Kara Foster loves researching and experimenting—especially when it comes to hair or nails. She'll put in the work and share what she learns!

How to Get the Perfect Gel Nails Manicure at Home

I'm the kind of girl who would rather go out without makeup on than without nail polish. Yet, despite my obsession with nails, I always assumed that using gel polish at home was a little too advanced for me. It turns out I was wrong. I finally took the plunge and realized it's a totally achievable goal for almost anyone. That being said, there is a bit of a learning curve.

So, I thought this article could be a quick one-stop-shop to a gel manicure. I'll teach you some basics, which will save you research, and I'll outline some of the mistakes I was making, which will spare you some serious aggravation.

What You'll Need:

• Rubbing alcohol or 100 percent pure acetone (ideally both)
• Cotton ball or face cloth (the latter is more eco-friendly)
• Cuticle stick (optional)
• Gel polish of choice (some brands come with basecoat and topcoat)
• LED nail lamp
• UV gloves (optional—but I like to be safe!)
• Nail file or buffer (optional)

Step 1. Understanding the Basics

Since there is already a ton of great information out there, I won't waste your time re-hashing applying nail polish. If you're totally brand new to doing your own nails and need tips and tricks for applying the polish, I'll leave you some great resources at the end of this article.

Personally, I will admit that I was making a lot of mistakes and assumptions when I first started out. Hands down, I think my biggest misunderstanding about gel polish is that I assumed it would offer me a quick fix. Curing under a UV light was going to save me a whack of time, right? Not really.

Whether you're using a one-step polish like the one offered by Sensationail, or a three-step polish like the one offered by Sally Hansen (both great products), you should expect to spend a minimum of 30 minutes on your nails. Realistically, give yourself an hour, so you don't end up frustrated.

Treat each nail like a little art project. It will be worth it—trust me. When I did my first manicure, I painted in fairly thick, quick strokes, and ended up with equally thick chips within a day or two, which was a bummer. You can see from the first picture that I was afraid to push back my cuticles and left ragged edges. I also didn't take the time to get as close as I could to the edges. It really didn't look much better (or last much longer) than regular nail polish!

Step 2. Prepping and Painting

I’ll be honest that the manicures were a little trying on my patience, at first. I felt like it was taking forever, and it gave me a new appreciation for professional manicurists who stay bent over and focused for hours on end. However, after putting in the time, I noticed a huge difference in the longevity of my paint.

I type at a computer all day, every day at the office, and was pretty pumped that I didn’t even see the tiniest chip after several days. You can see in the second picture (light pink polish, above) that my lines are better, there isn’t as much of a gap between my nail bed and the polish, and the nails look overall better than they would with regular polish.

Does it look like a professional did it? No, of course not. I am still learning and perfecting. One thing I am still kind of hung up on is causing damage to my nails. I was admittedly afraid to even touch my cuticles, wanted to skip buffing, and was worried about drying out my nails with too much prep work. But, I sucked it up and realized that this is an extremely important part of the process.

Take Care of Your Cuticles

If you’re like me, and the thought of cutting your cuticles makes you nauseous, know that there is a huge difference between removing/cutting, versus just pushing back your cuticles. It’s pretty much a fact that you should only be pushing them back, very gently. No reputable source will recommend cutting them, which was a big relief to me.

While a lot of people will use a cuticle stick, I actually find I’m able to just gently push them back using my thumbnails, after I get out of the shower. I try and remember to do this the day before I do my manicure, too. The last time I went to a salon, the first step was soaking my nails, but there is actually a fairly split vote on whether or not this is best since soaked nails may actually expand. If they shrink back after the polish is dry, it only makes sense that this can lead to cracking. It’s probably a personal preference, but I do not recommend soaking right before the manicure.

Buffing the Shine Off

What do I do immediately before I paint? I lightly brush a file across the top of my nails, to remove some of the natural shine, which is known as buffing. You don’t have to go overboard, just a bit to rough up the surface and give something for the polish to cling to. I also clean my nails with both rubbing alcohol and acetone. You might be thinking that all of this is a little hard on your nails. It is. But I remind myself it’s not really any different than all of the other things I do for the sake of appearances—like using dye in my hair even though it gets a little more fried each time, or wearing lipstick even though I know it dries out my lips. My list goes on.

Apply Thin Layers

By the third attempt, I forced myself to paint in what felt like thin, painfully slow, strokes, and paid extra-special attention to capping (making sure you completely cover the tip of your nail). It’s a little easier to let your nails grow out a bit, but not completely impossible to cap a short nail, either. I've shared a link on this at the end of this article.

Step 3. Aftercare

Since this whole process beats up your nails a little bit, the key is doing all of these things in moderation and taking steps to minimize the damage. You should moisturize like crazy after the manicure is done.

Cuticle Oil

You can use any oil you have lying around the house (I love coconut) or any plain old moisturizer will do. Just take a few seconds to work it into your nails and cuticles before bed. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. I’ve been trying to give myself about a week or two between my manicures, and so far my natural nails still look healthy, and I’m not self-conscious about the way my hands look on polish-free days (they aren't too brittle, yellow, etc.).

Tips for a Lasting Manicure

The last comment is that after all of your hard work, don't forget to protect your nails. Yes, gel polish will last a LOT longer than regular—but it's not indestructible! I try to wear gloves while doing dishes, for example, and it saves me the disappointment of having to repair a chip (if this happens I've had great success with giving the chip a quick file to smooth it down, and then re-applying a quick layer of polish and topcoat).

The bottom line is that I am someone who has zero professional training, but with bit of patience, and only a bit of practice, I have great-looking nails that make me happy. If I can do it so can you. Good luck!

Resources for a Little Extra Guidance

• How To Cap Short Nails With Gel Polish - YouTube
  
• Gel Polish on Natural Nails - Tips and Tricks! - YouTube
  
• 17 Manicure Tips That’ll Keep Your Nail Polish From Chipping | Glamour
  

Get Tantalizing Talons!

Since February 14th celebrates romance—you will want to show your nails some love for the occasion. There is a myriad of designs to choose from, and surprisingly with these DIY Valentine's Nail Designs, you don't have to go with just plain old red. You could go with a heartbeat design or a simple tiny heart on the tip pf your nails. Check out these ideas and pick out the one that's right for you!

Pink & Black

Pink & Black

To recreate this pretty look—paint the nails in pink and one in black and one in silver. Add polka dots using a dotting tool.

Heart Beat

Heart Beat

Get hearts beating with this ultra glam heartbeat pattern. Use a base coat of gray and pop a glittery coat over this. Recreate the pattern fo the heart beat with black polish and a fine tip brush.

Neon Heart Beat

Neon Heart Beat

This nail art is a variation of the above - except it uses black as a base coat to really make the neon colors of the heart beat pattern stand out.

Red Cherries

Red Cherries

Cherries succeed in creating a fun and flirty look in this nail art idea. It would look great teamed with a 1950's style dress for your perfect Valentine's night out.

Pink Flamingos

Pink Flamingos

Recreate these lovebirds with white and pink nail polish following the step by step guide in the picture.

Patchwork Hearts & Polka Dots

Patchwork Hearts & Polka Dots

Although orange isn't typically what you would think of for Valentine's - because the design is added over a French manicure, it lends a sense of retro and delicacy to the design.

Rose Gold

Rose Gold

Rose gold is a huge trend across all the arts and these nails capture that look perfectly.

Key to My Heart

Key to My Heart

This nail art is achieved by painting a long key in gold across white nails. This is definitely more than a subtle hint for your lover.

Kisses

Kisses

Make kiss prints on your nails using a toothpick and different color pinks and reds.

Love

Love

For a minimalist but stylish look, paint your nails in white and write the word love in black using a fine tip brush on a feature nail.

Chevron

Chevron

The gold chevron design really glams up this cute baby pink mani featuring a little white heart.

Heart Tip

Heart Tip

For a delicate nod to romance - paint just one heart on the tip of one nail.

Glitter Hearts

Glitter Hearts

Glitter never fails to impress when it comes to manicures - especially this one featuring heart sequins in the mix.

Ruby Red

Ruby Red

You really cannot beat the romance added by passionate ruby red on the talons.

Pink & Gold

Pink & Gold

For a cute girly look , pink and gold team so well together and this mani would look great with a pink sweater and a pair of denims.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Rachel ludwig on January 30, 2019:

Hi you are looking for a Sunday pink red the hex girls kiss you.

Lauren is a busy mother of two magnificent children and loves music, food, and experimenting with her hairstyle.

When I first began my foray into nail polish strips, there were few reviews on Color Street and none on Lily and Fox. So I decided to review and compare both companies so that others could be informed before they buy.

What Are Nail Polish Strips?

Nail strips are an alternative to nail polish. They generally consist of a set of different sized strips that you peel and apply to your nails.

Company Summaries

Color Street

Color Street is a direct marketing company founded in New York by Fa Park. Their patented products were previously sold in stores as Incoco nails, and recently the company switched to a direct sales platform and is experiencing massive growth.

Lily and Fox

Lily and Fox is an Australian-based online retailer. Their website offers only a vague account of their history and information.

Price

Color Street

These nail polish strips cost $11-14 for each set, and shipping is $3.00. You can buy three sets and get one free, or for their French manicure sets, you can buy one and get one free. Each set comes with 16 nail strips, and you can usually use both ends of the strip. I generally do my nails twice with one set.

Lily and Fox

These strips sell for a very palatable $2.99 per set, with free global shipping, although this is supposedly a sale price. The original prices are marked at $8.99. In the few months I’ve bought from this company, the sale prices have always stayed in effect. Each set comes with 16 strips, but I’ve rarely been able to use both ends of one strip.

Look and Design

Color Street

This company boasts vibrant colors and professional-looking nails. The designs are a bit limited, and they cycle through them often, but overall they are contemporary and classy.

Lily and Fox

These products are appealing and fun, and they’ve got far more variety than Color Street—in particular, they deliver some great designs for holidays. But some of the designs seem a little cheap-looking, particularly when the colors are faded or the images are a bit campy.

Ease of Application

Color Street

When I first tried these products, I was amazed by how easy they were to apply. It did take me a little while to get them lined up correctly on my nails, but after some practice, I was able to apply a full set in about 5 minutes. You peel off the strip, apply it to your nail, and file or tear off the excess. The strips are light enough to be able to stretch and fit easily.

You remove the strips with nail polish remover, although it takes a lot of remover and rubbing to get it all off.

Lily and Fox

The process for applying these products is essentially the same, but I’ve found it’s a little more frustrating. The protective sheet on the strip does not come off as easily, it’s hard to pull the tabs off, and the strips are so thick that you have to use a nail file to finish off the excess.

The company’s website does not provide any insight on how to remove the strips; I generally just peel them all off when I’m ready to be done with them.

Durability

Color Street

The company says your applied nail strips can last up to two weeks, but unless you wear protective gloves all day or are an underwear model, this is probably not accurate. They will last weeks if you do absolutely nothing, but if you plan on dressing yourself, eating and preparing food, wrangling kids, or doing any other type of daily activities, these nail strips will chip and crack. However, I do feel they hold up better than a professional manicure.

Lily and Fox

They also say their nails will last two weeks, but again, this is true if you do absolutely nothing. The difference with these nail strips is that they won’t necessarily crack or chip as much (these strips are incredibly tough), but I’ve found they do snag and stick to just about anything. Unless you file them off just right, water and dirt will get under them and cause them to easily peel off. Usually, I only keep these on for a day or so. On the occasions where I’ve kept them on for longer, they get a little warped and wrinkled.

Feel

Color Street

I really do love the way these nails feel. They’re smooth and glossy, and they generally make my nails feel stronger.

Lily and Fox

These also make my nails feel stronger, but they’re not smooth. Rather, they’re more rubbery and sticky. The company recommends painting a clear top coat over the strips, but what’s the point of having nail strips if you have to use nail polish too?

Smell

Color Street

Yes, I do mention the smell, and this is why. Color Street strips smell like nail polish, which I like. Not that I like the smell of nail polish, but since they claim that their strips are made from nail polish, and they come out of the package smelling as such, I’m more inclined to believe them.

Lily and Fox

Lily and fox also claim their strips are made from nail polish, but they smell more like rubber. Are you sensing a theme here?

Summary and Recommendation

I would actually recommend both of these companies' products. I would use Color Street more for everyday use where I’d appreciate the feel and longevity. The price point is a little hard to swallow, but they are still cheaper than most professional manicures.

I would recommend Lily and Fox for events and occasions where I only need to wear them for a few hours. However, if their magical, ongoing sale should ever end and the price of their products jumps back to $8.99, I don’t think I’d still purchase them.

I feel both of these companies offer great products that ease the effort of applying nail polish and curb the cost of professional manicures.

Which Nail Polish Strip Company Would You Prefer?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: I find Lily and Fox nail strips peel off, is there a way to adhere better? Today I cleaned my nails with nail polish remover to see if it makes a difference?

Answer: I find that Lily and Fox nails adhere better when I don’t do anything involving water for a few hours. Usually, I put them on right before I go to bed and they have hours to bond to the nail.

Question: I love being able to reseal my Color Street nails so they last, but I can't find anything on resealing Lily and Fox. Do you have to throw out Lily and Fox nail polish strips after one use?

Answer: The composition of Lily and Fox nails is different than Color Street, and they actually don't dry out. So you can open them up and leave them out and they'll be perfectly fine to use again later.

Question: I am now a ColorStreet Stylist, I love your fair evaluation, but I would recommend you try ColorStreet Glitter Nails again. I swam for two hours in a Salt Water pool and also did 3 days of repotting plants. I was shocked that my ColorStreet Glitter lasted. About two days later I did see chipping. I believe you could give them a try again. What do you think?

Answer: I continue to wear Color Street and the result is almost always the same. They look great for one or two days and then start chipping and cracking, regardless of what activities I’m doing. I still feel they are the superior nail strip, but advertising that they last for two weeks is unrealistic.

Question: Why do lily and fox nails look upside down with the design at the bottom?

Answer: I think Lily and Fox is a company that sells cast off or overstocked nail strips, so I think some of the designs might have been misprinted. I’ve had a couple that are upside down.

Question: Have you tried Glitterati?

Answer: I have not, but I've looked at their website and will be trying them soon!

Question: I just ordered a batch of L&F strips. I'm disappointed to hear how short-lived they are. Color street are too flimsy and tear easily, in my honest opinion. The very best are Perfectly Polished. I have had these last 3 weeks on vacation, and they are lovely and thick and don't tear. Have you tried these?

