CC Mani Complete

This cotton candy–inspired mani is as easy to do as it is MAJORLY CUTE—all you need are three colors of polish and your fingernails (or a friend’s—just ask their permission first, probably). Bonus: Any time your regular old polish starts to chip, layering on these thick scalloped edges (aka cotton-candy clouds) is a good quick fix. Let’s get started!

What you’ll need:

CC What You Need

  • Two shades of pink polish. I used OPI’s If You Moust You Moust and Floss Gloss’s Perf.
  • A lavender nail polish (or other non-pink pastel polish of your choosing). I picked Floss Gloss’s Lean.
  • Clear top coat. I like Glisten & Glow’s HK Girl.

How to do it:

Step One:

CC Mani Step 1

Paint all of your nails the shade of pink polish you want to show on the bottom half of the final look (as seen in the picture way up top). For extra-opaque COTTON CANDY PINKness, do two coats, and let your nails dry fully after each one.

Step Two:

CC Mani Step 2

Using your lavender polish, draw a line on the inner edge of your fingernail, starting roughly at the center and extending straight to the top of your nail. (This will become the pastel squiggle between your two pinks.) Give the line a rounded edge by letting the polish pool a tiny bit at the end of your brush when you begin.

Step Three:

CC Mani Step 3

Make two more rounded lines. Each new line should touch the one before it, and start closer to the tip of the fingernail.

Step Four:

CC Mani Step 4

Repeat the process on all fingas.

Step Five:

CC Mani Step 5

Once the lavender (or second candy color) dries, grab your other pink polish and trace another cloud layer atop the first one. Leaving a band of the lavender/second color peeking through at the middle of your nail, use the same three-lines technique from steps two and three. Are you freaking out over how cute this is? I know I am. Repeat this step on all your fingers.

Step Six:

CC Mani Complete 2

Finish with a layer of top coat and…BOOM! YOU ARE DONE! Your nails are sweeter than cotton candy! (This does not mean you shouldn’t go cover them in that stuff, though—in fact, Rookie strongly advocates that you do.) ♦