How To Accomplish Double Ombre Nails At Home

With all the new nail art trends happening recently, it can be a dizzying task to try and find one that's unique and fits your tastes. That's where double ombre nails come in. According to Makeup by L'oréal, this optical illusion nail art trend — also called shadow French nails — deceits the mind into thinking there's actual depth and molding to the nail.

"This nail art tricks the eye as it's not what your brain is expecting. It makes you stop and think exactly what direction the gradient is going," nail artist Sonya Belakhlef told Allure. And part of what makes these nails so fun, beyond the mind games, is how creative you can get with your color choices to create the perfect optical illusion. 

Just like comic book nails and the more recent chocolate glazed nails, double ombre nails are chic and exciting to wear. But the best part about these nails might be how easily you can accomplish them at home. We love visiting the nail salon for a day of pampering, but if we can save a buck or two while also picking up some sweet nail art skills, we don't see a problem. Their ease and the creative ways to make them yours are why double ombre nails are the trend we're head over heels for.

Double ombre nails are one of the nail designs everyone's asking for in 2023. They're undoubtedly beautiful, trendy, and unique.

If you're still in the dark about what double ombre nails are, let us fill you in. This style of nail is a crossover between French manicures and the classic ombre fade you see so often in hairstyles and nails. These two very popular designs are combined to create a hypnotic, eye-catching pattern that stands out from the crowd.

Just like a French manicure, when you're doing double ombre nails, your nail tip is treated as its own canvas that's separate from the rest of your nails. The ombre factor comes into play because you combine and fade two colors across your nail, and then do the same thing on your nail tip, as seen in this YouTube tutorial by Madam Glam ambassador Miss Jo. The result is a full set of psychedelic nails that are a ton of fun to wear.

The pattern on double ombre nails looks like a magician's trick, but don't let its deceptively complicated appearance deter you from giving these nails a try at home. You can easily achieve nails like this yourself without the help of a nail tech. All you need is the confidence and patience to tackle the project.

The first step is to pick your two favorite nail colors. Make sure the colors blend nicely together, such as these beautiful blues do in this TikTok tutorial by Glitterbels. The next step is to begin painting a vertical ombre design. Vertical ombre nails are achieved by painting your entire nail with two colors vertically and then carefully blending the middle area where the colors meet (via Nailboo). This creates the ombre effect. It's important to remember when painting ombre nails, that the base and tips of your nails should have different gradients, according to Allure. 

In the TikTok tutorial, you'll see a precision nail art brush used, which helps shape your colors so you can define your tip and create the 3D optical illusion that makes these nails so special. The iminoo Nail Art Brushes from Amazon is one option. Once you've finished the design, you'll want to use a top coat to ensure your new at-home manicure lasts as long as possible.