Answer: I haven't tried Perfectly Polished, although, the more I use Lily and Fox, the more I like them and the longer they last.

Question: I have flat nails with ridges. Will Color Street adhere to my nails?

Answer: Yes, Color Street nails and most nail strips are very flexible.

Question: Does cleaning your nails with nail polish remover before applying help them stay on longer?

Answer: I haven't tried that, but it seems that it would. Usually I clean my nails with an alcohol wipe before applying the strips.

© 2018 Lauren Flauding

Comments

Robini0902 on June 27, 2020:

Color Street, Incoco, and Coconut nails are all made by the same company.

Susan Berger on June 01, 2020:

I've tried them both. Lily and Fox , just put a top coat on..They last ..

Price can't beat it.

Susan Berger on June 01, 2020:

I've tried them both! Color St

Wendy Statz on May 12, 2020:

I've used Lily&fox a few times more. I love them. Great designs, great price and they lasted over 4 weeks. I did put clear polish over the top but that was my personal choice. Love them

mjcaraway64 on February 25, 2020:

Color street do not work well after time even when being sealed up. I started my nail strip wearing with CS but now prefer the less expensive wraps that last longer stored.

Amy on December 28, 2019:

To make your color street last longer apply them right before bed. So nothing comes into contact with your nails until the morning. No moisture oils etc. Since making this change my color streets last 3 weeks plus. Vrs between 1 and 2 weeks before.

Also adding a layer either with their awesome overlays or with just a clear strip will greatly increase wear time.

Lyla on December 07, 2019:

I used my first Color Strip nail strips for my daughter's wedding 2 weeks ago. I'm still wearing these, after scrubbing my floors by hand, digging in my flower garden planting bulbs, day after day, doing a lot of other household duties. I'm shocked they're lasting as well.. I have similar sparkly nail polish and have touched up tips but am not ready to take them off yet. They look fantastic. Nothing has ever lasted this long on my nails. idk if I just got an extremely durable set of strips (Tokyo Lights) or what. I didn't have the alcohol pad with me so I washed my nails and applied mouth wash to them. Maybe that did it??

Marie-Eve Riel on November 04, 2019:

Ive you try marie nail and Beauty bar?

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on September 30, 2019:

Jill,

So sorry about your lost nail strips! Honestly, the more I use Lily and Fox, the more I like them. They take some getting used to and every once in a while I’ll find a set that isn’t very consistent in quality, but for the price, they’re really quite good.

Jill McAlester on September 30, 2019:

Wish I had read this before I ordered Lily and Fox. I lost my wallet containing about $100 worth of Color Street nails. Devastated! Looking for a quick, cheap replacement I happened on Lily and Fox. From your review I think I might be disappointed. Hopefully not.

Sharon Herdenberg on June 29, 2019:

Out of the 2 Color Street is the better one. But whoever said Glitterati in the comments is right. They work the best for me also, I love that brand.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on April 24, 2019:

Kavita,

The magnificent thing about nail polish strips is that they take zero time to dry, which is one of the many reasons I feel they are superior to bottled nail polish.

Kavita Mevada on April 24, 2019:

How long does Nail Polish Take to Dry it takes for your nails to dry depends partly on the nail polish and nail polish dryer you use. All polishes can dry in a timely fashion as long as they are applied thinly and evenly on a clean surface and topped with a proper topcoat.

Please check out my web site too and let me know what you think.

http://www.atallcures.com

MARLA BAKER on March 18, 2019:

Not to get off-subject, but does anyone know if Lily & Fox are the same nail polish strips as Perfectly Polished and Lucky Moose? The packaging for all of them is pretty much identical. Wondering if they're all the same exact thing just sold under different names?

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on March 14, 2019:

Julie,

Thanks for the tip with the flat iron! What a great idea! I feel like Lily and Fox last longer because the strips are thicker, so that’s a positive. I’m glad you tried them out, they’re a nice alternative to the price of Color Street.

Julie on March 14, 2019:

Thanks for the article! Because of this I learned about lily and fox, and so far really like my first set. They've been on a week and look better than any of my colorstreet after that amount of time. I did hit them with a top coat when I got back home due to the rubbery tacky feeling and that solved it. Application was fine and I did clean my nails with alcohol like I do before colorstreet.

Also, as for saving your colorstreet after opening? Seal the plastic envelope with a flat iron! Keeps it pretty air tight, but they still won't last forever...

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on March 14, 2019:

Marla,

I’ve had a fair amount of trouble with the Lily and Fox strips coming off soon after application. Although, I have better luck with them when I apply them at night before I go to bed. That way they have all night to bond without me doing housework and getting my nails wet. I don’t know if that’s helpful. Regardless, Color Street has the superior product.

MARLA BAKER on March 14, 2019:

All of the Lily & Fox strips I've used are garbage. They lifted off within 30 minutes of application. I guess you get what you pay for. Too bad since L&F have so many more colors and designs. Oh well, I'll stick with CS, Incoco, Coconuts and Jamberry lacquer strips.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 23, 2019:

Tina,

While Color Street does have a fair amount of designs, when compared to Lily and Fox they are limited, as they only have about half as many designs. Furthermore, a chunk of Color Street’s designs are solid colors and solid glitters, whereas Lily and Fox offer more variety in their styles. That being said, some of the Lily and Fox designs can verge on kitschy, while Color Street designs seem to be more defined and classy.

Tina on February 22, 2019:

I can't believe she said the Color Street designs are limited- maybe back then but they are plentiful now and every season they add new designs and each year the designs for that season are different then the last. Right now they are offering at least 5 designs just for St. Patrick's day. They offer many sports themes and the list goes on. They are even about to launch a whole bunch of new spring themed

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 13, 2019:

Andi,

Color Street is definitely the better quality product, however, I’ve found that the more I use Lily and Fox nails, the longer they last. Maybe I’m getting better at applying them or something.

Andi on February 13, 2019:

I’ve used Incoco now Color Street for years, they last weeks but will start to have tiny crack lines after a couple days. Its really only noticable up super close so I wear them til my nails grow out too much. I used my first Lily and Fox today, it lasted til I showered. I noticed 4 completely fell off and the others I was able to pull off without any trouble. Shortest time I’ve ever had my nails done for. Disappointing but I guess the price difference explains it.

stacey on February 10, 2019:

they are not wide enough for my nails perfect for a child

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 04, 2019:

Francine,

You can’t post pics in the comments, unfortunately, but if you have them posted elsewhere online you can share the link in the comments. I don’t know if that’s helpful.

Francine on February 04, 2019:

I love the glitter finish, and adding Miracle Gel over them makes them sparkle even more! Definitely with Incoco (I bought MANY Incoco nail strips before they transitioned to Color Street and still have tons in inventory), that makes them last longer. I'd never been able to grow my nails very long until I started using nail polish trips. Now I have nails anywhere from 1/8 to 1/4" beyond my finger tips. Love that! Day 4 now with Lily and Fox ("Cotton Candy" design) and they still look like they did when first applied. Can I post pics of nails?

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 04, 2019:

Francine,

Thanks for those tips, I’ll have to try the Miracle Gel to take away the rubbery feeling. Also, what I like to do with Lily and Fox nails is use the ones that are slightly too small for each nail. Yes, that does mean that parts of my nails show on the sides, but with some of the designs you really can’t notice. I find that this helps because I don’t have to shape them.

Francine on February 03, 2019:

I've used Incoco (dba Color Street) nail polish strips for years. I am currently wearing my first set of Lily and Fox. They take longer to apply because they are thicker. It is essential that you use an orange stick to make sure the sides are firmly attached to your nail. And they ARE hard to file and shape. But I've been wearing them now three days and they still look great ... no chips or lifting. I also use Miracle Gel topcoat with both products, which dries almost instantly. If you want them to last for at least a week (either brand), taking these two extra steps goes a long way to making that happen.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on January 31, 2019:

Cindy,

Yeah, lily and Fox aren’t for everyone. But you bring up a good point. Incoco nails are Color Street nails, and you can buy them at Walmart or online for $5-$7. They’re still a great product at a lower price, but it’s kind of a slap in the face to any of Color Street’s stylists.

Cindy on January 31, 2019:

I just tried Lily and Fox wraps for the first time and by the time I had the 3rd nail wrap on, the first one was coming off. They are so so thick. It felt like I was putting children's Colorforms on my nails. I threw the package out and put on Incoco and they're all perfect after 3 days.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on December 22, 2018:

Rebecca,

Lily and Fox definitely have a better price point, and I’ve noticed that since they’re generally thicker than Color Street they don’t chip as much and sometimes last longer. Although I do have more issues with the Lily and Fox nails coming completely off. I’ll have to try doing the clear coat. I think I’m just too lazy. :)

Rebecca Strong on December 22, 2018:

I have used both types. I now put a clear coat of nail polish over any that I apply. It only takes a couple of minutes to dry and helps the polish stay in longer. Sometimes the lily and fox last longer than color street because I have experienced more chipping with color street. The difference in price is why I prefer lily and fox.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on December 14, 2018:

Leslie,

Color Street is great quality and you pay for it. I have found some Lily and Fox designs have stayed longer than a day. It seems their designs are not uniform, making me think they may get their products from multiple manufacturers. Lily and Fox are great for a quick, fun event, but the longevity and feel of Color Street is uncontested.

Leslie Jean Knope on December 14, 2018:

I would just like to say that I too have tried both Colorstreet and Lily Fox. I bought some as Christmas gifts but wanted to give them a try first to see what I was gifting. Colorstreet came in the mail fairly quickly and Lily and Fox took forever. I was already a fan of Colorstreet but for the price of the other one, I had to try. I could not agree more with this well written accurate description. Lily and Fox were more like stickers than nail wraps. I will say though putting a 'quick dry' clear top coat over the Colorstreet really lengthens the life. Unfortunately as soon as I took a shower the Lily and Fox came right off. So they didn't last 12 hours and I will not be giving them as gifts. Well maybe to the 10 year old girls, but not the adults. Again, great article, veey accurate and well described.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on November 17, 2018:

Kikilong,

That’s great! I definitely think there might be some variation of longevity between some of the Lily and Fox styles. I’ve tried a couple that were truly frustrating, but other than those ones I’ve had a pretty good experience with them.

Kikilong on November 17, 2018:

I’m currently wearing a lily & fox set that I’ve had on for two weeks! They’re glitter so I’m not sure if that makes a difference but I’m very impressed. Def going to buy again.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on November 08, 2018:

Mallory,

I have not tried Glitterati, I will have to check them out. Thanks for the tip!

Mallory on November 07, 2018:

Lauren,

Have you tried Glitterati? I have tried all three of these companies and found that Glitterati lasted the longest for me as well as being cheaper than color street. You also get 18 strips instead of 16.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on November 01, 2018:

Sharon,

Honestly, the more I use Lily and Fox, the more I like them. I still think Color Street are the better quality, and you pay for it, but I find Lily and Fox to be more and more acceptable for dat to day use. And I love their variety of designs!

Sharon on November 01, 2018:

I love Lily and Fox! So easy to apply and really last. Dish washing house cleaning and all. I tried to order the Christmas wraps but were sold out, surprise! So excellent, I have tried a lot of wraps too. Please keep up the good work!

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on October 12, 2018:

Betsy, I actually had to go through a few failed attempts before I found a method that worked. After I use all the nails I need for the first time, I put the extras back in the clear plastic sleeve they came in, fold it over and tape it all the way around. I have found, however, that even with this method the remaining nails end up slightly more brittle than at first and shorten their life a bit, but I always get them to last at least a week.

Betsy Kleger on October 12, 2018:

I love color street. Question: you mentioned that you can use one set twice. How do you store them so they don’t dry out? I was under the impression that once they were opened they had to be used right away

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on September 29, 2018:

Katie, yeah, it always seems like the Color Street nails still smell like nail polish almost one or two days afterwards. It’s kind of weird.

Katie on September 29, 2018:

Did you notice the smell of the color street to go away? They were still smelling strong 12+ hours after application for me, which gave me a headache.

Maykup on September 29, 2018:

Sweet products free

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on September 28, 2018:

Here are the links to the websites of these two companies, which I would imagine would be useful for anyone seriously considering buying their products.

https://colorstreet.com

https://www.lilyandfox.com

Tori is a 28-year-old, three-time animal mom and DIYer living in Northern Atlanta with her boyfriend.

Why Do a Spa Pedicure at Home?

If you're like me, you love going to the nail salon and getting a spa pedicure, but you don't love the price tag. For me, going to the nail salon and having my fingers and toes professionally done is a treat, not something I can pay for every couple of weeks. But here's the problem: what do you do when you are broke and your feet are starting to look like Frodo's?

I started doing my own pedicures about two years ago. With the purchase of some simple tools to keep in the shower, I am able to keep my feet flip-flop ready and free of uncomfortable and scratchy calluses all the time. All you need to do is follow this routine every couple of weeks when your feet start to feel a little scratchy again, and you're in the clear!

As a precursor, for me, this takes a few hours because I like to be extra moisturized. So if I were you I would set aside a few hours on a Sunday afternoon to do your pedicure!

Step 1: Apply Lotion or Oil

My feet get extra dry and super callus-y, so the first step I do before I do anything else is apply lotion or oil to clean feet and put socks on for at least 30 minutes before soaking my feet to prepare for callus removal. The softer your feet are, the easier it is to remove calluses.

If I'm using oil, I will use either coconut oil or argan oil. If I use lotion, I will use an unscented one. Slather on a thick layer and then put socks on for thirty minutes before starting your foot soak and scrub!

Step 2: Soak and Scrub Your Feet

I'm on my feet all day at work, so my feet are very callused and rough after a couple of weeks without treatment. Calluses aren't something you can slough off dry. It's uncomfortable to do so. The first thing you have to do is soak your feet. There are a couple of different soaks you can do depending on what your foot problems are.

First off, no matter what you decide to put in your foot soak, you should always put in Epsom salts. Epsom salts are made with magnesium and sulfate, two minerals that are essential in human body processes that we don't get enough of. Magnesium and sulfate can be absorbed through your skin and can help with muscle aches and pains, too. (Source)

My favorite foot soak is warm water with peppermint oil, Epsom salt, and a little bit of vinegar. I know the vinegar piece sounds a little weird, but vinegar acts as a disinfectant which can help prevent or manage fungal problems (Source, Source). You can do this soak in your bathtub or in an extra-large plastic bin. I typically do it in my bathtub with the water-filled up to my ankles. I eyeball the measurements, but it is about two cups of Epsom salt, a cup of vinegar, and several drops of peppermint oil.

