Today’s look is inspired by an element of decor that was popular in the 70s: gold veined mirror panels.
Friends have mentioned that the sight of these either reminds them of their childhood home or their grandmother’s house depending on how old they are. My mom decorated part of a wall in our house with these mirror tiles in the early 80s, and I didn’t understand their allure, even back then. It’s hilarious that I find myself doing nail art inspired by this style now!
I of course chose to do silver mirror chrome nails as a base, which meant it was time to drag out the LED lamp and gel polish. I started by applying one coat of Born Pretty Soak-Off Gel Polish in Black, cured this for 30 seconds, and then followed up with a gel top coat which I also cured for 30 seconds. I opted to only apply one coat of color because I was in a hurry to get out the door and figured that the silver chrome powder would cover up any spots that looked patchy.
One coat of black gel polish with one coat of gel top coat, both products by Born Pretty.
The mirror pigment from Born Pretty isn’t the finest quality because the particles are a little on the large side for this color, but it does a great job of making your nails a shiny silver.
I applied this powder with a silicone brush to all my nails. The result was grainier than I would have liked, but this was because I forgot to wipe down the top coat with alcohol. Typically Born Pretty Soak-Off Gel Top Coat is a no-wipe formula, but it is still a little too tacky for use with these chrome pigments. A smoother appearance can be achieved when the surface is not so sticky.
Silver mirror chrome nails. The finish looks textured but is smooth to the touch.
After applying another layer of gel top coat and curing it to secure the silver pigment, I proceeded to do some stamping on top. I used Born Pretty Store’s BPX-L020 plate to inlay a gold cracked pattern to the base color.
The Geometry BPX-L020 plate from Born Pretty Store. I used the pattern from the bottom row, 3rd from the left for this design.
The gold doesn’t stand out too much against the silver because the color is so shiny, but there’s no denying that it looks like the gold veined mirror from the above picture!
Stamping was done with Born Pretty Stamping Nail Polish #1 (Gold).
I’m only slightly disappointed that I didn’t get a more reflective finish from the silver powder, but I do like the look.
With nails this metallic, I want to go to a disco party!
This was a pretty easy design to put together, although using pigment powder is always a messy ordeal. If you’re ever waxing nostalgic for some 70s decor but don’t want the permanence of a home renovation, put these gold veined mirrors onto your nails instead!
Happy polishing!
Fine Polish 