THE GLITTER GRADIENT MANICURE

When Nailed It blogger Katy Parsons needed a feminine yet eye-catching manicure, she created this sparkly effect. "It's the easiest and quickest way to spruce up a solid color," she says. Here's how to get the look at home.

What you need:

• Base coat. Try: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Instant Nail Hardener.
• Sheer pink nail polish. Try: Savina Nail Color in Heavenly.
• Silver glitter polish with varying-sized flecks. Try: OPI Nail Lacquer in Crown Me Already!
• Top coat. Try: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.

How to do it:

Step 1: Apply the base coat and three thin layers of the sheer pink nail polish. Tip: "Don't overdue the pink, as it's made to appear slightly sheer, giving your nails that feminine beauty," Parsons says.

Step 2: Starting at your cuticle line and stopping before you hit the midpoint of your nail, paint one thin layer of the silver glitter polish. Tip: Coat your brush with a small amount of glitter. "You can always add more," Parsons says. "But if there's too much, you'll need to wipe the nail and restart. If you've ever tried to remove dried glitter from your nails, you know how undesirable that step would be."

Step 3: Finish with a quick-drying top coat for nails that are "stick-your-hands-in-your-purse-and-fish-around-for-your-keys-without-ruining-the-manicure dry," Parsons says.