a close-up picture of natural, long nails with brown and black grunge nail look

Oh, how I love grunge! Distressed fashion, sloppy accessories, and dirty sound of the best garage music. A few months ago I even wrote a huge post on Moonsugar blog called The Rise, The Fall, And The Rebirth of Grunge Style  praising the beauty of this unique phenomenon. I've decided to cover my nails with fitting nail art to keep up with my favorite battered skinny jeans and ageless Chuck sneakers. Especially since I got this fascinating Nicole Diary nail stamping plate* by Born Pretty Store that features 14 grungy textures for a grungy manicure.

hand is holding stainless steel nail stamping plate

To create this 'soiled in paint' manicure I've applied two thin coats of chestnut brown nail polish by Brazilian brand Nati. This nail polish has a pleasant creamy texture and opaque pigmentation. Two short minutes and I proceeded to my favorite part — nail stamping! The whole procedure of nail stamping may sound overwhelming, but this particular plate is ideal for stamping beginners because you simply can't screw an already smeared look! 

Therefore, the stamping task is ten times easier with this plate, than with any other. By the way, I wanted to mention that I received this stamping plate in flawless, scratch-free condition and scratched it later myself with a sponge, so my apologies for the way it looks in the picture.

left hand is holding black nail polish

How to Do Grunge Nail Look with Stamping?


All you need to do is apply a few swipes of the nail polish on the stainless steel plate and use a special plastic card to remove the product's excessive amount. I used one of my favorite a basic, black nail polish with a nice glossy finish and opaque formula for the splashes. It does not long on the nails on its own but works surprisingly great as a stamping polish. 

Clear jelly stamper helped me transfer the black splashes onto my nails and a thin synthetic brush, soaked in nail polish remover cleaned the mess around the nails. To make this simple and quick grungy manicure last longer and give it a glossy appeal, use a No Smudge top coat, it will also protect the color from fading.

a close-up picture of natural, long nails with brown and black grunge nail look

Ladies and gentlemen, I guess I found an unexcelled nail stamping plate, which I pretend to use unstoppably for a great while. I literally can't stop experimenting with these 14 so similar, yet so different pre-made designs. And what do you think, lovelies? Would you wear this daring design on your nails? Please let me know what you think of this nail look. Until next time!

Lots of love,
Liz