How to Apply Water Marbling Nail Art

Red nail polish gives water marbling a dramatic look.

Water marbling is a type of nail art that looks like multi-tonal swirls. Water marbling as a nail art is actually a variation of the Ebru, the Turkish art of creating designs with dye on the water, and then placing paper on the water's surface to soak up the dye. Water marbling takes practice, but it is worth trying. In some cases, vertical swirls can even make nails look longer. Just remember that using a lighter color for a base coat allows the contrasting swirl of colors to "pop." For a subtle look, use buff polish and a pink or copper shimmering nail polish. Consider a dramatic mix of red and gold or blue and silver.

Things You'll Need

• Nail polish
• Bowl
• Water
• Toothpick
• Acetone

Instructions

1. Apply a coat of solid-color polish to each nail.

2. Allow wet nails to dry naturally. It is best not to blow, shake or hold your nails to a fan, as this can lead to unwanted smudges.

3. Add tepid water to a shallow, wide-mouthed bowl. Fill the bowl until it is 80 to 90 percent full.

4. Make the marbling glaze. Add 2 to 3 drops of the solid-color nail polish and 2 to 3 drops of glitter nail polish to the water. A skin will form on the water's surface. Insert the tip of a toothpick into a swirled section at or near the center of the bowl. Drag the toothpick to the edge of the bowl. Return the toothpick to the center and draw another line to the opposite side of the bowl. Continue drawing out lines of color until the skin looks like a marble sunburst.

5. Dip one fingertip quickly into the marbling glaze. The skin on the glaze coalesces, or tends to goop up around your finger just like it does on the toothpick. You want to keep as much of the goop in the bowl and off of your fingers as possible to avoid a mess, so hold a toothpick in your other hand and use it draw the skin away from your finger. After you clear the skin away from your nail, lift you finger out of the bowl.

6. Soak a cotton swab in nail polish remover, then wipe off the excess glaze around the sides of the nail. Use a cotton ball to clean the bottom of your finger.

7. Brush a clear top coat over the nails to seal the nail art. A top coat prevents the water marbling from chipping and makes your nails shine.

Tips & Warnings

• It is helpful to have all the materials ready to go and within reach before you start water marbling. Unscrew the tops of the nail polish. Dip the cotton swabs and balls in nail polish remover in advance.

• Do not reuse the bowl for food.

References

• Oceasia: Marbling Prep
• The Art of Ebru: The Art of Marbling Paper

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• History of Water Marble
• How to Water Marble Nails