Dua Lipa frequently sports some enviable nail art [1], but her latest manicure by Michelle Humphrey [2] had us even more mesmerized than usual. The singer posted a photo on her Instagram story of multicolored ombré nails with different symbols layered on top, ranging from smiley faces to fruit slices. Unlike popular 3D manicures, however, these little emblems were completely smoothed down, with a glossy topcoat.
If you're wondering how Humphrey achieved this look, we have an educated guess — and it might surprise you. The small symbols are actually clay rods, sliced into pieces using a blade. The manicurist likely embedded the slices in wet acrylic nails using tweezers before the nail is pinched, shaped, and buffed. Then Humphrey likely added a topcoat once the nail had set, giving it a glossy finish without any added texture.
While the technique likely requires a professional, you can purchase the rods and blade on Amazon and bring them to your manicurist if you'd like to try out this collage-like art. Ahead, check out Lipa's manicure and some tools to achieve the look.
3D Nail Art Manicure Fimo Canes Fruit Slices Rods
3D Nail Art Manicure Fimo Canes Fruit Slices Rods [3] ($7)
Mixed Christmas Fimo Canes
Mixed Christmas Fimo Canes [4] ($6)
3D Pattern Fimo Nail Slices
23D Pattern Fimo Nail Slices [5] ($3)
3D Pattern Slices Fimo Nails
3D Pattern Slices Fimo Nails [6] ($3)
Polymer Clay Canes Rods Blade
Polymer Clay Canes Rods Blade [7] ($3)