Brunch, as we all know, isn’t merely a meal. It is an event. And what fun is an event if you don’t have a super cute manicure to match? In honor of Magical Girl month, I’ve tackled a relatively simple nail art design inspired by Sailor Moon, chiefly the Inner Senshi and their outfits.

Step 1:

Gather your materials. Since I’m doing the Inner Senshi, I made sure I had a variety of colors that matched their sailor costumes. I also included a few lighter and darker shades of the core colors for highlighting/shadowing. You’ll also need a dotting tool of some kind (feel free to get creative if you don’t have one on hand — for a long time, I used a dull pencil), a thin detail brush, and a wider brush to help with clean up afterwards. Absolutely necessary: Acetone.

Step 2:

Apply a sheer base coat and then a plain white polish. If you’re struggling with streaks, alternating layers of white with a clear matte top coat can help with that. And don’t worry if it’s matte when you want glossy. You can put whatever top coat you want on the finished product and it’ll come out fine.

Step 3:

With the small detail brush, draw on the sailor collars. I did these freehand, but you can also use tape (nail art striping tape or regular Scotch tape you’ve cut up) to achieve a cleaner line. Make sure to clean your brush thoroughly with the acetone between colors.

Step 4:

Wait for the layer to dry completely. Then, paint on the rough shape of the bows.

Step 5:

Using lighter or darker colors accordingly, add however much detail you want to outline the bows and give them some dimension. In this step, less is usually more so you don’t overwhelm the color of the bow.

Step 6:

With your dotting tool, add a dot of polish to the center of each bow.

Step 7:

When your manicure is completely dry, apply a top coat of your choosing. If the polish is still wet, you’ll likely cause it to run. Even if it is dry, overworking the top coat (brushing over the same nail multiple times) can also cause the polish to streak or run.

And that’s it! With a steady hand, it’s pretty simple (enjoy your mimosas after, not before) if a little time-consuming. Have a Magical Girl themed manicure you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @GeekGirlBrunch!