If you used coconut oil in the previous step to help soften your feet a little bit, you may have to rinse your feet off before placing them in the soak. Argan oil or lotion should have fully absorbed. I like to let my feet sit for 15 minutes before I start using my tools to get those calluses off.

While my feet are soaking, I have a scrub that I absolutely love that I will apply to my feet and calves. Mix equal parts coffee grounds and sugar with just enough olive oil to make a paste. Coffee grounds have caffeine, which is proven to tighten skin and minimize the visibility of cellulite (Source). The grounds plus the sugar also act as an exfoliant, which is why I apply it to my feet too. And the olive oil, of course, acts as a moisturizer.

Rinse off the scrub when you're ready for the next step!

Step 3: Slough Off Those Calluses

Calluses are the most annoying part of keeping up your feet, especially if you are a little ticklish, but here's an easy way to think about taking them off. It's just like sanding wood. The coarser the grit that you use, the more that will come off, but the surface will still be rough, so you follow with finer and finer sandpaper until the surface is smooth.

Start with a metal foot file that resembles a cheese grater. File away on all of the roughest parts of your foot—heel, big toe, and big toe joint—to remove as much of the callus as possible. This is possibly the most important tool you will need and you will see immediate results from using it.

The next important step, as I mentioned, is using a finer file to remove the rest of the calluses and smooth the skin. I love using the Earth Therapeutics Diamond Foot File because it is double-sided and has an extra file in the handle to help with smaller hard to reach places. One side of the file is a little bit coarser and the other side is super fine.

These files work best when your feet are wet. Don't drain your foot soak solution, as you can continue to use it while you are filing. You will also be able to use the soak to rinse your feet when you are done and ready to move on to the next step.

Step 4: Lotion Up

After I get the calluses off and my feet are dry and smooth, I always take unscented alcohol-free lotion and slather it on once more under a pair of socks. This is always a good followup to a soak to lock in moisture and keep your feet softer for a little longer.

I usually will let my feet rest in the socks and absorb the lotion for about 30 minutes before starting the next step, which is painting my toes!

Step 5: Beautify Your Toes

After you've finished the grunt work, you can continue on to the actual pedicure part of the process if you like. If you don't care or don't want nail polish on your toes, you can skip most of this step!

Start by clipping your toenails to the desired length. If you are keeping them a little bit longer, use a nail brush to clean the undersides of your nail. I personally prefer my toes clipped down as short as they will go.

After your toes are clipped, you can use a cuticle trimmer to trim extra cuticle if you need it. I don't usually have to do that because I don't have a lot of extra cuticle on my toenails to worry about.

Next, you can paint your toes. Start with a clear base coat. If you don't apply a base coat, you risk the nail polish bleeding through your nail. When you go to remove it, your nail will have a tinge of whatever color the nail polish was. I really like using ORLY Rubberized Base Coat because it has the best staying power out of every other non-gel nail polish I've ever used. After your base coat, apply the color and a top coat to seal it in. Use a Q-Tip dipped in acetone to correct any mistakes.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Tori loves dying her hair all colors of the rainbow and shares her tutorials with others.

Why Should I Try Nail Powders?

I love multichrome or holographic anything. I even own a pair of holographic silver tennis shoes. I am to the point of my multichrome/holo obsession that my boyfriend's eyes can't roll any further back into his head when I find something that is holographic or multichrome. I can't help it—I want it all!

Nail polish, in particular, gets me. The first time I ever got anything chrome or holographic on my nails was about a year ago, the day that I quit my job in preparation to start a new role. I got black SNS (SNS is a brand) with silver chrome in gel over top on all fingers except the ring finger, on which I got silver holographic. I continued on the SNS path for a while, but let me tell you . . . when I decided to stop using it, my nails were ruined. I knew I had to figure out a way to still have my multichrome and holographic nails without using gel or SNS to achieve it.

I immediately went to Amazon and shopped around for some powders. I settled on a couple and purchased them, and got to work as soon as they came a couple of days later.

How Did I Figure This Out?

Honestly - figuring it out was pretty dang easy! I was already obsessed with nail color, and I had quite a collection already. I knew the trick was going to be using the right kind of base coat. I knew it would have to be a sticky base coat because if it wasn't, the powder would have nothing to stick to when I rubbed it on.

I only had to try two base coats. The first base coat I tried was Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat. For normal nail polish, this is one of my favorites. But unfortunately, it wasn't sticky enough for the nail powder.

The next one that I tried was ORLY Bonder Rubberized Base Coat. I had to look no further. This one was sticky enough once dry for the powder, because of its rubbery properties. The next trick was finding out the best process for application to get the most reflection and best results out of my nail powder.

After some experimentation, I came up with the below process for applying. Follow this process and you'll have great results on your own too!

Supplies Needed

1. Apply Peel Off Latex

First, you'll need to start by applying peel off latex around your nails to assist with mistakes. If you're anything like me and you get nail polish and powder all over the place when you paint your nails, then peel off latex is a literal god-send and makes cleaning up mistakes so much easier. I love Pueen Peel Off Latex. It is easy to use and dries quickly. It is also easy to see when it is dry—it turns from an opaque baby pink to a translucent "barbie" pink.

2. Apply Base Coat

After the latex dries, apply one coat of the ORLY Rubberized base coat. Allow it to dry for about a minute and a half. Then, apply a thin coat of base color of your choice. I recommend the base color be a color you have used in the past so you know how it dries. You don't want to use anything that peels off easily or doesn't dry very well. I particularly like using Sinful Colors Black Nail Polish or Essie Penny Talk Nail Polish as base coats. Both of these dry relatively quickly into a hardened state and do not peel.

Let the base color dry for a couple of minutes. You want to make sure it is fully dry before proceeding any further. If you're impatient like me, watch a 5 minute YouTube video in between layers. That helps the time pass so you're not just staring at the walls waiting for your nails to dry!

3. Apply the Powder

After the base coat is dry, paint another layer of the ORLY base coat on top. Let this fully dry. Now you are ready for the powder. I purchased all of my powders from Amazon, and my favorite ones are by What's Up Nails. In this tutorial, I used What's Up Nails Paradise Powder, which is a multichrome powder that shifts from teal to purple.

Using a makeup sponge or an eyeshadow applicator, dab lightly into the powder container. Then press lightly onto your nail. Once you have pressed powder in, gently rub it in. The more you rub it in, the smoother it will get.

4. Apply Base Coat Again and Repeat

You'll notice after the first layer of powder that there's not a whole lot of sheen or color difference there. That will happen. This is why we do two layers.

After your first layer has been buffed in, Carefully, with extremely light pressure on the brush, apply another layer of the ORLY base coat on top of the powder. This step is critical. Do NOT go over your nail more than twice with the brush, because if you do it will remove some of the powder and make it look streaky. This needs to be done in one swoop motion with a second only for light touchups.

Let the base coat dry fully again. After the base coat has dried fully, follow the same process of dabbing the powder on, then rubbing it in. If you would like, you can repeat this step one more time for additional coverage.

5. Apply Top Coat

After you have finished your layers of powder and ORLY base coat, it is time to apply your top coat, which will protect the powder for even longer. My favorite top coat to use with powders is Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat. It is not actual gel, but it dries to look in a similar fashion, and helps my nail polish stay on longer without chipping. This top coat is my go-to for any nail look.

Again with the top coat, you need to use a light hand and as few strokes as possible. Let this dry fully. After the top coat has fully dried, peel off the latex around your nails. There will still be some residue to clean up, but not nearly as much as if you didn't have the latex. To clean up the residue around your nail bed, dip a Q-Tip in acetone nail polish remover and gently rub around the nail, being careful to avoid any contact with the nail itself so that you don't accidentally rub off your nail polish.

Results

After your layers have fully dried, you will end up with beautiful, multichrome nails that last for about a week and a half. Depending on your line of work, this could increase or decrease how much time the polish will stay without chipping. If you are in a role where you have to do a lot of typing, you may notice more chipping than someone who doesn't spend a lot of time typing.

I hope this tutorial was informative. The most important parts are the ORLY base coat and the Sally Hansen top coat. Without those, your multichrome or holographic effect will not show up as well.

Happy Nail Painting!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Sheryl, a Transformational Therapist with qualifications in all areas of beauty, specialises in working with women from the inside out.

There are so many ways to be creative with nails to improve and uplift the appearance of your hands. It is important to care for your nails as it helps to keep them healthy and hygienic. They can provide important information regarding your health that can indicate nutritional deficiencies. Our nails are made of layers of protein called keratin, a protein also found in hair and skin. On average, your fingernails grow at rate of about 2-3 millimetres per month, therefore it takes around 4-6 months for regeneration. Due to the fact that our nails sit outside the body and at the tips of our fingers and toes, they do encounter a lot of abuse through knocks and chemicals. For good home maintenance, here are some tips and techniques for home manicures and healthy nail care.

Nail Care and Healthy Eating

Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet is essential to good nail development and growth. For nails to be in a healthy state, it is essential that you consume high amounts of calcium, which can be found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale. This will assist you in avoiding the discolouration, splitting or cracking of your nails. The body also requires an adequate intact of vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, phosphorous, folic acid, silica and vitamin D, working in synergy to maintain good nail health. Keep your body hydrated, a minimum of two litres of water per day is recommended to prevent chipping and promote nail durability. Eating foods rich in iron is a must! Ridges and fragile nails can be an indication to the deficiency of iron present in your body, you may even notice hangnails and white spots on your fingers. Foods such as red meats, certain species of fish, lentils, fresh vegetables, soy and whole grain products just to name a few, will increase and stabilize your iron levels, and if you are vegan or vegetarian, supplementing is highly recommended.

What You Will Need in Your Manicure Kit

• Nail polish remover
• Cotton balls
• Cotton tips
• Nail file
• Nail clippers or scissors
• Nail buffer block
• Nail buffer (polisher)
• Base and top coat
• Nail polish
• Vaseline
• Hand and nail oil or moisturiser

Step 1

Remove old polish using nail polish remover and cotton balls. I recommend the use of non-acetone polish remover over acetone polish removers due to it retains the nails natural lubricating oils, preventing them from becoming brittle. If your nails are quite long, before trimming down with your nail clippers, it’s best to soak your hands in a bowl of warm water and an essential oil if you have one available, this will soften the nail and prevent it stressing by ripping as you remove the unwanted length.

Step 2

It is important to maintain your nails with regular trimming using sharp clippers or nail scissors—if they are blunt they will do damage to your nails. The best way to trim your nails is to cut them straight across until they are medium length.

Step 3

Take your nail file and begin to shape your neatly trimmed nails. Rule of thumb when filing—never see-saw the sides and tips of your nails with your file as it will make the nails more susceptible to peeling and breakage. Gently run the file across your nail in one direction only. Begin at the outside edge (the bridge of the nail) ensuring that you file straight up, once you reach the tip, begin to file pulling towards the centre. The reason that we file the bridge straight up and not rounded is that the bridge gives the nail more strength to withstand bumps and knocks to nails on a daily basis.

Step 4

Time to buff your nails. Buffing your nails is equivalent to brushing your teeth—it brightens and gives the nails a more youthful appearance. Buffing your nails stimulates blood circulation and assists in the removal of built up natural oils that can affect the duration of the final polish. You can use a see-saw motion across each nail and down into the cuticle. Once you have finished buffing with the sponge block, you can go over the top of your nails with the smooth buffer, giving your nails shine. Give your nails a rinse with water removing any nail dust from the outer edges and you are ready to polish.

Step 5

Base coat is necessary to apply before your nail polish as it will give a smoother coverage to your final colour coat. It is important to use a high-quality base coat as it nourishes, strengthens, fills in the ridges and protects against stains. Some base coats today come standard within the coloured nail polish.

Step 6

Apply a very small amount of Vaseline on the skin around the edge of your nails using a cotton tip. This will assist with clean up of the edges if you paint outside the lines, ensuring that you keep the Vaseline of the nails or your polish won’t adhere. The key to a successful polish is to only load enough product onto your brush to cover the entire nail. Three strips down each nail are all that is required, one stroke down the centre, followed by one stroke down each side. Tidy up any polish applied on the cuticle and outer edges using a clean cotton tip and nail polish remover. Allow this coat to dry before applying a second coat using the same technique. The final touch is using a quality top coat to ensure shine and durability to your nail polish. Once dried, massage a small amount of moisturiser or oil to the cuticles and outer edges of your nails. Walla! You are done.

Step 7

Time to clean up! Good sanitisation of your tools is important to prevent infection by stopping the spread of bacteria next time you manicure your nails. In a tub of warm water, place your tools in an anti-bacterial solution and clean with a tooth brush. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and allow drying naturally on a towel before putting away for next time.

Cuticle Care

A hand massage will stimulate the blood flow assisting in the strong healthy growth of your nails, however if you are active with your hands within your daily work this will naturally stimulate the tips of your fingers, promoting good blood circulation which provides fast growth and strength in your nails. Cuticle care is important especially if your work is related to a field where your hands are constantly in water. An excess of water makes the skin dry by withdrawing sebum (natural oil), hot water can cause dilation of the capillaries leading to redness and high amounts of alcohol will dehydrate your skin and nails, creating hard nails and leading to premature aging. I recommend maintaining hydration and applying a daily hand and nail moisturiser to your hands, massaging the cream into your cuticles to prevent them for becoming hard and uncomfortable.

Handy Tip for Stained Nails

To remove stains and clean your nails, place your hands or feet into a half filled large bowl of room temperature water and add in one and half tablespoons of lemon juice, which is a mild astringent and useful for stain removal. Soak for a couple of minutes and remove rinsing your nails in warm-hot running water. Finish with massaging moisturiser into your hands and feet paying particular attention to your nails.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2018 Sienna May

Isvaiyah has been a licensed pharmacist at Gadjah Mada University (Indonesia) for nine years. She earned her M.Sc. from the same university.

Nail fungus can attack any one of us, but there’s no need to worry because there are a number of effective natural remedies out there. This condition normally affects toenails, but fingernails can also become infected. The infected nails often change color, becoming yellow, green, or black. They can also become painful. If left untreated, the fungus may gradually inflict serious damage to the nails, and eventually, have to be removed by a physician.

