![nails, messy french tip manicure, succulents](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j1BAE9rlOy8/UIWGyDyhsyI/AAAAAAAAOdw/Rh7tUkBmiLQ/s1600/messy+french+tip+manicure-succulents.jpg)
Eager to try out the Messy French Tipped Manicure I was inspired by last week, I grabbed my two favorite blue hues and got to work. In the end, my left handiwork looked indeed like a messy French tip. But my other nails, painted with my right hand, looked more like clouds at the end of my nails. Cute, but not what I was going for. The blue only helped the cloud appearance. So then, reminded of my recent Dip DIY for Re:create, I decided on a combo: a dip-painted look meets messy French tips, which I liked just as well.
Here’s what I used…
![nail polish, succulent plants](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6PsdGAiC3SU/UIWGsx8fWaI/AAAAAAAAOcw/tr2ukhyjstw/s1600/blue+nail+polish-+succulents.jpg)
* Sephora OPI “My Personal Serpent”… which has apparently been discontinued. Find all the other Sephora OPI colors here
* Essie “Lapis of Luxury”
* Essie “Matte About You”
Steps…
![nails, manicure, rings](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jnPuRbZjLt0/UIWNEfQL3PI/AAAAAAAAOfg/7Oa98152vW8/s1600/sephora+opi+my+personal+serpent-nails-manicure-rings.jpg)
* Apply two coats of your base color and let dry. I chose My Personal Serpent, but any contrasting color combo will do. {photo via my instagram stream}
![nails, manicure, nail polish](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bONSrhtlD1w/UIWGyzlnCfI/AAAAAAAAOd4/yR61yYY9Y3g/s1600/messy+french+tips+diy.jpg)
* Apply two coats of your lighter color onto 3/4 of your nail… at an angle. I generally used about three strokes per nail, then repeated with a second coat.
![nails, manicure, matte top coat](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8XM_UnryX_I/UIWGwxd7UWI/AAAAAAAAOdg/RjC3kinRCZk/s1600/matte+nail+polish.jpg)
* Apply your matte top coat to just your lighter, tipped section.
NOTE: Using a regular glossy top coat will cancel out your matte effect. I used no overall topcoat and my nails lasted about a week.
Voila!
![nails, manicure, brass bird figurine](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmVtXJHdBfY/UIWGrJUFjqI/AAAAAAAAOcg/pfJw6vxbqls/s1600/blue+dipped+nails-+messy+french+tips.jpg)
above shot also via instagram and about a week later
Delilah insisted I paint her nails the same…
![painting toddler's nails](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S_dvzl7oWoU/UIWG0pCdofI/AAAAAAAAOeI/G4zpAVsOpOQ/s1600/painting+delilah's+nails.jpg)
![painting toddler's nails](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HqtBxLq2Lbg/UIWGwE_1dMI/AAAAAAAAOdY/7nUSBGHbP-g/s1600/matching+nails-delilah's+hands.jpg)
Photos above courtesy of my sister in law, Morgan 🙂
Have Fun!
Find all of my Nail Art Tutorials Here