When I raided Tomahawk Salon to get the scoop on Kristin Jackson's hair crafts, I stumbled upon the tiny works of art pictured above, created by the spot's designated nail artist, Fleury Rose. Little did I know these examples were only scratching the surface of her talent.

Nail art’s all the rage in these parts—you’ve got everyone from self-appointed beauty experts on YouTube (you know who you are) to awesome Calgel salon insanity. Fleury’s designs range from your basic multi-colored leopard print to full-on portraits of, say, Biggie Smalls, for the anniversary of his death. Some examples, like totem pole nails or lace nails can be seen in this slideshow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fleury is available at Tomahawk by appointment only. But she's giving you the DIY how-to on a great nail art design for beginners: 

Check out Fleury's tutorial (below) to get the know-how on how to do your own Spring Leopard Manicure. 

Spring Leopard Manicure Materials
(Find all these at your local beauty supply store)

Non-acetone polish remover
Cuticle oil
Orange wood sticks
Cotton balls (lint-free, if possible) 
Cuticle nippers
Metal cuticle pusher
Fine grit nail file

Polishes used for this design:

Essie Fill the Gap base coat
Loulou's Peachy Cream by Brucci
Turquoise and Caicos by Essie
Lilacism by Essie
Black polish paint pen
Sechevite

Fleury's Nail Art Tips:

- If you're trying to remove your previous polish with remover to no avail, try soaking your nails in lemon juice to remove stains.
- Avoid cutting your cuticles—it makes your skin prone to infection. Instead, focus on moisturizing them and gently pushing them down. Use cuticle nippers to alleviate hang nails. 
- Air drying is best. Using a hand dryer or a fan pushes air into the polish, causing your manicure to chip and flake a lot quicker.
- Getting antsy while waiting for those digits to dry? Fleury recommends using a drying spray, like Sally Hansen's, to speed up the process. 

Check out more of Fleury's work in this slideshow. Or check out more of her work and nail art inspiration in her Tumblr.


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