Nail Art for Día de muertos - Day of the Dead

Hello dear readers!

This is the 3rd year that I get to do a manicure based on Día de muertos.

If you don't know what this Mexican festivity is about, you can read my two previous posts (here and here).

What I usually do is remember my loved ones who have passed away. Well, they are always in my heart and mind, but for Mexicans, November 1st and 2nd is a special day. We dedicate this day to go to the cemetery and visit our relatives tombs, put flowers and their favorite food. We stay a while there, and talk with our family while we remember special moments of those who have gone before us. This is what I mostly remember of día de muertos in Mexico. What I just described is another way of celebrating this day besides the traditional altar de muertos.

As for this nail art, it always takes me hours to put it together. From planing the layout of all the día de muertos elements into nail art, to painting the base color, choosing all the colors that will be used, stamping, etc... 4-5 hours at least. I just like to put a lot of thought and heart into it, as if it was my own altar.

 Here you can see many elements surrounding this tradition. Two skeletons in such "alive expressions" that symbolizes death as part of life itself and a reflection of ourselves. Cómo me ves te verás (The way you see me now, you will look like). The two nails in the middle represent my memories of going to the cemetery to leave my grandfather food and lighting a candle so it would guide his spirit to us. In our minds, he would know we were lighting that candle for him, he would see us and enjoy his food as well. *As a curious note, all people who make food offerings say that after this day, altar food loses its flavor, meaning that it was somehow consumed by our loved one.

Whether these beliefs are truth or not, for me, it is a beautiful, magical tradition that I grew up with.

The thumb design is just a representation of papel picado (cut out paper) that adorns altars and many other Mexican celebrations.

I hope you liked this nail art and learned a bit more about this Mexican holiday.

Día de muertos is more than painting your face as a sugar skull. I hope this day never loses its true meaning which is: honoring and remembering our lost loved ones...gone but never forgotten♥

♥♥Thank you for reading♥♥