'Grunge' nails with the Dry Brush Technique

Today's nail design is what I like to call a 'grunge' effect, but it is also known as 'distressed'. This is not my own original design. I first came across it here by Chalkboard Nails and there are a lot of 'distressed' nail designs that you can find online, especially at Youtube.

These are the colors I used. As always, I started with a base coat to protect my natural nails and then used the NYC French White Tip as a base or primer color.
The other colors pictured here from left to right are Sinful Colors 947 'Mint Apple', Sinful Colors 5164 'Starfish', Sinful Colors 1184 'Tempest', and NYC Black Lace Creme. Creating this design takes several layers and I did not, unfortunately, stop to take a picture after every layer. However, each layer is the same technique in a different color. I used a pastel palette, but you can use whatever colors you choose.

The dry brush technique really is what it sounds like. Use the neck of the bottle to remove all the excess polish from your brush, even more than usual. You can even wipe it on a paper towel or tissue. When the brush is practically dry of polish, swipe it over your prepped nails to get very thin layers of color. You will see the brush strokes, and that is okay. You don't want to cover the whole nail, leave room for your other colors. I did my layers in teal, pink, and finally purple.
Since the polish is applied so thinly, it will dry almost instantly so you don't have to wait between layers.

The final layer will be the black, and this is what really gives that 'grunge/punk' effect. If you opened that link to Chalkboard Nails original design, you will notice that I used more black on my nails than she did. This really will be about your own personal preference. Use the same dry brush technique and apply as much or as little black as you want. Finish everything off by applying your favorite quick dry top coat to blend everything together, add some shine, and increase the life of your manicure. Then use an eyeliner brush or q-tip dipped in remover or acetone to clean up around your cuticles. Voila! You just created the perfect punky 'grunge' nail art! My final results are shown below. I had trouble getting a good picture, but I really love the way these turned out and I hope you do too. As always, thanks for reading, feel free to leave comments or questions, and don't forget to follow my blog!

Left hand

Up close look

Right hand