Factors That Increase the Risk of Nail Fungus

• Wearing tight shoes all day. Sandals are better; try to wear them when you can.
• Playing a lot of sports. Long-distance running or any other endurance sport can make your feet very sweaty. Remaining in that state for a long period of time puts you at high risk.
• Not changing your socks frequently enough. Socks can absorb moisture and create a breeding ground for fungus.
• Athlete’s foot. The fungus that causes this condition can spread to your nails.
• A humid environment. This makes it easy for you to develop fungus on both your fingernails and toenails.
• Damage to the nail; particularly if it occurs regularly. Wounds are especially prone to infection.
• Going barefoot in communal areas. In places such as locker rooms and around swimming pools, it’s better to wear flip-flops.
• Using artificial nails. They can cause an allergic reaction or wear down the nails, making them more vulnerable.

Toenail Fungus and Diabetes

Toenail fungus is about twice as common in people with diabetes—in fact, one in three people with diabetes have had it. Because diabetes causes nerve damage in the feet, a person may not notice the symptoms of toenail fungus and accidentally cause further damage or infection. Gone untreated, toenail fungus increases the risk of amputation.

Nail Fungus and Acrylic Nails

Acrylic nails are plastic nails that are applied over your natural nails. While they are not particularly dangerous, frequent application of these chemicals can cause an allergic reaction or damage your nails. This increases the risk of a fungal infection. It can be difficult to notice as the acrylic nails will cover the evidence, allowing the fungus to thrive in a moist and dark place.

If you are prone to fungal infection, it may be best to avoid false nails in general.

How to Heal Nail Fungus at Home

Conventional treatments for nail fungus involve various antifungal creams, ointments, and oral medications. Oral antifungal medications can have significant side-effects. Be sure not to take them if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

Laser treatment can be performed to remove nail fungus, but it’s expensive, and there are doubts as to whether it’s really effective. It’s not normally covered by insurance.

Thankfully, there are also a number of useful natural remedies that can solve the problem. Before using any of these remedies, trim your nails so that the remedy has the best chance of working.

10 Natural Remedies

1. Coconut oil
2. Tea tree oil
3. Lavender oil
4. Apple cider vinegar
5. Garlic
6. Lemon juice
7. Oregano oil
8. Epsom salt
9. Baking soda
10. Olive leaf extract

1. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains powerful antifungal properties due to its high concentration of medium-chain fatty acids. It is also used in a variety of skin and hair products. Use high-quality virgin coconut oil, not the normal commercial oils (Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized or “RBD”). You can even make your own if you're worried about the quality.

Instructions

First, wash and dry the affected area. Apply the coconut oil to the nails as well as the surrounding skin. Repeat three times a day.

2. Tea Tree Oil

The tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, is found in Australia. It is not the same species as the bush that produces the beverage tea, which is Camellia sinensis. Tea tree oil has strong antifungal and antibacterial effects, making it an effective alternative remedy for nail fungus.

American researchers, writing in the Journal of Family Practice in 1994, showed that tea tree oil was an effective remedy for toenail fungus, producing similar results to the conventional fungal medication Clotrimazole.

Both remedies were applied to the nails in a “double-blind” trial (neither the patients nor the physicians treating them knew who was given which).

Instructions

Dab tea tree oil on the affected area with a cotton ball, leave for fifteen minutes, and then wipe it off with a paper towel. Tea tree oil can sting and may damage the skin to some extent. This is why it's important to dilute the tea tree oil with a carrier oil, such as olive or grapefruit oil before use. Dilute in a one to one ratio. Treat three times a day.

Warning: Like other essential oils, never take this oil internally!

3. Lavender Oil

Lavender oil has long been valued for its antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Many people use it to combat fungal nail infections and reduce inflammation surrounding the nail. When using lavender oil topically, be sure to buy the pure essential oil, not merely oil which contains lavender fragrance.

Instructions

Dab a few drops of the oil on the affected areas with a clean cotton ball, leave for at least fifteen minutes, and then wipe off with a paper towel. Repeat three times a day.

Warning: Some people find that lavender oil irritates their skin. If this happens to you, dilute at least three to one with a carrier oil, such as olive oil. If you still have irritation, try another remedy. Lavender oil is sometimes combined with tea tree oil, in order to get the effects of both remedies.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (or ACV) is made by adding yeast to apple juice—thus turning the juice into alcohol via fermentation. It has long been used for nail fungus due to its antibacterial and antifungal effects. It is also used in hair masks and skin treatments.

Instructions

Make up a foot bath, using one part apple cider vinegar to two parts water. Soak your feet in the bath for about 30 minutes, then dry your feet thoroughly with paper towels. Carry out this routine once a day. Continue for a week or so after all visible signs of the fungus have gone.

5. Garlic

Garlic is another great topical remedy for nail fungus. Freshly-crushed garlic contains active compounds, such as allicin and ajoene, which have significant antifungal and antibacterial properties.

Instructions

Crush some garlic and mix it with a little carrier, such as olive oil or vinegar. Smear the mixture onto the affected nail. It is best to put a bandage around the garlic to hold it in place. Leave for at least 30 minutes, then rinse clean.

Note: Some people find garlic irritating to their skin, so use this remedy with caution at first.

6. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice tends to inhibit fungal growth, making it a useful remedy for nail fungus. It is both an antiseptic and antifungal. The citric acid in the juice is what helps stop the fungus from spreading further.

Instructions

Squeeze some lemons to get the fresh juice, and then apply it to the affected nails. Rinse off after about half an hour. Repeat two to three times a day.

7. Oregano Oil

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a common herb, also known as wild marjoram. The essential oil produced by this plant has notable antifungal properties. The oil is very strong, and usually irritates the skin if used as-is. Dilute it with a carrier oil, such as olive oil, before use.

Instructions

Mix one part oregano oil with at least six parts carrier oil. Apply the mixture to the affected nails, leave for at least fifteen minutes, and then rub it off with a paper towel. Repeat three times a day.

Warning: Never take oregano oil internally. (Though the herb itself is perfectly safe to eat, and is used in many Italian recipes.)

8. Epsom Salt

When mixed with warm water, Epsom salt is used to treat sore muscles, reduce inflammation, and ease stress. And when taken orally, it acts as a diuretic. Though Epsom salt will not cure toe fungus, it can help draw moisture out from the affected area.

Instructions

Mix one cup of Epsom salt with two quarts of warm water. Soak feet for 10 to 20 minutes.

Warning: Some infections, such as staph infections, worsen from hot water or salt. Be sure to confirm your particular infection.

9. Baking Soda

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has antibacterial properties and is often used in deodorant, mouthwash, and acne treatments. Like Epsom salt, it can be used to dry out an infection and limit growth. It can also minimize odor, one of the more rare symptoms of nail fungus.

Instructions

Create a paste by combining baking soda with a small amount of water. Apply and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing it off.

Tip: You can also add some baking soda to a foot soak for an extra kick.

10. Olive Leaf Oil

Olive leaf oil contains oleuropein, which is both antifungal and antimicrobial. It is also immune-boosting and helps your body fight off infections. It can be taken both orally and topically. Taking it orally is less messy and helps you heal from within.

Instructions

Follow the directions on the bottle.

Warning: Talk to your doctor before taking olive leaf extract orally.

Home Remedies for Nail Fungus: Summary

Nail Fungus Prevention

Now that you've learned how to beat nail fungus the natural way, take some preventative measures to keep it away for good!

• Wash your nails regularly.
• When you trim your nails, be sure to avoid creating any sharp edges.
• When you get your nails done, be sure that the facility is using a set of sterilized tools for each customer.
• Limit usage of nail polish and artificial nails.
• Wear shoes that fit you properly—they shouldn't be touching your toenails.
• Create a shoe rotation to avoid re-wearing damp shoes.
• Use an antifungal powder in your shoes.

What Worked for You?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.

© 2017 Isvaiyah

Have Anything to Add?

Michael on July 06, 2020:

I scrapped my finger nails clean with a pocket knife and washed throughly letting the shower blast under my fingernails

None of the ointment worked

John has been an online writer for two years. His articles often focus on fashion and DIY beauty.

In this article, I go in depth on how to complete a gel polish manicure in the comfort of your own home. Here are the main steps (with further explanation of each down below).

How to Do a Gel Polish Manicure at Home

• Step 1: Sanitise & prep!
• Step 2: Shape, shape, shape!
• Step 3: All about that base!
• Step 4: What's your colour?
• Step 5: Top it off!
• Step 6: Hydrate those nails!

Step 1: Sanitise & Prep!

Firstly, always wash your hands. Then, pour some acetone or nail polish remover onto a cotton pad and wipe over your nails. This helps to remove any oils on your nails that will prevent the gel from adhering, and it will prevent the gel from peeling away!

Step 2: Shape, Shape, Shape!

File your nails so they're all the same shape & length. Lightly buff over your nail & brush away the dust. Note: Be very careful when filing over your nail as over filing can cause pain!!

Just for good measure wipe again with acetone or nail polish remover on a cotton pad.

Step 3: All about that Base!

Make sure you have NO dust on your nails before you apply the base coat as any dust will show up as lumps in your gel polish manicure!

Place your brush in the middle of your nail, then with your brush push up towards the cuticle and drag back down towards the tip. Then do each side in the same way, then brush along the tip of your nail to 'cap' it.

TIP: Aim for 3 strokes to cover the nail this will give the best even coverage over the nail.

Place into your lamp to cure TIP: Be careful not to hit your nails on the back of your lamp and ensure your thumbs are facing upwards (you could always do your thumbs separate if they don't fit in) *check your brand for curing times but most are:

UV Gel Polish: 2 mins

LED Gel Polish: Base 30sec, Top & Colour 1 min

Step 4: What's your colour?

Your base coat will be tacky this is to help the colour coat stick together so be careful not to touch your nails!

Repeats the same steps as with your base coat: Place your brush in the middle of your nail push up towards the cuticle and drag down to the tip, and the same with each side then cover the tip. Remember, Aim for 3 strokes per nail!

Place in your lamp to cure - When you remove from the lamp once cured, if you think another coat is needed go ahead and repeat!

Step 5: Top it off!

Remember your colour will still be tacky, be careful not to touch your nails!

Repeat the same steps as with your base & colour coats: Place your brush in the middle of your nail push up towards the cuticle and drag down to the tip, the on to the sides. Ending with one last caping of the tip. Again, Aim for 3 strokes per nail!

Place in your lamp to cure

Now, depending on your top coat you may have a tacky layer, personally I think Non-Wipe top coats are the best because soon as you come out the lamp your ready to go! However, if your top coat isn't a non wipe you will need to wipe over the tacky layer with a gel residue remover or if your stuck you can use acetone but very light & quick don't leave it on for long otherwise it will start to remove all you hard work!

Step 6: Hydrate those nails!

After using acetone on your nails it will have dehydrated your nails and removed all the oils - including the good ones, so we need to replace them.

You can use any cuticle oil or creams you have, if you don't have any your can use these oils that you may already have lying around your house!

- Olive Oil

- Coconut Oil

- Argon Oil

- Vitamin E Oil

Now that's the 6 easy steps to your perfect Gel Polish Manicure at home!

*Bonus* Step 7! - How about adding some glitter to your Gel Polish Manicure?!

If you're going to add glitter to your gel polish I find this the easiest and most sparkly way to do it!

You will need a small brush, the one i use is like a concealer brush or tiny foundation brush. Your glitter of choice and i use a small tray to catch excess glitter.

Firstly, choose your glitter!! - Whether it is in a bag (like mine) or in a pot this technique for the application of glitter on top of your gel polish will still work.

The best time to apply your glitter is when you have applied your second colour coat as your gel polish will still be tacky giving the glitter something to stick to. If you have already applied your topcoat, as long as it has a tacky layer then you can apply glitter on top of that. It wouldn't work for a non-wipe top coat as they don't have the tacky layer.

So, place your finger over your dish (if your wanting to catch the excess glitter!). Dip your brush into the glitter and pat onto your nail, keep dipping and patting until your nail is covered. Make sure you are only patting it on at this stage. Once your whole nail is covered keep patting with your brush to pack the glitter in as much as you can so you don't have any (or very little) loose glitter. Then very gently brush over the top to remove any loose glitter that hasn't stuck to your gel polish.

Put in the lamp to cure, 30 sec in any lamp will be okay for this stage.

Top coat & cure (60 sec LED, 2 mins UV)

Then simply adore your gorgeous Glitter Gel Polish Manicure!!

Let me know how you do in the comments & post some photos so I can see all your lovely Gel Polish Manicures!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Brenda on August 24, 2017:

Great

Chavelle enjoys writing about topics related to weddings, health and beauty, and pop culture.

Our feet are often neglected. For whatever reason, they are always at the bottom of our to-do lists. Feet will always be a prime focal point of our appearance and attire, especially if one is baring it all in sandals or flip-flops.

There isn’t anything more unattractive than unmaintained, unsightly, and worst of all, smelly feet.

If you think about your weight, you'll realize that your feet lug around a lot of baggage all day. They are your sole transportation system when everything else fails, and still, they are rewarded with nothing.

It’s about time you start learning how to take care of your feet properly. Here are my top 10 tips on how to care for your feet and toenails.

1. Cut and Maintain Moderate-Length Nails

Don’t you just love the pleasure of looking at well-manicured toenails? I'm a sucker for checking out people’s feet, especially when they parade around in flip-flops and sandals.

Call me crazy, or call me a freak, but cutting and maintaining moderate nail length plays an integral part of foot care, and it definitely has its advantages.

In fact, research published by the Mayo Clinic confirmed that appropriately cutting toenails can lessen the likelihood of severe foot pain, discomfort, and infection caused by ingrown nails.

Remember that technique is essential when cutting toenails. Therefore, the next time you decide to nip your toenails, be sure to use appropriate toenail clippers for best results, and try to cut the nail straight across. Make sure you are not going too short with the trim as this may result in the nail curling and growing into the skin, especially if you wear closed-toed shoes regularly.

Another advantage of keeping moderate nail length is that the nails will harbor less dead skin and dirt underneath them. So the goal is neater nails and cleaner toes.

2. Get a Salon Pedicure Once Per Month

Trust me; your feet absolutely deserve it. Sure, you could do your pedicure at home yourself if you want to, but most times, it's just not the same as having a professional do it for you.

Just imagine relaxing and having someone else give your worn-out feet some TLC. You like to kick your feet up, don’t you? Right! But now, your feet want to kick their toes up, too.

A professional and sensible salon pedicure can bring back even the worst feet. Well, that depends on the skills of your pedicurist and the amount of time they spend on your feet.

Nonetheless, a good soak in some warm water followed by some dead skin removal, nail shaping, massage, and polish should do the trick.

