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The festive season is here and you want to look your best for the celebrations. But you don’t have time or money to go to a salon and get your nails done. Don’t worry, we have some simple nail art tricks that you can do at home with minimal tools and skills. Here are some ideas to spice up your nails and make them stand out.
01 | Glitter Gradient
This is one of the easiest and most glamorous nail art designs that you can do at home. All you need is a base coat, a glitter polish and a sponge. Apply the base coat on your nails and let it dry. Then dab some glitter polish on the sponge and gently press it on the tips of your nails, creating a gradient effect. You can use any color of glitter that matches your outfit or mood. Seal the design with a top coat and you’re done.
02 | Polka Dots
Polka dots are cute, fun and versatile. You can create different patterns and color combinations with them. You will need a base coat, a dotting tool or a toothpick, and two or more nail polishes of your choice. Apply the base coat on your nails and let it dry. Then use the dotting tool or the toothpick to make small dots on your nails with the other polish colors. You can make random dots, stripes, flowers, hearts or any other shape you like. Finish with a top coat and enjoy your polka dot nails.
03 | Tape Stripes
Tape stripes are another simple way to create geometric and elegant nail art designs at home. You will need a base coat, a scotch tape or a masking tape, scissors, and two or more nail polishes of your choice. Apply the base coat on your nails and let it dry completely. Then cut small pieces of tape and stick them on your nails in different angles and shapes, leaving some gaps between them.
Make sure the tape is smooth and firmly pressed on your nails. Then apply another polish color over the tape and peel it off carefully while the polish is still wet. You will get crisp and clean stripes on your nails. Repeat with other colors if you want. Seal the design with a top coat and admire your tape stripe nails.
04 | Marble Effect
Marble effect nails are stunning and eye-catching, but they may seem difficult to achieve at home. However, there is a simple trick that you can use to create this effect with water and nail polish. You will need a base coat, a white polish, two or more other polish colors, a small cup of water, a toothpick, and some tape or petroleum jelly. Apply the base coat and the white polish on your nails and let them dry. Then tape around your nails or apply some petroleum jelly to protect your skin from the polish.
Next, drop some polish of different colors into the water, one by one, creating concentric circles. Then use the toothpick to swirl the colors around and create a marble pattern. Dip your nail into the water and gently lift it out. You will see the marble effect transferred to your nail. Repeat with other nails and colors. Remove the tape or the petroleum jelly and clean up any excess polish with a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover. Apply a top coat to smooth out the surface and add shine to your marble effect nails.
05 | Stamping
Stamping is another technique that you can use to create intricate and detailed nail art designs at home. You will need a base coat, a stamping plate, a stamping polish, a scraper, a stamper, and a top coat. A stamping plate is a metal plate with engraved patterns that you can transfer to your nails with a stamper. A stamping polish is a special polish that is thick and opaque enough to show up on your nails when stamped. A scraper is a tool that you use to remove excess polish from the stamping plate. A stamper is a tool that has a rubber or silicone pad that picks up the polish from the stamping plate and transfers it to your nails.
To use this technique, apply the base coat on your nails and let it dry. Then apply the stamping polish on the stamping plate over the pattern that you want to use. Use the scraper to scrape off any excess polish from the plate, leaving only the pattern filled with polish. Then press the stamper over the plate and pick up the pattern with it. Quickly transfer it to your nail by rolling the stamper over it from one side to another. Repeat with other nails and patterns if you want. Apply a top coat to seal the design and protect it from smudging.
06 | Snowflakes
Nothing says winter like snowflakes, and they are surprisingly easy to create on your nails. All you need is a white nail polish, a thin brush, and a steady hand. Start by painting your nails with a base color of your choice, then use the white polish to draw thin lines that radiate from a central point. Add some smaller lines and dots to create the snowflake shape. You can also use a dotting tool or a toothpick to make the dots. Repeat on all your nails or just on one as an accent.
