This week we caught up with editorial manicurist and nail artist Sashanie Gray about her unique statement nail art.

The Trend:

Show off your quirky side with this chic statement manicure. Bright pastel shades make these punctuation characters pop, adding an interesting artistic flare. With these flirty characters at your fingertips, you’ll definitely have that last word. Check out the details below.

EBONY: What inspired this design?

Sashanie Gray: My client wanted fun statement nails. The first idea that came to my mind were punctuation marks and typography as they are used to define, organize [and] structure statements in the written language. I took her request and literally translated it into her nail art.

EBONY: How did you create the look?

SG: After properly cleansing the nail and cuticle area, I applied my base coat. To add a bit of whim, I polished each nail a different color. We like Laura Mercier Nail Lacquer in Lavender Cloud ($18.00) and ORLY Nail Lacquer in Gum Drop ($8.50).  I then freehand-painted the punctuation marks and typography with Craft-Art acrylic paints. To protect the nail art and manicure, I finished with an anti-chip top coat. The punctuation mark designs can be easily recreated by using nail art pens.

EBONY: Could you share some advice for amateur nail enthusiasts?

SG: There are a plethora of fun nail art materials available to the everyday consumer. For example, nail art pens, nail stickers, nail polish stripers, stamping sets, and rhinestones are all great materials that can be used to create nail art, and all can be found at your local drug store or beauty supplier. You should definitely use them to your advantage. 

—Minajiah Scott