3. Wear Appropriate Shoes

Did you know that wearing appropriate shoes can significantly improve posture, eliminate discomfort, and prevent injuries? I'm sure you did. As a matter of fact, I'm sure most people do.

But did you know that the best time to buy shoes is late in the afternoon when your feet are most likely to have swollen to their maximum size? You didn’t know that, did you? That’s ok; I just found that out myself.

It is a pity though, more so for us women, because it's hard to find shoes that are fashionable, stylish, and comfortable all in one. Sometimes we let the “shoe-nami” get the best of us, and end up buying and wearing shoes that don't fit comfortably. Nonetheless, wearing appropriate shoes is another integral part of foot care.

When you're buying shoes, consider getting shoes that are your actual size. Make sure they have enough room for your toes to wiggle, and they conform to the natural shape of your foot.

Of course, we all want an enviable shoe size, but unfortunately, wearing a size smaller than your real size may leave you with the ugliest set of toes you have ever seen. You could end up with bunions, corns, nail fungus, and sores. I am pretty sure you don't want that!

4. Soak and Scrub Feet Once Per Week

Soaking and scrubbing your feet at least once per week will reduce the chances of foul odors chasing your feet. If you are like me and wear closed-toed shoes every day, whether with socks, stockings, or without, you will notice that your feet sweat.

There's no sense in waiting until the end of the month to clean your feet; give yourself a pre-professional-pedicure pedicure. Besides, I have been to a few salons and noticed nail technicians chatting about customers the moment they leave. Don’t let your feet be the subject of their discussions.

5. Give Yourself Regular Foot Massages

Cramped, swollen, or achy feet are a common occurrence, especially after a long day of walking or standing. That’s why treating our feet with regular mini-massages is like a little piece of heaven and a sign of appreciation for our feet.

Foot massages are wonderful. They not only prepare us for more restful sleep, but they also aid in the recovery of foot and ankle injuries when combined with strengthening exercises. So tell me again, what is your excuse for not wanting a foot massage?

6. Moisturize Your Feet

Moisturizing your feet on a regular basis is regarded as a very simple, yet very important beauty care tip for your feet. Moisturizing aids in having soft and beautiful feet. Quite frankly, even moisturizing your feet with olive oil can prevent dry feet and cracked heels.

7. Powder Your Feet

Slapping foot powder on your feet is highly recommended, especially if your feet sweat profusely, and you suffer from embarrassing foot odor or the so-called “cheesy foot.” Sometimes that can be very hard to get rid of. The chemical properties of foot powder help keep these smells at bay.

But wait, do your shoes stink? Try inserting cedar trees or crumpled up newspaper in your shoes when you are not wearing them. This absorbs excess moisture and deodorizes at the same time!

8. Wear Socks in Your Shoes

Wearing shoes without socks is habitual for a lot of people, but it's not a good idea. Just like our hands and armpits, our feet are one of the body parts that sweat the most. So, wearing socks in shoes should not just be for fashion or keeping feet warm, but it actually helps your feet stay dryer. This also reduces the likelihood of bacteria growing on your feet or between your toes.

Also, wearing socks can mitigate stenches, as they absorb a lot of your sweat that otherwise would have been absorbed by your shoes. Socks also lessen the chances of your feet becoming cracked, chafed, or scaly, or developing bunions and corns from the constant friction of your feet rubbing against the inside of your shoes.

9. Take a Break From Nail Polish

Like they always say, “Too much of anything is good for nothing.” The sad truth is the same that can be said for our nail polish, so take a break from your nail polish every now and again. Nail polish on toenails can affect individuals differently, which may be a result of their health and fitness history.

For some people, wearing nail polish for even as short as a week may cause the color of the toenail to change to an unhealthy yellow, or they may develop abnormalities in the nail shape, texture, or thickness.

As a matter of fact, the MedlinePlus article “Nail Abnormalities" confirmed that long-term exposure to moisture or nail polish could cause nails to peel off and feel brittle.

Nails are often labeled as “dead,” but they still require exposure to oxygen to stay healthy. Newhealthguide.org, advises in its “Yellow Toenails” feature that a base coat should be added to toenails before applying nail polish, and nails periodically should be left without polish for a couple of days to allow them to breathe.

10. Avoid Wearing Acrylic Toenails

Unlike acrylic fingernails, acrylic toenails tend to become infected or develop fungus faster. This accelerated process is more than likely caused by the moisture and trauma when acrylic toenails come in contact with footwear.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 Chavelle Ann-Marie Murray

Many people who bite their nails begin doing so in their early years of childhood, although it often does span into adulthood. Though this may seem to be a harmless habit, there are some severe health risks that have been associated with this behavior. In fact, many people who do have a serious problem with nail-biting don’t even know that they do. To learn about some of the ways you can stop biting your nails, read on.

Easy Steps to Stop Biting Your Nails

For those for whom nail-biting has become a serious problem, you will want to employ some of the following tips to help you stop your bad habit.

1. Nail Polish

This is an old tried-and-true method to avoid nail-biting. Whether you apply a bitter-tasting nail polish (although no nail polish truly tastes good) or just a pretty color to deter you from messing up your manicure, this barrier method may work for you.

2. Pamper Yourself

Similarly, if you spend the money to get your nails done professionally, you may be way less likely to let that money go down the drain. Get a luxurious (expensive) manicure from time to time if you afford to do so in order to dissuade your nail-biting habit.

3. Groom ‘Em

By keeping your nails at a length that is too short to bite, this is a quick and easy way of eliminating your habit. After all, if there is no nail to bite, then problem solved. If you are deep into your habit to the point of biting your skin, then this method may not work for you.

4. Eliminate Your Stress, Anxiety, etc.

One of the best ways to truly prevent yourself from engaging in a habitual behavior is to nip it in the bud and deal with the source of why you are nail-biting in the first place. If this happens to be stress or anxiety, try an alternative and healthy method of dealing with your issue. Yoga, meditation, and walking are all good ideas with positive health benefits that may help deal with these issues. So if you are going to pick up a new habit to deal with your stress or anxiety, it might as well be a healthy one.

5. Rubber Band Trick

This may seem like an extreme measure, but placing a rubber band around your wrist and snapping it whenever you have the urge to bite your nails may work for people as a punishment disincentive.

6. Bandages and Barriers

If your issue is truly severe where you just can’t seem to fight the urge, you may want to try wearing gloves or putting bandages around your fingers.

Causes of Nail-Biting

Nail-biting is usually due to external factors that elicit the behavior. Some of the most common causes are stress, boredom, and anxiety. You may notice this in the classroom, workplace, etc. While some of these triggers may be situational or emotional, there is also a connection with nail-biting and certain psychological conditions like OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Some research has even indicated that there may be a genetic indicator for those who become nail biters. The following are some of the main causes:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Loneliness
• Boredom
• OCD
• ADHD
• ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder)
• Separation Anxiety
• Bed-wetting

Consequences and Health Risks of Nail-Biting

As previously mentioned, nail biting is likely harmless, but may have some serious health implications in some cases.

Infection: Because you are constantly having your fingers and thus the debris under your fingernails in your mouth, you are prone to infection. Bacteria have a direct pathway to your face and mouth that they would not otherwise have without a habit of nail biting.

Soreness: Constant gnawing on your fingers will also lead you to have sore and red fingertips. Especially if you are the type to bite down to the skin surrounding the nail, your fingers will be tender and raw, allowing for heightened risk of infection.

Weakened Teeth: Your fingers are not the only part of your body that is at risk for physical damage. Your teeth may also be impaired with cases of severe nail biters as they become weaker and even crooked over time. Although a major reason for weakened teeth is a poor diet and deficiency in vitamins, like K, C, D, A and other nutrients like potassium, calcium and phosphorus, the bad habit of nail biting can induce the same result.

Emotional/Psychological: If you are conducting your nail biting behavior as an outlet to emotional or psychological distress, you may not be adequately dealing with the issue at its origin. Rather than coping through nail biting, you should seek out other professional avenues to deal with your stress, anxiety, or other mental issue that is causing you to nail bite in the first place. Reading health related sites like Spiqy will help you, too.

If your habit does, in fact, get to this point where you are unable to control it, you will definitely want to seek out a mental health professional. There can be a serious underlying psychological condition that needs to be addressed primarily. If you or a professional have already determined that this is not your case, try some of the previously discussed steps to put an end to your nail-biting once and for all.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Tary on April 13, 2017:

I am going to try it,

With the first snowfall, we quickly pull out our best clothes and sweaters and embrace winter fashion trends. The fun days of summer may be over, but your nail lacquers shouldn't have to go into hibernation. Embrace your nails with the new sets of icy, wintery colors.

10 Best Winter Nail Polish Colors

1. Cobalt or Icy Blue
2. Silver
3. Nude
4. Burgundy or Red
5. Golden Shimmer
6. Brown
7. Purple
8. Holographic
9. Black
10. Grey

Wild glitter shades are best-suited for New Year or Christmas parties. For everyday use, you can go for subtle metallic shades, like China Glaze's Don’t Be Shallow, Marc Jacobs' Opaque Light Ash Beige, or Kundalini Hustle by Smith & Cult. These shades radiate winter vibes and add an additional element of color to your winter fashion ensemble.

1. Cobalt or Icy Blue

To perk up your mood during dreary winter months, try a bright cobalt blue polish. This color is a meeting point between luxe and bold. Sinful Endless Blue is a super bright cobalt blue color which is perfectly opaque.

Another blue color you can wear this winter is cool, icy blue. You can wear Laura Mercier’s Icy Lacquer or China Glaze's Don’t Be Shallow (pictured above) from House of Colors 2016 collection.

2. Silver

Silver is a great fit if you are trying nail art. A subtle silver metallic is a great color for winter 2016. If you want a bolder look, then OPI My Signature is DC will be the color for you.

3. Nude

Keeping nails nude can give a your look a splash of sophistication, irrespective of the occasion. You can also create a gorgeous manicure for the bride with nude shades.

• Essie's Comfy in Cashmere is a nude matte nail polish with blue shimmer from their matte collection. It is a taupe-y base that dries matte. Its shimmer is subtle, but turns matte after top coat. The formula is good, but requires three coats for an opaque finish.
• China Glaze Sorry I’m Latte from their House of Color collection is a nude beige shade. The formula is thin with super good opacity.
• Marc Jacobs' Opaque Light Ash Beige (pictured above) is inspired from Marc’s lacquered coffee table. It is a perfect beige that is not too pink and not too gray.

4. Burgundy or Red

Burgundy or oxblood is a color that's perfect for the current vampy trend. Wearing burgundy nail polish is a simple way to create a dramatic look without wearing new clothes.

Red hues are also a classic for any season. If you are a traditionalist, then you will prefer scarlet red over burgundy. If you want to match the regal look of the winter season, then go for a ruby red color. Kundalini Hustle by Smith & Cult is a beautiful red that is perfectly suitable for coming winters.

5. Golden Shimmer

Get a touch of Midas when you use a golden shimmer nail polish in the winter months. If you are in love with golden nail polish color, then you have to stick with a light hue with just a touch of shimmer. It should be subtle, but also glitzy and glamorous.

6. Brown

The coffee brown nail lacquer shade is inspired by the way you cozy up yourself with a cup of coffee.

• OPI Decades of Shades is a red-toned brown nail lacquer. It is a beautiful color for winters with a wonderful formula.
• OPI Espresso Your Style is also an amazing shimmer brown polish. It turns and looks purple depending upon the light direction and the skin tone. The shimmer in this polish is so subtle that I always fall in love with it.

7. Purple

Another popular choice for winter is a plum purple nail polish. But, a gothic inspired look of winter will be complemented with the deep, opaque finish of purple. If you want a Baroque-inspired look, go for a metallic finish.

8. Holographic

A holographic nail polish color can bring heaven to anything you do. Holographic and duo chromes are top trends this season.

• Color Club Holographic Hues Blue Heaven is an amazing shade. It is a brand known for its high quality and rich texture nail lacquers. It is a sparkly, laser rainbow nail polish color that gives opaqueness in two coats.
• Another holographic nail polish you can try this season is 100% PURE Ultra Holographic by ILNP MEGA. It dries quickly and has great lasting power. It also has intense holographic sparkles that give off a laser finish.

9. Black

Black is Black! Black is my all-time favorite nail polish color. I am saying it because I have finished more than 5 bottles of black nail polish from the day I started doing nail art.

• Nars Black Room is a deep and opaque nail polish. Its texture is intense with crème finish.
• If you want to add some twist to your nails, then go for Orly Matte Vinyl. It is a black nail polish with matte finish.
• NYX Frizzy Spots is another black nail polish in the list with chunky and fine silver flakes.

10. Grey

Try as hard as possible, but you can't skip grey in winters. The steel grey is high in demand these days. They come first with transfer foil and nail strips, but they crack when a top coat is applied. To remedy the situation, mirror finish nail polishes were introduced, but they were not as long-lasting.

How to Apply Chrome Powder for Mirror Nails

1. Apply black nail polish for the base (you can apply normal polish as well as gel polish).
2. Cure for 2 minutes under a UV lamp if you have applied black gel polish.
3. Apply gel top coat and cure under a UV lamp.
4. Now, rub chrome powder on your nails with an applicator. Rub it as hard as possible until you get a perfect mirror finish.
5. Finally, apply gel top coat and cure under a UV lamp.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Sharpie Nail Art Is Easy to Do

This DIY nail art tutorial will show you how to create marbled nails using sharpies. You can take the styles to the next level and use these instructions to create galaxy inspired nail art as well. This method is simpler to do than marbled nails using water because there is no mess to worry about, and it's much easier to clean up around the cuticles if you aren't as precise.

A few things you will need for this nail art are:

• White nail polish
• Nail polish remover
• Rubbing alcohol
• Sharpies in different colors
• Paintbrush
• Small glass dish
• Cotton buds (optional)

Average Cost of Supplies Needed

1. Prepping the Nails: Paint the Nails White

If you haven't already, wipe off any nail polish already on your nails and make sure your nails are free of any oils or grease. Then take white nail polish and paint them white until the nail polish is opaque (1–2 coats).

2. Creating the Color Using Sharpies

Take a sharpie marker of your color choice and draw on the bottom of a small glass dish with it. Don't worry, this will not ruin the glass, and you will be able to wipe it off completely with no damage to the dish.

Then spray 1–2 sprays of rubbing alcohol in the bottom of the glass to dissolve the color.

