Most nail salons are probably closed right now and you might already be craving your bi-monthly appointment. Why not try doing an at-home manicure in the meantime? It’ll help you maintain your beauty routine (which is important for your mental health, FYI) and distract you from the worries caused by the current health situation. Routines are a way of adding a semblance of control and can act as a positive way to deal with anxiety. So, squeeze the application of these easy manicure ideas you can do at home into your routine for fun nails — and a calmer mind.
Polka Dotted Nails
For a playful but easy manicure, give this polka dot nails tutorial a go. First, apply one or two coats of your preferred nail polish until you get the opacity you want. Then, using a dotting tool or a toothpick, dip into another coloured nail polish and dot along the nail. You can use black or white to keep it simple or use other contrasting hues (like purple and blue) for some colour-blocking. Finally, seal it with a clear topcoat so your hard work will last longer. You can also add some variation by creating different sizes of dots for a unique pattern.
Blinged Out Gems
If you have some nail gems lying around, you can treat yourself to this artsy nail art. Start off with a clear base coat and then apply a clear holographic polish to add some dimension. Then, pick out the gems you want to use. Use a pair of thin-tipped tweezers to carefully apply it to your nails. You can use nail polish to adhere the gems to the nails but this typically doesn’t last that long. Nail glue provides a stronger hold and will make the gems stay on for longer. Once the gems are dry and in-place, carefully apply a layer of clear topcoat or polish in between the gems. And voilà! Start tapping away on your keyboard but hopefully not get too distracted by your nails.
Thin French Manicure
For this manicure, the tutorial used gel polish but if you don’t have that, you can use regular nail polish. Start off with a nice layer of base coat before applying your main polish. Then opt for two coats of nude pink polish and let it dry before tackling the French tip. Using a fine nail brush, draw two lines at the very tip of your nail in a V-shape. You can leave it with one line or thicken it up and round off the point as shown in the video. If you want to have more embellishments, you can apply tiny sequins on an accent nail before applying a topcoat to protect the design.
Newspaper Nails
This tutorial might challenge your DIY skills, but the result is so worth it. Start by applying a maximum of two coats of white nail polish and letting it dry completely. The tutorial recommends letting it dry for about an hour, so practice patience while you're at it, too. Next, get some isopropyl rubbing alcohol and dip a nail into it for 10 seconds, making sure that the entire nail is completely submerged. Take a piece of newspaper with a lot of text and firmly press it, text-side down, to your wet nail for 20 to 25 seconds. Cover it with a clear topcoat to keep it from fading or chipping off too quickly.
Bold Flames
This requires a bit of focus, but the end result is definitely worth it! The flames also make for a good base for more accessorising — rhinestones, glitter, and more. You can watch the tutorial above for a step-by-step from an expert, but before you hit play, here's a top tip: you need gel nail polish for this look.
Terrazzo Nails
The Terrazzo trend is not just for home decor. Putting this Italian design on your nails is just as hip. It doesn't require much effort or skill either. You just need a variety of nail polish colours and a nail art brush — if you don't have one, don't sweat it; you can use just the nail polish's brush.
Daisy Nail Art
Dainty and cute, daisies sure are pretty to look at no matter where you see them or what form they come in. As nail art? Definitely! Just look at this Marc Jacobs-inspired tutorial and you'll understand it completely. The best thing about this nail art is it's achievable with products you already have at home. Don't have a dotting tool? Use a bobby pin.
If you're trying out any of these tutorials, break out your manicure set and grab a glass of wine for a truly relaxing and peaceful time ahead.
Check out these new takes on the classic French manicure.
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