How To Do a Half-Moon Manicure
For those still dipping their toes into the world of nail art, this half-moon manicure is a simple and extremely wearable look. It can be done with any of your favorite nail polishes, but we did this look using ZOYA Mila from the new Nostalgic collection for an edgy fall manicure. To get this look, read our step-by-step tutorial below!
Step 1: File and Prep
File your nails to your desired shape and apply a cuticle oil before pushing back your cuticles. Try out QTICA Solid Gold Cuticle Oil.
Step 2: Treatment for Nails
This manicure has negative space, which means your natural nails will be part of the design. For this reason, it’s a good idea to condition your natural nails and make sure they are looking their best. We recommend using the Rescue + Repair system, which treats the nails with a hydrating serum and seals it beneath a base coat.
Step 3: Optional Perfector
If your nails are suffering from discoloration, don’t fret! Try applying a Naked Manicure Perfector to conceal any discoloration. The last thing you want is discoloration messing up your negative space half-moon! We used the Naked Manicure Pink Perfector for this look. Read more on how to use Naked Manicure Perfectors.
Step 4: Outline the Half-Moon
You can use a thin nail art brush if you have one, or simply use the thin ZOYA brush equipped in the bottle to create the half-moon shape. About a quarter of the way from your cuticle, draw a half circle that points towards your nail tip. When making your half-moon shape, go slow and be steady with your brush movement. Fix up any mistakes with Remove + on a thin art brush to get a clean curve.
Step 5: Fill in the Nail
Once you have your moon outline in place, you can paint towards your nail tip starting at that outline. If you accidentally cross the outline you made, just clean up the line again with remover. Use two coats of polish for a fully opaque manicure look.
Step 6: Apply a Top Coat
To seal in your manicure, apply a top coat. Be sure to wait enough time for your polish to dry so that the top coat does not drag around the polish. We used Ultra Glossy Seal to lock in shine and make the nail art last.
It’s that simple! This nail art can be worn all year long and modified for the seasons. Recreate this look with any of the other colors from the Nostalgic Collection for more fall fun!