3. Paint the Liquid on Your Nails

Dip your brush in the liquid and start painting your nails in random strokes. The color will dry fast, and if you go over the same area twice or three times, the color will darken.

Paint on the Second Color

Repeat this process with the rest of the colors you have chosen.

After All Colors Have Been Applied

4. Add Extra Details

You can stop here or you can create a "galaxy" look by dotting on some white nail polish with the brush or with a dotting tool to achieve a cool effect.

Acrylic Marbled Nails

If you want to achieve this look using acrylic nails instead, you can use the tutorial below to help you achieve a good design. With acrylic nails, it is easier to paint onto the nails first and then use a brush dipped in alcohol to spread the sharpie paint around.

Doing this method on your own nails is not as efficient since you are painting white nail polish on first. Drawing first with sharpie on your painted nails will "cure" the sharpie to your nail and make it harder to spread around with alcohol, thus giving a more blotchy appearance.

Experiment with different color combinations and come up with cool marbled nails ideas.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2015 Deya Writes

Comments

Deya Writes (author) on September 26, 2015:

Glad to see you like it! :)

Jasmeet Kaur from India on September 26, 2015:

loved the trick. I will try it too...

I'm a fashionista with training in fashion buying and design. I have a good eye for creative looks and enjoy sharing them with others.

Spookify Your Talons

Goblins and ghouls, the witching hour is here. Alas, you may not feel like dressing up, but hey, all is not lost. Get your nails Halloween-ready, and nobody will throw rotten pumpkins at you! From creepy eyes to awesome bats, there are some cool ideas here to get you started.

1. Beetlejuice Halloween Nails

How can you not love purple for Halloween?! You can use nail decals to top it up or even apply stickers such as bats or pumpkins.

2. Frankenstein Nails

Black is a very elegant color that will be eye-catching for any party. Jazz it up with a feature nail, for example, zebra stripes.

3. Ghost Halloween Nails

This is really effective for the tips of your nails. All you need for this is red and a thin paintbrush for the black. If you feel like going all out, you could wear a spider woman costume to match.

4. Spooky Nails

These Japanese-style 3D nails are so cute for any festive event. Consult your local salon to get this look, or you can purchase them online.

5. Halloween Red and Black Nails

This is a super cute way to celebrate the festive colors of Halloween!

6. Spooky Bats

If you are dressing up as a witch, these are the perfect nails to accessorize your look.

7. Spider Web Nails

This is a really great look for a Halloween party, and because it's so simple, you'll only need a few minutes to create the web. The rest of the nails can be painted with a glossy black polish.

8. Electric Orange Pumpkins

This is a real showstopper of a Halloween nail design—electric orange pumpkins on a black background. Again this might take a little bit of time to create, but if you get the end result below, then it's definitely worth the extra effort!

9. Pumpkins and Spider Webs

This is another simple look you can create in just a few minutes.

10. Black and White Spider Webs

A hand full of webs but luckily no spiders! Just follow the tutorial above to learn how to create these awesome spider webs! By using just two colors—black and white—you can create a really dramatic effect!

11. Frankenstein-Inspired Nail Art

Here's a cheeky little look inspired by the classic horror movie Frankenstein.

12. Scream-Inspired Nails

And here's another movie-inspired set of nails—this time, the movie Scream.

13. Cobweb Nails

These adorable cobweb nails with black tips are spooky and cute!

14. Nightmare Before Christmas-Inspired Nails

Who doesn't love Nightmare Before Christmas? You're sure to get tons of compliments with this spiky nail art!

15. Creepy Spider Nails

These matte gray nails with spider and web designs are creepy and fun—perfect for Halloween.

16. Detailed Nightmare Before Christmas Nails

These Nightmare Before Christmas nails are even more detailed and interesting!

17. Cute Orange Nails

These short orange nails are adorable and festive—with a little ghost and pumpkin to boot!

18. Cute Alien Nails

These alien-inspired nails work for any season but are particularly alluring for Halloween.

19. Elegant Spider and Web Nails

Instead of French nails, you can have spiderweb-tipped nails—a spooky and festive alternative to the classic nail look!

20. Long Nightmare Before Christmas Nails

These Nightmare Before Christmas nails are a bit more abstract and are very fun.

Spooky Nails

I hope that these great ideas have inspired your creative juices! Remember, if you're going for a trickier design, it's best to practice it a few times before your big night!

So have a spooktastic Halloween, and let's hope your nails look totally fab and freaky!

Comments

Stephanie Ann Harvey on January 16, 2019:

You’re ideas are great

ezzly (author) on June 23, 2016:

Aw thanks Carol hope you enjoy, love doing my nails with my niece aren't little girls great fun !

Carol Morris on June 23, 2016:

All of these are gorgeous, but I particularly love the sugar skulls. I know I'll be doing these with my daughters, thanks for the great ideas.

ezzly (author) on March 07, 2016:

Thanks Savvydating :)

Yves on October 09, 2015:

You know, I'm generally not one to dress up for Halloween----so for me, these nails would be the perfect ticket!! I wonder if buying little nail decals would do the trick.....with glittery nail polish? Hmmm. You've got my creative juices flowing. I suddenly feel excited about doing my nails for the Holidays, thanks to you! Great ideas here!!!

ezzly (author) on September 27, 2015:

Thanks for stopping by and commenting Jasmeetk have a great halloween !

Jasmeet Kaur from India on September 26, 2015:

beautiful nail art designs. will try few of these

ezzly (author) on July 24, 2015:

Thanks so much for commenting Flourish, and pinning hope to see some of your nail pics ;)

FlourishAnyway from USA on July 23, 2015:

The spooky nails are over the top cute. I am doing those this year for Halloween. I cannot wait. Voted up and beautiful and pinning, G+ing.

ezzly (author) on July 15, 2015:

thanks for stopping by and commenting poetryman6969

poetryman6969 on July 12, 2015:

Some pretty cute designs. I like the bats and the skulls especially.

A beauty consultant by profession, Jayne has been advising on correct skin and hair care, makeup, and other cosmetics for almost 20 years.

If you only want to make your natural nails presentable, there’s no need to go to the salon.

Not only can you get professional-looking results at home for a fraction of the salon price, but there's also no need to change your routine if you usually work or sleep during salon hours. What could be more convenient?

Doing a Manicure at Home

What You Need

The list may seem long, but you no doubt already have most of the required items, so it shouldn't be a big initial investment.

• A bowl
• Nail polish remover
• Lint-free cotton pads
• Q-tips
• Denture tablets or a brightening nail soak
• A nailbrush
• Nail clippers (optional)
• Emery boards
• Cuticle remover, available at drugstores as a gel, liquid or cream (alternatively petroleum jelly or coconut oil)
• A cuticle hoof
• Tweezers
• A nail buffer (optional)
• Hand cream
• A deep moisturizing treatment and cotton gloves (optional)
• A colorless nail base coat
• Nail polish
• A clear nail top coat

Clean and Soften

Remove Old Nail Polish

First, remove old nail polish with nail polish remover and lint-free cotton pads.

Soften and Brighten Nails

Dissolve a couple of denture tablets in a bowl of water, and soak your fingers for about ten minutes. This softens nails and cuticles and has a brightening effect, which is particularly important if you want to wear clear nail polish or none at all.

There are special nail brightening soaks available at stores, but denture tablets are less expensive, and the results are just as good.

Clean Nails

Gently scrub your nails with a nailbrush and soapy water, then dry thoroughly.

Shorten and Shape

Unless you want to drastically shorten your nails, don’t use nail clippers. Reduce length with the coarse side of an emery board, shaping to a rounded or slightly squared form. To avoid weakening your nails, always file from corner to center and never back and forth. Take your time and check once every few strokes that you’re not filing out of shape. For a decent but elegant appearance, the length should be two or three millimeters beyond the fingertip.

Go over your nails a second time with the fine side of the board for a smooth finish.

Remove Cuticles

To loosen cuticles, apply cuticle remover and wait a minute or two for it to work, then push back with a rubber cuticle hoof. In case you don't have a commercial cuticle remover, use petroleum jelly or coconut oil instead.

Gently pull away any remaining tendrils with tweezers.

Removing Stains

Denture tablets will remove stains, as will several other solutions with ingredients such as lemon juice, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda, but none will work immediately. They all need a month or so of regular use.

For instant results, you have two options:

1. With Acetone

Before you begin your manicure, wipe away discoloration caused by dark nail polish with an acetone nail polish remover. Acetone has a particularly drying effect, so it’s not a good idea to use it too often.

Prevent discoloration in the future by applying a base coat beneath nail polish.

2. With a Nail Buffer

Slough off stains with a nail buffer. This is a manicure tool that looks like a large nail file with three or four different surfaces. One is for ridding the nail of ridges and stains, another is for sealing the nail, and the other is for buffing and adding shine. Apart from being an excellent way to instantly remove stains, it provides a good alternative to clear nail polish. If, however, you do intend to wear nail polish, don’t use the buff and shine surface, otherwise, the polish won’t be able to adhere as well to the nail.

Moisturize

Wash your hands and scrub your nails to rid them of filing debris, then apply hand cream.

For very dry hands, apply a deep moisturizing treatment before going to bed. If you don't have one, mix a thick textured cream, like Nivea Classic, with boiling water to a smooth consistency and massage into your hands while still warm. Pull on a pair of cotton gloves, and let the mixture do its work while you sleep.

Apply Nail Polish: The Finishing Touch

Before applying nail polish, clean your nails with nail polish remover. They must be completely dry and free of oily residue left by hand cream or other moisturizing products, which can cause the polish to split.

If you’re new to painting your nails, choose a light color. That way, a less than perfect finish will be less noticeable.

Light colors are always good if your fingers are somewhat on the short side, whereas dark colors work well if your fingers are long.

For best results, lay your hand flat on a tabletop while painting your nails.

How to Apply Nail Polish

1. Use a base coat to create a barrier between the nail and the polish. This prevents discoloration and fills in ridges to give an even nail surface. Brush on from the base of the nail to the tip and allow about ten minutes to dry.
2. Paint a vertical line of nail polish at the center of the nail from base to tip, then fill out the sides with two more strokes. Dip the brush only once per nail.
3. After the first coat has dried, apply a second coat of polish. If you get any on your skin, carefully wipe away with a Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover.
4. Apply a clear top coat for a smooth, longer-lasting finish.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2015 Jayne Lancer

Comments

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on June 11, 2015:

That's true, PeachPurple, although you don't have to spend a fortune on them.

peachy from Home Sweet Home on June 11, 2015:

.it sure sounds easy with all the supplies in hand

A beauty consultant by profession, Jayne has been advising on correct skin and hair care, makeup, and other cosmetics for almost 20 years.

It can feel like walking on air when you leave the salon after a pedicure, especially if your job involves being on your feet over long periods, like hairdressing or waiting on tables.

If you do such a job, a regular pedicure is essential. Neglecting your feet and letting them become stressed and callused will make continuous standing or walking even short distances a painful experience. And you won't want to wear sandals and flip-flops during the summer months if your feet are unsightly.

So what do you do if you're too busy to get to the salon? If you know how to do it properly, you can get the same luxurious "walking on air" effect with a home pedicure, but for a fraction of the cost!

How to Do a Home Pedicure Properly

Items Needed for a Home Pedicure

• A bowl of warm water
• Baking soda
• Toenail clippers
• A large emery board
• A rubber cuticle hoof
• Petroleum jelly, castor oil, or cuticle remover (available from drugstores as either a gel, liquid, or cream)
• A pumice stone
• A pedicure rasp (if necessary)
• A bath brush or body scrub
• A rich textured moisturizing cream

First, Treat Yourself to a Relaxing Foot Bath

Unless you’ve just come out of the tub or shower, begin by treating yourself to a relaxing foot bath. Soak your feet in a bowl of warm water for about ten minutes to soften nails, cuticles, and calluses.

If you’ve got a lot of hard skin, add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda to your foot bath—there isn’t a better, more refreshing skin softener.

Shorten Your Toenails

Next, cut your nails with a pair of toenail clippers to a length about even with the tips of your toes. Always cut toenails straight across; rounding them off at the corners can lead to ingrown nails, which is an excruciating condition requiring medical attention.

Remove Cuticles

If necessary, loosen cuticles with cuticle remover, then push back with a rubber cuticle hoof.

If you don't have a cuticle remover, use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or castor oil instead. Simply apply to the cuticles and allow to work for 15 minutes.

File Your Toenails

Smooth your nails with a large emery board. Use its rough side first, then its fine side. Always file from corner to center and never back and forth, as this damages the nail.

Reduce Calluses

You need hard skin on the parts of your feet that bear the brunt of your weight, which are the heels, the balls of the feet, and the underside of the toes—especially the big toe. Therefore, don't file it away completely, otherwise standing and walking will become painful.

Reduce calluses by gently rubbing with a pumice stone. If you’ve allowed them to become thick and uncomfortable, you’ll need a pedicure rasp, also called a "foot file," which looks a bit like a very fine citrus or nutmeg grate. Apply to the hardest skin only with gentle back and forth strokes.

If your calluses are so tough that a pedicure rasp is ineffective, you need to visit a professional pedicurist. If this isn’t an option, don’t resort to a callus and corn plane (a pedicure tool with a razor blade). A liquid callus and corn remover with salicylic acid is a safer option. It relieves discomfort almost immediately, and softens corns and calluses within just a few days.

Exfoliate

Once calluses have been reduced or removed, exfoliate with a bath brush or body scrub—there's no need to invest in one made especially for the feet.

In case you don't have a bath brush or scrub at hand, a sugar scrub is ideal for the feet, and very simple to make. Just mix sugar and vegetable oil to a smooth paste, add lemon juice, and you’re ready to go!

Moisturize

Finish off by massaging moisturizer into your feet. Any cream will do as long as it’s fairly heavy, like Nivea Classic. A rich night cream you’ve discarded will also work well.

Between Pedicures

To keep your feet in good condition between pedicures, use a pumice stone two or three times a week, massage between your toes with a towel after showering or bathing, and apply moisturizer daily.

You’ll find countless foot care cosmetics at the drugstore, like creams, revitalizing gels, foot scrubs, and deodorizing sprays and powders. You don’t necessarily need them, but they can be fun to try and may encourage you to pay more attention to your feet.

Paint Your Toenails

For women, nail polish adds the finishing touch to a pedicure.

Which Color to Paint Your Toenails

Your toenails should contrast, complement or match your fingernails and/or clothes during the sandal and flip-flop season. But choose any color that takes your fancy when your feet are hidden in boots and shoes during winter.

