How to Do Tortoise Nails: Perfect DIY Manicure at Home

July 27, 2023

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Written by Tran Khue

July 27, 2023

·

Written by Tran Khue

If you’re wondering how to do tortoise nails, you’re in the right place. We’re going to explain how you can recreate this beautiful nail trend.

We’ve seen tortoiseshell manicures on Dua Lipa, Blake Lively, Rihanna, and Kylie Jenner. Each had a personalized take on the design, but the basics are still the same. Although it takes patience to do tortoise nail designs, it's surprisingly easy.

What Are Tortoise Nails?

Tortoise or tortoise shell nails have a pattern that resembles turtle shells with irregular patches of amber, brown, and black. You may have seen glasses with tortoiseshell frames or other accessories with this popular design. That's the look we're going to imitate.

Each tortoise nail manicure is unique depending on what colors are used and how they are layered. So, the first step in creating a tortoiseshell nail design is choosing the right shades. In a moment, we’ll show you our favorite colors for tortoise nails.

We’ll begin with a list of supplies and suggested shades, then show you the steps for this trendy nail design. We include instructions for both nail lacquer and gel polish.

So, gather up your supplies, and let's get started!

Supplies Needed for Tortoise Nails

You can do tortoiseshell nails with nail lacquer or gel polish. Here’s the shopping list for nail lacquer:

3 shades of polish, such as golden yellow or orange, brown, and black
Fast-drying top coat (optional)

You won't need any other supplies unless you want to add extras like glitter, foil, or rhinestones.

If you’d like to do tortoiseshell nails with gel polish, the list is longer:

Base and top coats
Gel polish colors (3 shades)
UV or LED lamp for curing the polish
Isopropyl alcohol or gel cleanser and lint-free wipes if the top coat isn’t no-wipe like LDS or Lavis

In both cases, you’ll still need manicure tools to prep your nails before painting them.

What Are the Best Colors for Tortoise Nails?

If you want a traditional tortoiseshell look, we suggest using caramel, brown, and black colors. However, feel free to personalize your nails with any shades you like. We've seen beautiful tortoise nails with amber, chocolate, and black, or orange, russet, and deep brown. Sheer jelly colors are popular choices, too.

Here are our favorite tortoiseshell shades to get you started. Some are available as both nail lacquer and gel polish:

Steps to Do Tortoise Nails

Let’s begin with nail lacquer. If you prefer to do gels, scroll down.

Nail prep is the key to a successful manicure. Start with clean, trimmed nails and push back the cuticles. Wipe off oil and debris with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.
Apply a base color to your nails using the lightest shade as the background for the tortoiseshell design. Allow it to dry completely. Depending on the temperature and humidity, it may take 5 to 10 minutes to stop feeling tacky.
Choose the middle shade, typically brown, and apply a few random splotches onto your nails. Try to use thin layers for a faster dry time.
Take the black nail lacquer and add smaller spots on top of the brown patches. Keep the pattern irregular for a more natural look.
Once the lacquer has set, apply a clear top coat for a glossy finish. Then use a small brush or cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the skin around the nails if needed.

Remember that you can create custom shades by blending colors or diluting them with a clear top coat.

Now let’s switch to gel polish.

Steps for Tortoiseshell Nails with Gel Polish:

Prepare your nails by shaping them and lightly buffing the surface. Clean them of debris and excess oil with lint-free nail wipes and cleanser or rubbing alcohol.
Apply a gel base coat and cure it under the nail lamp according to the manufacturer's instructions. It may take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
Next, brush on the lightest-colored gel polish and cure it.
Follow with the medium shade and create random splotches on your nails. Leave parts with the base color showing through. Cure this layer.
Add black patches overlapping the brown spots. Cure.
Finish with a glossy top coat.

If you want a foolproof way to achieve a natural tortoiseshell look, use blooming gel. After you’ve cured the base coat and bottom color, apply the transparent blooming gel but don’t cure it. Instead, dab on a couple of spots of the medium-dark color and let it blossom across the nail. When you like how it looks, cure it in the nail lamp. Add another layer of blossom gel and repeat the process for the final color. Then finish with a transparent top coat.

Variations on Tortoise Nails

There are many ways to play with tortoise nails and have fun. For example, there are half and half tortoiseshell nails like these. One side is patterned, and the other is neutral.