07 | Candy Canes
This is a classic holiday design that looks cute and festive. You will need a red and a white nail polish, some tape, and a top coat. Paint your nails with the white polish and let it dry completely. Then cut some thin strips of tape and place them diagonally across your nails, leaving some gaps between them. Paint over the tape with the red polish and peel off the tape while the polish is still wet. Seal the design with a top coat and enjoy your candy cane nails.
08 | French Tips
If you want a more elegant and sophisticated look, you can’t go wrong with French tips. They are also easy to do at home with some stickers or tape. You will need a nude or sheer nail polish, a white nail polish, some stickers or tape, and a top coat. Paint your nails with the nude or sheer polish and let it dry. Then place the stickers or tape along the edge of your nails, leaving a thin strip of the tip exposed. Paint over the tip with the white polish and remove the stickers or tape while the polish is still wet. Finish with a top coat and admire your classy nails.
09 | Holographic Nails
If you want to add some sparkle and shine to your nails, holographic nails are the way to go. They are also super easy to achieve with some holographic nail powder or flakes. You will need a black nail polish, some holographic nail powder or flakes, a sponge applicator, and a top coat. Paint your nails with the black polish and let it dry slightly. Then dip the sponge applicator into the holographic powder or flakes and dab it onto your nails, covering them completely or partially as you like. Press gently to make sure the powder or flakes stick to the polish. Apply a top coat to seal the holographic effect and enjoy your dazzling nails.
10 | Water Decals
Water decals are pre-printed designs that you can transfer onto your nails using water. They are very easy to use and come in various styles and patterns. You will need some water decals of your choice, some scissors, some tweezers, a bowl of water, a base color nail polish, and a top coat. Paint your nails with the base color polish and let it dry completely. Then cut out the water decals that fit your nails and peel off the protective film. Dip them into the water for a few seconds until they slide off the paper backing. Use the tweezers to pick up the decals and place them onto your nails, smoothing out any air bubbles or wrinkles. Trim off any excess decal with the scissors or a nail file. Apply a top coat to protect the decals and enjoy your beautiful nails.
11 | Foil Transfer
One of the easiest ways to create a stunning metallic effect on your nails is to use foil transfer. All you need is some nail foil, foil glue, and a top coat. Apply the foil glue on your nails and let it dry until it becomes tacky. Then, press a piece of foil on your nail and peel it off quickly. You’ll be left with a shiny foil design that looks like a professional manicure. Seal it with a top coat and you’re done!
12 | Rhinestones
Another way to add some bling to your nails is to use rhinestones. You can find them in different shapes, sizes, and colors at any craft store or online. To apply them, you’ll need some tweezers, nail glue, and a dotting tool or a toothpick. First, apply a base color of your choice on your nails and let it dry. Then, apply a small dot of nail glue where you want to place the rhinestone. Use the tweezers to pick up the rhinestone and place it on the glue dot. Press it gently with the dotting tool or the toothpick to secure it. Repeat with as many rhinestones as you like and finish with a top coat.
13 | Dried Flowers
If you want to create a natural and romantic look on your nails, you can use dried flowers. You can buy them online or make your own by pressing some fresh flowers between two sheets of paper and leaving them for a few days. To apply them, you’ll need some scissors, tweezers, clear polish, and a top coat. First, cut the dried flowers to fit your nails and trim any excess stems or leaves. Then, apply a thin layer of clear polish on your nails and while it’s still wet, use the tweezers to place the dried flowers on your nails. Press them gently with your fingers to make them stick. Apply another layer of clear polish over the flowers and let it dry completely. Finish with a top coat to seal everything in.
