So... I feel like this week's #CBBxManiMonday nail art design is definitely evidence that inspiration can come from just about anywhere. In the past I've done some packaging inspired nail art and I've seen other nail artists do the same, but I can honestly say that I've never seen anyone do nail art inspired by a panty liner wrapper... but, you know, when the inspiration hits you sort of have to roll with it. Also... I'n so obsessed with how this mani turned out that I might just find myself looking for similar inspirations in other strange places in the future.

Keep reading for more!

This mani was a bit of an excercise in problem solving because the design I was inspired by wasn't necessarily easy to recreate using nail polishes and tools. Ultimately, I decided that the best way to do it was to start with a gradient base and then apply my stamping in such a way that it would sort of trick the eye once the stamping was applied. I decided to go with a really cool toned purple along with two shades of neon pink, one more mid-toned and the other richer and more berry toned. 

To do my gradient, I started by applying one coat of a nearly-white créme polish as my base and letting that dry completely. Next, I applied latex cuticle barrier to aid in clean up - this is an absolute must have in my nail art arsenal and you will almost always see it in the Products Used list for each mani - and I let that dry completely as well. For this mani, I then did three passes of sponging on each nail to get the blend and opacity that I was looking for.  

For the stamping for this mani, I basically had two objectives. First, I knew I wanted to choose my colors and placement in such a way that it would distract from the gradient and add a cohesion to the overall design. I'm really not sure if I'm explaining this right, but I hope you know what I mean. Ultimately, I decided to go with three stamping polishes - a white, a pastel purple, and a purple very similar to the one I used in my gradient. When it came to placing my stamping, I then tried to choose placement based on where which color would pop the best as well as trying to fill the nail without overwhelming it. It was a bit of a balancing act, but I think it actually went pretty well overall.

Once I was happy with my stamping, I cleaned up my cuticles and crisped up my edges before sealing everything in with a nail art top coat. Finally, I finished with a matte top coat to take down the shine and give a really smooth overall look in the end. And voila!

I find myself wishing, as I write this, that I had taken a photo of my nails with the inspiration because I think it actually translated really well and I really, truly am super stoked about the design. Lately I'm finding myself really, really drawn to these sort of multicolored, layered stamping designs and I think they work particularly well for summer mani's. I mean, this sure does look a little like a Hawaiian shirt, doesn't it? 

Be sure to head over to Cosmetic Proof and See The World In PINK to check out their Summer themed #CBBxManiMonday nail art designs. Also, if you're not following me over at @pblnails, be sure to head over there to keep up on all of my nail art as well as video tutorials for all of my manis!

Thanks for reading!