tend to look washed out to me, but the pigments in these are just gorgeous.
Elizabeth recently posted..Vintage Rose Nail Art
Thank you so much Elizabeth!
Yes the Illamasqua pastels are gorgeous. Even as pastels they have a certain level of brightness. ♥
This is just amazing! I saw Sammy’s tutorial too and finally decided to give gradient another try.
Your vertical skittle version is really astonishing, great job!!
maisenzasmalto recently posted..Swatch: Speciallità Hits no Olimpo Atena (holo)
Thank you so much maisenzasmalto!
Thanks I just asked this ? again but looked back through comments and your replies and see another also thought it was a different direction you used on the sponging.
Yes I sponged slighty from the left to the right on each nail and not from the top to the bottom of each nail beachgal.
This is amazing looking! Did you go laterally vs bottom to top on this gradient? Agree with you the sponge on tutorial for how to do gradients really was an eye opener for me too!
Thank you so much beachgal!
I sponged slightly from the left to the right on each nail to have smooth vertical gradients.
How do you doing this gradient nail polish?
Brasil manda abraços!
I used Sammy’s technique from her fab tutorial Amanda.
This is the most perfect pastel manicure I’ve ever seen! Absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you so much Sandra!
That is so adorable!! It’s like a My little pony manicure!
Odyssey recently posted..Gustav Klimt Postcard Manicure and the Austrian Takeover
Aww I love My Little Pony!
Thank you so much Odyssey! 
This gradient is freaking AWESOME! The polishes blend so well together.. I can’t even believe it!!
Aww thank you so much Swååfie!
That looks gorgeous! I tried a gradient for the first time and it’s nowhere near this smooth. I guess I just need to practice.
Thank you so much Rachael!
Yes it just needs practice where you find out and experience how much nail polish you need to mix on a foil for the gradient and how often you have to sponge for a smooth result.
This is insane! So magical, after I wore that for days Id plaster it w glitter! Beautiful skills!
*blushes* Thank you so much Carnivalee!
:-O :-O :-O that is all.
fab fingertips recently posted..ELF Lilac and Claire’s Nail polish (no name) in glitter sandwich
*blushes* Thank you so much Esther! ♥
I keep coming back to my post to look at the pics. Obsessed much? 
:O
THAT
IS
AMAZING!!!!!
Thank you so much Olivia!
Seeing as how I also have all four of these shades, and have been completely blown away by your “art” (yes, this is most definitely ART), I have to give it a shot! I’m fairly lousy at any nail art, personally, but I really hope I can pull this off….your swatches are absolutely incredible! Bravo!
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Thank you so so much again Eugenia!
I am looking forward to your Illamasqua Pastels gradient! They are perfect for gradients. Smooth, opaque and utterly gorgeous. 
Hello! I think I’m being a little stupid because I can’t figure out how to make it smooth, meaning, to get rid of the stippled effect. Can you explain that a bit more? Sorry if this is obvious and I’m missing it…>.<
No Michelle there is no way you are stupid.
My steps were:
1. apply base color which is one of the gradient colors
2. apply one line in the length of your nail of each gradient color next to each other on aluminum foil
3. mix them where they meet on the foil with a rosewood stick
4. pick the nail polish up from the foil with a piece of makeup sponge
5. sponge the gradient on your nail with gentle sideway motions
6. repeat step 2-5 till the gradient is smooth and opaque enough
This were the steps I used for my two vertical gradients. HTH!
I love your nails, they look so beautiful!! The gradient is so smooth and perfect, and the colors are so pretty!
Susy recently posted..Zoya Wednesday and OPI Fly Holographic Gradient
Thank you so much Susy!
WOW…Oh Em Geee! This is amazing! I want to learn how to do this! Your mani is super gorgeous!
Pang recently posted..ELF Smoky Palette Makeup Look and Swatches
Thank you so much Pang!
You definitely should try Sammy’s technique with the help of her fab tutorial!
That’s gorgeous! This is the most beautiful gradient nails that I’ve ever seen!
Thank you so much Gil! *blushes*
This is just so beautiful. The gradient is absolutely flawless! I can’t get over how smooth it looks!
In her tutorial, she used an up and down motion on a horizontal gradient. Did you still use the up and down motion with this one even though the gradient is going across the nails?
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Thank you so much Sparkles Make Me Happy!
To get a smooth vertical gradient I used a left/right motion instead of an up/down motion.