14 | Lace Nails
If you want to create a sophisticated and elegant look on your nails, you can use lace. You can find lace fabric in different patterns and colors at any fabric store or online. To apply it, you’ll need some scissors, nail polish remover, a cotton pad, and a top coat. First, cut the lace fabric to fit your nails and trim any excess edges. Then, apply a base color of your choice on your nails and let it dry completely. Next, apply a thick layer of top coat on one nail and while it’s still wet, place the lace fabric on top of it. Press it firmly with your fingers to make it stick. Use the cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover to remove any excess fabric around your nail. Repeat with the rest of your nails and apply another layer of top coat over the lace.
15 | Ombre Nails
If you want to create a gradient effect on your nails, you can use ombre nails technique. You’ll need two or more colors of nail polish that blend well together, a makeup sponge, a plastic sheet or a paper plate, and a top coat. First, apply a base color of your choice on your nails and let it dry completely. Then, pour some drops of the other colors on the plastic sheet or the paper plate and use the makeup sponge to dab them together until they form a gradient. Next, dab the sponge on your nails lightly until you achieve the desired ombre effect. You may need to repeat this step several times until you get enough coverage. Clean up any excess polish around your nails with a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover. Finish with a top coat to smooth out any bumps and add some shine.
16 | Negative Space
Negative space is a nail art technique that involves leaving some parts of your nails bare or painted with a clear base coat, while adding color or design to the rest. This creates a contrast between the natural and the artificial, and gives your nails a modern and minimalist vibe. You can use any color or shape you like, but some popular options are triangles, stripes, dots, hearts, and stars. To create negative space nails, you’ll need some tape or stickers to mask off the areas you want to leave bare. Then, apply your chosen color or design over the tape or stickers, and peel them off carefully once the polish is dry.
17 | Splatter Nails
Splatter nails are a fun and messy way to add some color and texture to your nails. They look like abstract paintings, and you can use any combination of colors you like. To create splatter nails, you’ll need some straws, paper plates, and nail polish remover. First, paint your nails with a base coat of your choice. Then, pour some different colors of polish onto the paper plates, and dip one end of a straw into one of them. Blow through the other end of the straw over your nails, creating splatters of polish on them. Repeat with different colors until you’re satisfied with the result. Clean up the excess polish on your skin with nail polish remover and a cotton swab.
18 | Animal Print
Animal print is a classic and timeless nail art design that never goes out of style. You can choose any animal you like, such as leopard, zebra, tiger, snake, or cow. To create animal print nails, you’ll need a thin brush or a dotting tool, and two or more colors of polish. First, paint your nails with a base coat of one color. Then, use the thin brush or the dotting tool to draw the animal pattern over the base coat with another color. For example, for leopard print, you can draw irregular spots with black polish over a beige base coat. For zebra print, you can draw thin stripes with black polish over a white base coat.
19 | Geometric Patterns
Geometric patterns are another simple and chic nail art design that you can do at home. You can use any shapes and colors you like, such as circles, squares, triangles, hexagons, diamonds, or polygons. To create geometric pattern nails, you’ll need some tape or stickers to create the shapes on your nails. First, paint your nails with a base coat of one color. Then, cut out some tape or stickers into the shapes you want, and stick them on your nails in different positions. Apply another color of polish over the tape or stickers, and peel them off carefully once the polish is dry.
20 | Matte Nails
Matte nails are a trendy and sophisticated nail art design that gives your nails a smooth and velvety finish. You can use any color you like for matte nails, but dark and bold colors tend to look more striking. To create matte nails, you’ll need a matte top coat that you can buy from any beauty store or online. First, paint your nails with a regular polish of your choice. Then, apply the matte top coat over the regular polish, and let it dry completely.
These are just some of the simple nail art tricks that you can do at home for a festive makeover. You don’t need any professional skills or expensive tools to create these designs. I hope you enjoyed this blog post and found it helpful. If you try any of these nail art ideas, please share your photos with me in the comments below. I’d love to see your creations! Happy holidays!
Sources:
Nail Art Projects: Eye-catching and stylish designs by salon professionals.
Christmas customs and traditions, their history and significance.
Art and Design for Children with Sen: A Resource for Inclusive Teaching.