What You Need

• Nail polish remover
• Lint-free cotton pads
• Q-tips
• A colorless nail base coat
• Nail polish
• A clear nail top coat

How to Paint Your Toenails

Traces of fat or moisture on the nail surface will cause nail polish to split. Therefore, paint your nails only when they are completely dry and before you apply cream. If you’ve already moisturized, clean with nail polish remover and a lint-free cotton pad.

1. Begin with a colorless base coat. This evens out ridges for a smoother surface, and creates a barrier between the nail and the polish, which would otherwise cause permanent discoloration. Brush on from the base of the nail to the tip.
2. Allow the base coat ten minutes to dry, then apply nail polish.
3. Except for the big toe, you only need one stroke of polish to cover each nail. You’ll need three strokes for the big toe, but, because color accentuates size, it’s a good idea to leave a couple of millimeters free at each side to make the nail appear more elegant. If you get polish on your skin, dampen a Q-tip with nail polish remover and wipe away.
4. Allow the polish 10 minutes to dry before applying a second coat.
5. Leave again to dry, then add a top coat to help prevent chipping.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2015 Jayne Lancer

A beauty consultant and former hairdresser by profession, Jayne has been helping men and women improve their appearance for almost 20 years.

Get your hands into shape and keep them that way with this easy, three-step male manicure. If you’re really daring, you could go a step further and add a touch of nail polish.

As a man, you don't want hands as soft as a lady's glove. You need a few calluses for protection, especially if you do a demanding manual job. In fact, some would say that strong, hard-working, callused male hands are extremely attractive, but that’s no reason not to take care of them.

Dry, chapped hands are not attractive. Nor are dirty, jagged nails and unchecked cuticles. If this describes your hands, it’s time for a manicure.

Once you’ve got your hands in tip-top condition, which is as easy as one-two-three, it takes just a minute or two each day to keep them that way.

How to Do a Male Manicure

1. Shorten and Smooth Your Nails
2. Push Back Cuticles
3. Apply Hand Cream

But, before we get started...

What You Need for a Male Manicure

• Nail clippers (due to nail size, toenail clippers are usually more appropriate for men, as illustrated in the photo below)
• Emery boards
• A nail brush
• Cuticle remover, available at all drugstores as either a cream, gel or liquid (alternatively petroleum jelly or coconut oil)
• A rubber cuticle hoof
• Tweezers
• Hand cream

Step 1: Shorten and Smooth Your Nails

Shorten With Nail Clippers

If your nails are a little on the long side, you'll need to cut them. Use clippers rather than scissors. Because a man’s nails are usually larger than a woman’s, toenail clippers work best.

Shorten With a Nail File

If your nails aren’t too long, you can shorten them with the coarse side of an emery board. Always file from the outer nail to the center; a back and forth movement can weaken the nail, causing it to eventually split.

Smooth Nails

Whether you’ve used clippers or a file to reduce length, even out any rough edges with the fine side of an emery board.

About Nail Files

There's a metal nail file in every male manicure set, but it will cause untold damage.

If you want to keep your nails healthy, choose one made of glass, diamond, sapphire or ceramic. Otherwise, the disposable emery board is the most convenient and hygienic.

Step 2: Push Back Cuticles

Basically, the cuticle is hard, dead skin that grows up the nail, making hands look scruffy and unkempt. If you want to appear well-groomed, it's important that you keep your cuticles pushed back.

How to Push Cuticles Back

1. Begin by scrubbing your nails with a nail brush.
2. Soak your fingers in warm, soapy water for about ten minutes.
3. Dry your hands.
4. Apply cuticle remover and allow it to work for five to ten minutes. In case you don't have cuticle remover, use petroleum jelly or coconut oil instead.
5. Using a rubber cuticle hoof, gently push your cuticles back.
6. Carefully pull away any remaining strands with tweezers.

Why You Should Never Cut Your Cuticles

If you cut your cuticles once, you might have to keep cutting them for the rest of your life. Apart from that, it makes them grow faster as well as leaving nails prone to infection.

Step 3: Apply Hand Cream

Finish by massaging hand cream into your hands and nails.

Hand Maintenance

If you push back your cuticles with a towel once a day after washing your hands, and apply hand cream every night before bed to keep cuticles soft and skin in good condition, there’ll be no need to do a complete manicure on a regular basis. All you’ll have to do is shorten your nails once a week with an emery board.

If you dare, go a step further...

Nail Polish for Men

You may want to go a step further and apply nail polish, but be careful—not all men can pull it off. If you’re unsure, think in terms of David Beckham and Johnny Depp.

Some stylists advocate a matte product for men, but if you choose a traditional masculine color like black or a vivid blue (as opposed to pink or red), it really doesn’t matter. There is, however, a brand called ManGlaze that produces countless matte finish colors with men in mind. Or you can use a special top coat that mattifies glossy nail polish.

What You Need

The following products are available over the Internet and at drugstores:

• Nail base coat
• Nail polish
• Nail top coat
• Cotton swabs
• Lint free cotton pads
• Nail polish remover

How to Apply Nail Polish

Don’t use hand cream before applying nail polish, and make sure your nails are completely dry; moisture or fat will cause the polish to split.

1. Apply a colorless, ridge-filling base coat. Brush on from the base of the nail to the tip. This levels off the nail surface for a smooth finish, helps the polish adhere to the nail, and prevents nail discoloration caused by colored polish.
2. Wait about five or ten minutes for the base coat to dry, then apply the color. Paint a vertical line of polish on the center of the nail working from base to tip, then do the same again to fill out the sides. You should be able to cover the whole nail in three strokes. Load the brush only once for each nail.
3. Wait five or ten minutes before applying a second coat.
4. If you get nail polish on your skin, carefully wipe it away with a cotton swab soaked in nail polish remover.
5. When the second coat is completely dry, apply a clear top coat to help protect the polish from knocks and chipping.

How to Remove Nail Polish

Apply nail polish remover to a lint free cotton pad and wipe the nails from base to tip until all color is removed. Then wash your hands and apply hand cream, massaging well into the nails.

Quick Poll for Male Readers

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2015 Jayne Lancer

Comments

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on March 12, 2015:

Mine wouldn't wear it, either, tlcs. Not even for a photo for this hub. Sigh. :)

Trudy Cooper from Hampshire, UK on March 12, 2015:

Interesting hub, I don't think I could get my hubby to put nail polish on though, in fact I know I couldn't!

There is a large range of ready-to-use nail-art products available on the market these days. That means we don't need to go to a high-end salon every time we want to do our nails because we can produce the same results very simply at home.

If you use a good-quality top coat and nail polish for your nail art, you will find it will last a long time. In my experience, using China Glaze nail polishes as a first and top coat will give results that last about a week.

What Is a Water Slide Decal?

A water slide decal is a pattern or image, large or small, which is printed on a special paper. When it is put into water, a layer between the image and the backing paper dissolves, allowing the image or pattern to slide off, which can then be transferred to your nail (or any other surface).

Water slide decals are much thinner than vinyl decals, and they are a fantastic way to create salon finish nail art within a few minutes. There is an endless collection of them on the market today; from French manicure to full nail design, from flowers to hearts to cartoons, from Christmas to Halloween, from laces to half-moon designs, there is no shortage of fun options.

How to Apply Water Slide Nail Art

From my own experience, I would say that water slide decals are the easiest way to get a salon finish at home, but many people still struggle with their application.

So, I want to share a step-by-step tutorial on how to apply waterslide decals perfectly without any hassle.

1. First, apply nail polish for the base of your nail art. There are two types of water decals available in the market; one can be applied to any base nail polish color and the other should be on a white base color only. I am using those that can be applied to any base.
2. Make yourself a workplace by collecting everything you need in one place. That includes a pair of tweezers, a bowl of water (room temperature) and a sheet of waterslide decals.
3. Remove the protective sheet of the decal sheet.
4. Cut a piece of water slide decal. You don't need to cut a flower closely. Just cut a square piece of the sheet.
5. Put the piece in the water bowl for 5–10 seconds.
6. Take it out with tweezers. Now, pick the flower decal from the sheet carefully and set it on your nails.
7. Finally, apply a top coat on your nails for long-lasting nail art.

These decals are long-lasting and look beautiful even after a week. They are available in a very wide range. Some should be applied on a white base and some on any color, some are small designs and some are full nail designs. Even full sheets of water decals are also available in many options. You can cut them according to your requirement and nail size.

Step-by-Step Guide to Water Slide Nail Art

I love to do experiments with water slide decals by combining them with different types of nail polishes, different free-hand designs, different bases, etc. And every time, the result is really amazing!

So, I would love to share a few of my best nail-art designs using water slide decals.

Pink-Purple Flower Nail Art

The texture collection of China Glaze is simply adorable. I love each and every color of this collection. In this example, I have combined China Glaze Bump & Grind texture with water decals for my design.

Required Items:

1. Nail polishes: China Glaze Bump & Grind texture and China Glaze Snow.
2. A sheet of water decals (I am using ones that look brighter on the white base)
3. Tweezers
4. A water bowl
5. A pair of scissors
6. Top coat (I am using both first & last top coat by China Glaze)

Apply two coats of nail polish as required, you can apply in the same way I did. Then apply the water decal on the white base, followed by a top coat. Your nail art is ready and everyone will adore it.

Blue-Pink Dolphin Nail Art

In this French manicure style dolphin nail art, I have combined the technique of ombre nail art applied with a sponge. If you never tried it before, then check out these helpful tips. For this technique, I have used 2–3 blue-tone nail polishes with a touch of white for a perfect look.

I have also applied white base nail polish so that my blue color will stand out. Then, simply apply dolphin water decals and top coat for finishing.

Flower Nail Art

I have tried this design with two China Glaze textured nail polish shades. As I said before, I love the textured collection and it is simply adorable. If you are doing mix and match nail art by applying decals or designing on middle fingernails only, then you can complement remaining nails with these polishes and your nail art looks perfect. Most of the time, I do follow this technique.

In this nail art, I have applied small flower water decals on my middle fingernails and complimented them with white polka dots.

Neon Nail Art

Neon colors look really bright, and your nail art will stand out if you use them. If you want a bright result, then apply white nail polish as the base. These neon water slide decals are available in a variety of designs, whether you go for full nail decals or single designs.

For this design, I have used a pack of abstract decal designs and a mustache. Combine different designs and get a mesmerizing result. Everyone will ask you where you bought your nail art, but it’s your secret!.

Scottish Plaid Nail Designs

I have seen some nail artists who have tried to do tartan nail art with brushes. Some do it really perfectly. Then I spotted these Scottish plaid-style water decals. I wanted to try this design, but I always favor water decals. They are my secret to perfectly finished nail art.

I have combined these with white 3D decals on China Glaze autumn collection nail polish. All the same, I feel like they could look a little better with a purple base on the remaining nails as well. What do you think?

French Manicure Nail Art

Here, I tried French manicure style water decals for my design. They came in a pack of 10 decals in 5 different sizes. If you use them wisely, then you can get 2 manicures for both hands like I did. I added red and black polka dots on the remaining fingernails. I used a white base, but you can apply any color because these water decals are not sheer.

Black Check Nail Designs

Have you ever tried to make a check with a striping brush, striping tape or stamping set? I tried! They look good, but I am not entirely satisfied. What do you think of this black check water decal nail art? Doesn’t it look perfect? I loved it.

• For full nail water decals, you have to cut a piece equal to or a little larger than the size of your nails.
• Put the decal in the water bowl.
• Take it out with tweezers and apply very carefully on your nails. If it is a little large, leave the overlap as it is and dry off the water completely from your nails.
• Now, apply a top coat and let that dry.
• With an orange stick or cuticle pusher, you can cut off the overlapping part of the decal. Don't try to cut it before the top coat dries or it will mess up.

Thanks for Reading

I have tried to bring together some different water decal nail art ideas in this article. I hope you all enjoyed them and try them too.

I would love to see your comments on my ideas, and if you love to make your own designs, please share your nail art pics too.

How to Apply Full Nail Water Slide Decals

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2015 Jasmeet Kaur

Comments

Alekhya on March 23, 2017:

Hi, I really love your designs and tutorials. But can you please link to those Nail polishes(especially stamping polish) and these water decals and velvet transfer and foil transfer??? Please? Any Indian site would do. Thankyou so much for these articles. Really appreciate your work. __/\__

I'm a fashionista with training in fashion buying and design. I have a good eye for creative looks and enjoy sharing them with others.

Get your nails ready for that St. Patrick's Day party you're going to this —or even if you are just celebrating at home. The greens and golds of this holiday's colors look fantastic on any set of nILA, especially those that are bejeweled with shamrocks.

Check out the variety of styles featured in this article, from funky zebra to cute polka dots. What are you waiting for? Get those nails scrubbed and those polishes out!

Have fun!

1. Neon Zebra

Give standard zebra stripes a tangy twist with neon green stripes. Add a surprise accent by painting one nail all green.

2. Outlined Sparkle Tips

If you aren't crazy about too much color, paint just the tips instead.

1. Start with a base of clear nail polish and then paint the tips black (this will form the outline).
2. Now, paint a nice sparkly green over it, but leave the outline of the black for a dramatic effect.

3. Arty Twist

These two shades of green are great together, and the little white dots with shamrocks are a nice touch.

4. Charming Whites

• A base of white is perfect with the green. It'll really highlight your designs.
• Try doing this on your toes and popping on a lovely pair of green sandals to show off your manicured tootsies.

5. Greens and Gold

• Shades of greens and gold look great on the nail.
• Pop on a catchy word, like "luck," across one of the nails to really make your point!

6. Shamrocks

This freehand design is perfect for aspiring artists and also for dressing up your nails for all the parties you are going to, especially if it's one that's celebrating everything Irish.

7. Foil Decals and Marble Effect

• It's super fun to have each nail with a different style.
• These large glitter pieces are amazing. Also, marbleizing one is so much easier than doing them all

8. Kiss Me, I'm Irish

• Nails look great with little slogans like, "Kiss me, I'm Irish."
• This is an especially clever one if you are single and hoping to catch a sweetie's eye!

9. Green Tartan

You may want to purchase a thin-tipped paint brush to paint the "fabric" stripes on this design and the little black shamrocks.

10. Gilded Shamrocks

• Painting shamrocks onto a gold base looks very glamorous and makes a great statement.
• You can paint all your nails in this style or just the one depending on your preferences.

