It's Not Too Late to Nail This Fourth of July Manicure

The Fourth of July is mere hours away, and if you're like us, you're probably making all of your plans last-minute—right down to what you'll wear. Sure, a red, white, and blue ensemble seems like the obvious choice, but if you don't completely feel like dressing up as the flag, consider getting patriotic with your manicure. It's a subtle way to incorporate the color scheme into what you're wearing, and better yet, an ombre effect like the one created by manicurist Jin Soon Choi is super-easy to master. All you need are a handful of lacquers, and an old makeup sponge.

Scroll down to get the step-by-step instructions on nailing the look for yourself.

VIDEO: How to Master the Show Your Stripes Manicure

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Lacquer On the Base

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Apply your favorite base coat, and once dry, sweep a sheer white shade like Jin Soon's Dew ($18; barneys.com) on your middle finger, and a grey like Jin Soon's Grace ($18; barneys.com) to your index finger. 

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Paint On the Red

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Pick up an old makeup sponge and paint on the Coral Peony ($18; barneys.com), Enflamee ($18; nordstrom.com), and Doux ($18; barneys.com) in the order from boldest to lightest directly onto its surface. Use it to dab on the colors until you impart an ombre finish, then clean up the skin around your nail that may have come in contact with the lacquers.

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Blue Streak

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Flip the sponge over to a clean corner, and repeat the same steps with a handful of blue lacquers. For this look, Choi used her Cool Blue, Aero, and Doux shades ($18 each; barneys.com). 

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The Finished Look

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Either repeat the motions on the fingers that follow, or contrast the effect with a solid, red, white, blue, or black lacquer of your choosing. Seal in your handiwork with a layer of top coat. 

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