5-step leopard print & gold leaf nail art tutorial

Begin by prepping the nails, paying particular attention to cuticle care. Then, apply two coats of nude gel polish, curing after each layer.

Select two gel polish shades to add pops of colour - I opted for neon pink and light blue. Apply the first colour in a random area of each nail, leaving uneven edges that create a brushed-on effect. Cure.

Apply the second gel polish colour in the same way as in step two and cure. At this point, you can add a third or even a fourth colour if desired. Just make sure to apply one shade at a time and cure after each.

Apply gold foil or gold leaf. If you have opted for foil, fold it so the side underneath the pattern is visible. Randomly dab the folded edges of the foil onto the sticky inhibition layer of the gel polish. Do this over the brightly coloured sections of the nails until you have achieved the desired effect. If you have chosen to use gold leaf, use fine tipped tweezers to tear pieces and place them randomly onto the nails. Secure by gently pressing them into the sticky inhibition layer of the gel polish with the fine tipped tweezers or an orange stick.

Using black gel paint and a short fine liner brush, add the leopard print design on top of the colourful gel polish. Leopard spots comprise uneven, horseshoe shapes with small dots between them. Once you are happy with the detail, cure. (TOP TIP: If you are new to nail art or nervous, after you have applied gold foil or leaf, seal with a gel polish top coat and cure. That way, if you start painting your leopard print design over the top and don’t like it, you will be able to wipe it off and start again without disturbing the foil details.) Finally, apply a layer of gel polish top coat and cure to finish.