Ombré

What is an ombré?

Ombré literally means “shaded” in French, and it is the blending of one color hue to another, from lighter to darker. The term is also used for the gradual shading from one color to another, although the correct term for that would be “sombré”.

The gradation between hues or colors can be in any direction: vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and even from the center out.

How do you create it?

This is a design that is always popular and sometimes difficult to master. The “babyboomer” style is actually using the ombré technique!

This technique can be achieved with just about any nail coating product and each one has its own techniques. Each brand also is likely to have its own techniques, too. 

There are far too many techniques to describe in a few paragraphs. The important part is that this is a ‘technique’ and you need to understand the science of the system you are using and the characteristics of the brand. This is the starting point.

Some of the most popular techniques are:

With nail polish or gel polish:
-Using a special ombré brush
-With a cosmetic sponge
-Using a striper brush
-Using pigments

With L&P and sculpting gel:
-overlapping layers