11. Rainbow Sparkle

• What could be better than pretty, sparkly, and feminine shimmery nails to show off your Irish pride?
• Recreate this look easily by purchasing shades in green, yellow, purple, red, and of course some glitter polish.

13. Featured Nail

• As mentioned earlier, doing one nail differently than the rest is not only striking but it is also very fashionable and trendy right now.
• You can choose just about any design you like for this nail, but make sure it's something green. ;)

13. Polkadotty

• Polka dots are great craic (the Irish word for fun)!
• These green ones get the Irish seal of approval, so what are you waiting for?

14. St. Patty's Day Froggy

• How cute are the white daisies and frogs on these?
• You can even go a step further and attempt to draw some lily pads on them.

15. Cocktail of Colors

• What an eclectic look this creates. The rainbow stripes are absolutely adorable.
• You could do all your nails in rainbow stripes and pop little shamrock decals on top.

16. Glitter Tips

Simply adding some green designs, like shamrocks, at least one nail lets you get away with just glitter tips on the rest in order to pass off as St. Patty's-themed nails.

17. Washi Tape Tips

• This is a very quick way to glam up your hands in time for an event.
• You'll need some washi tape of choice and a protective top coat nail polish. Make sure you cut the tape to fit the tips of your nails.

18. Contrasting Greens

• This is a very smart way to get your greens in! And no, I'm not talking about vegetables.
• Painting the tips in a contrasting green to your nails works extremely well. You can pick any two shades you like.

19. Silver and Green

• You will need a lime green shade and a silver sparkle polish to complete this look.
• The little shamrocks can be painted on with a darker shade of green by using a thin brush. If you don't have steady hands, get a girlfriend to paint them for you.

20. Chevron Style

• Chevron is so in these days!
• If you don't want to go full chevron, just do half of each stripe in different colors (like green and white for example).

21. Under The Rainbow

• The rainbow is the real talking point of these sets of nails.
• You could either get a nail decal of a rainbow or try your hand at doing it yourself.

22. Golden Shamrock

• A feature nail on each hand with a golden nail and a shamrock is the perfect way to get your luck shining on this holiday.
• You could even switch the color out for a different one if you aren't too keen on gold.

23. Rainbow Nail Feature

Taking one finger, like the ring one for example, and making it different by painting a rainbow on it (or anything else you'd like), is a wonderful way to highlight your luck. Especially if you have recently gotten engaged or promoted!

24. Water Marble Art

Water marbling is surprisingly easy to do.

1. Get your nail polishes and dot them into a cup of water.
2. Paint your nails in a base coat of white and wrap tape around your cuticles.
3. Dip into the cup you have created your design into and remove the tape.

25. Lucky Green Plaid

Get your tartan on by donning these super cute nails. Wear a green kilt to complete the look!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

ezzly (author) on December 19, 2015:

Thanks Jasmeetk :)

Jasmeet Kaur from India on December 13, 2015:

very beautiful nail art you shared..will recreate them..

ezzly (author) on March 10, 2015:

Aw thank you so much Deborah Diane !

Deborah-Diane from Orange County, California on March 09, 2015:

Thought I would promote this one more time, since St. Patrick's Day is coming up soon.

ezzly (author) on February 22, 2015:

Thanks for visiting and your encouragement Deborah Diane :)

Deborah-Diane from Orange County, California on February 21, 2015:

Just a reminder to everyone ... now is the time to start practicing these designs. Have some fun with them!

ezzly (author) on February 19, 2015:

Thanks Au fait hope you have a great Paddys day :)

C E Clark from North Texas on February 19, 2015:

So many different designs! And St. Paddy's Day less than a month away. There should be something here for everyone who has nails to do.

ezzly (author) on February 12, 2015:

Thanks for pinning flourish , you can get great fake nails with awesome designs too you just need a little patience and some nail glue ;)

FlourishAnyway from USA on February 12, 2015:

Very cute. Pinning these. I sure wish I had the nails and the talent to do these, but I'm sure many others do.

ezzly (author) on February 06, 2015:

Thanks DDE , have to say I'm a huge fan of green :)

Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on February 06, 2015:

Beautiful ideas! I like all the colors and you have a lovely layout here.

ezzly (author) on February 02, 2015:

Thanks for commenting Deborah Diane :)

Deborah-Diane from Orange County, California on February 01, 2015:

What clever nail designs for St. Patrick's Day! I'm sure a lot of people will love these!

ezzly (author) on February 01, 2015:

Thanks Christy Maria, bet you do very beautiful designs !

Christy Maria on February 01, 2015:

Very cool! I absolutely love to paint my nails tricky patterns for different occasions! I am definitely going to be using one of these ideas Ezzly.

Jan lives in Arizona, has a fur-baby, and retired from banking after 30 years. She currently is a songwriter and cyber-journalist.

Thinking of removing your artificial acrylic nails? Are you worried about how they might look and wondering what to expect? Returning to natural nails will require an adjustment period. Your nails will need quite a bit of attention at first, but you will survive! I know because I had acrylic nails for over fifteen years, but when I retired, it just didn't make sense anymore and I removed mine. Here's what I learned during my transition back to natural nails.

Why Quit Acrylic Nails?

If you are in a similar situation and need some encouragement to follow though and survive the first month, consider these facts about acrylic nails:

• The average acrylic nail treatment costs between $25 and $30 (not counting the initial full set) and takes an hour of your time.
• Most acrylic nails need a fill every two weeks.
• Based on these assumptions, you'll spend 26 hours and $650 annually to keep up your acrylic nails (add another $130 if you tip $5 each visit).
• If acrylic nails separate from your real nails, fungus can develop between them.
• Toxic hazards are thought to be prevalent in some nail salons, the top three concerns being toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate. All three of these have been linked to both reproductive harm and cancer.

Returning to Natural Nails

Here are a few facts about fingernails:

• Nails grow approximately .1mm per day or 1/10^th of an inch per month.
• It can take three to six months to completely replace a nail.
• Nails grow faster in the summer than in the winter.
• Men's nails grow faster than women's, and nails on your dominant hand grow faster than nails on your non-dominant hand.
• Health conditions can affect the appearance and growth of nails.

Knowing these facts, it makes sense to remove acrylic nails at the start of summer so that when fall rolls around, your nails will have grown out and will look natural and healthy.

What to Expect After Your Acrylic Nails Are Removed

Most salons will remove acrylic nails for you for a fee. It is, however, possible to remove them yourself at home. The Lovetoknow website recommends salon removal but provides instructions for home removal on their website. They state that the most popular at-home method is to soak acrylic nails in an acetone solution.

If you've had acrylic nails for a while, the portion of your nail that is beneath the acrylic will be fragile once the acrylic is removed. However, the claim that acrylic damages the natural nail is not true. The natural nail will feel more flexible for a few days for two reasons:

1. The nail is missing the support of the acrylic.
2. A build-up of oils on the surface of the nail may have caused it to soften.

They advise using a strengthener on your nails for a few days but not forever, as strengthener can cause nails to become brittle.

Returning to Natural Nails: A Survival Guide

Once you remove your acrylics, you'll need to remember to do certain things regularly to ensure your nails remain strong and healthy and look great. These are the seven most important things to keep in mind when transitioning back to natural nails.

1. Take Care of Your Cuticles

The Perfect Ten website explains that the purpose of the cuticle is to prevent bacteria from getting under the skin. From day one after removal, start taking care of your cuticle. If they have become ragged or the cuticle has starting to grow over your nail, gently push back with a wood cuticle stick and remove the excess. Sally Hansen has a reasonably priced product, Instant Cuticle Remover that dissolves cuticles in 15 seconds. Removing the cuticle is also important before polishing the nail, as a polished cuticle will become brittle and make for an unsightly manicure.

2. Trim Ragged Nail Edges

During those first few weeks when nails are breaking easily, clip them rather than filing. I found that filing shredded the edge of my nails rather than smoothing them. Until they felt sturdier, I clipped nails close to the tip of my finger, and the clipper made clean edges.

3. Use Nail Strengthener

For a few weeks, apply a product to help strengthen the nail. Sally Hansen has a nail solution, Grow Nails Now, which is brushed on clean nails and cuticle, then massaged in. The solution gives nails a sheen and can be worn alone. I also like Nail Rehab by Sally Hansen. Note: Don't use strengthener forever, because it can cause nails to become brittle.

4. Polish Your Nails

I found that keeping my nails polished, even when they were very short, made me okay with saying bye-bye to my old acrylic nails. Also, while nails are returning to normal, polish will protect them. Use a base coat with a polish that contains fibers, such as Nail Laminates, No More Wraps that contains Kevlar "miracle fibers". Rimmel London even makes a product advertised to contain diamond particles to reinforce weak nails! If you have ridges as I did from where the acrylic was attached, a ridge filler will smooth out the nail before polishing with color. Paint two coats of polish allowing to dry in between coats and finish with one or two coats of an acrylic top coat, such as Sally Hansen No Chip polish.

5. Keep Your Cuticles and Nail Plates Moisturized

Keep cuticles from drying out with a cuticle oil, such as Essie's Apricot Cuticle Oil, which re-hydrates and revitalizes cuticles using cotton seed and soybean oils. Use an acetone-free polish remover and look for remover that contains additional conditioners such as aloe. Don't apply polish to cuticle.

6. Nourish Your Body

To keep nails healthy, the Academy of Nail Technology advises everyone to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily, and eat foods high in calcium, iron, vitamin B and potassium, such as seafood, milk products, celery and soy. Other foods to eat for healthy nails are sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, and dark, leafy veggies.

7. Don't Abuse Your Nails

Wear gloves gardening or cleaning. Don't tighten a loose screw with your nail. Don't open a pop can with your nail. Don't poke a hole with your nail in the frozen dinner film. Don't pick at hardened paint drips on the tile with your nail. That's what tools and men are for.

Returning to Natural Nails

Once you adjust to not having acrylic nails and your natural nails become healthy, you'll be surprised how happy you are. There will be no more panic that you popped a nail off and no more racing to appointments. You might even realize that your natural nails look sexy, too. And after those first few weeks, doing things will become so much easier with natural, shorter nails. It won't take long before you realize that you survived removing your acrylic nails and actually like your natural ones.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Tori is a 28-year-old, three-time animal mom and DIYer living in Northern Atlanta with her boyfriend.

DIY Marbled Manicure

Marbled nails look really cool. I used to always see these nails all over the internet and wonder how on Earth people did it. It seriously looks like they took a sticker and put it on their nails (which, apparently, is a thing now).

I learned how to do this from a post on Tumblr. The post in question was just a group of images without any text showing you what to do to create the look. I looked at it and thought, "OK! That's easy enough!" Unfortunately, the graphic tutorial didn't contain any tips and tricks that are useful when trying to do this, and also wasn't very complete in the steps, either. After several tries, I eventually got the look I was going for. Even though some of my nails looked really janky, I was happy with it for the time being. But I did want to get better at it!

I began doing the marbled look more regularly, and have discovered some tips and tricks to accomplish this method of nail art in the cleanest, easiest way possible. Here is an easy DIY guide for creating that marbled look at home!

Supplies

This nail art is simple if you are equipped with the right supplies to get the job done the right way.

You will need:

• A small cup that you don't care about. It must be at least an inch deep. I used a quarter measuring cup.
• Room temperature water. It is absolutely imperative that this water is room temperature, and not cold or warm to the touch.
• Q-Tips (for touchups!)
• Wooden toothpicks
• The polish colors you would like to use. OPI nail polishes work great for this style of nail art. For the base coat, you'll want to use a white or a pastel, to ensure the rest of the colors show up. I really like using OPI Alpine Snow as my base coat. Then you'll need to pick two other colors to mix with for the marbled look.
• A paper towel
• Nail Polish remover
• Masking tape or Scotch tape (I prefer blue painters tape or masking tape).

Important Tips Before You Start

• Cup Size: The cup you choose should not have a large surface area for the water. The smaller the cup, the better—so long as it is at least an inch deep. If you have a big surface area for the water in the cup, the nail polish will spread too much, and you will end up wasting a lot of it! I've used the little disposable sauce cups from a restaurant—those are great for this type of project!
• Water Temperature: The water in your cup cannot be too hot or too cold. The temperature of the water will either cause the polish to dry too quickly, or it will cause it not to separate properly. For this reason, it is very important to ensure that the water does not feel hot or cold to your touch.
• Polish Choice: It is very important that your polishes are new or like-new, and cannot be the instant-dry nail polish. Firstly, the polishes must be new or like-new because older polishes tend to be more dried out than when you first purchase them, which affects their ability to spread in the water. Instant dry nail polishes also have the same issue - because they dry so quickly, they will not spread on the surface of the water but will clump and sink. You can test your nail polish to see if it will work for this project by dropping a small bit of it into the water. If the nail polish stays in a clump or sinks to the bottom, it is too old and cannot be used for this project. If it stays on the surface of the water and spreads out across the top without clumping or sinking, it is perfect to use.
• Put Remover in the Cap: The nail polish remover is easiest to deal with when you pour it in the cap. The nail polish remover will come in handy when you are cleaning up the nails and the nail beds after each coat of polish. Since you are working on details and will be using Q-Tips for this, it is very convenient to pour a little nail polish remover into the cap for easier access.
• Change the Water Regularly: Switch your water out if you notice it is getting really dirty. The water will become dirty from all of the nail polish you are dropping into it. If you start having issues getting your nail polish to spread, you will need to switch the water out. I can usually get one hand done before I have to switch it out.

1. Paint Your Base Coat and Color

Paint the base coat as smoothly as possible. Use Q-Tips and nail polish remover to touch up around the cuticles. Make sure to let this dry completely before doing the next step!

2. Protect Your Skin

Tape your nail all around so that as little of your skin is visible as possible. Try to surround your nail as well as possible, and extend the tape to about your knuckle.

Alternatively, you can also use liquid latex around your nail. I particularly like Pueen Latex Nail Tape—it dries quickly and peels off easily!

3. Add Colors to the Water

Quickly drop the nail colors into the water, alternating colors however you want. I will usually start with the base color (white), then drop the other colors on top of each other. Do this step quickly to prevent the polish from drying too quickly.

4. Swirl the Colors

Swirl the colors together lightly with a toothpick to your desired design. Do this quickly! If you mess up, blow on the top of the water until the nail polish dries. Then, sweep it up with the Q-Tip and start again.

5. Dip Your Nail Into the Design

Identify the pattern that you would like to show on your nail. Strategically place your nail over the design you want and carefully dip your nail in the water.

Note: Whatever you do, don't lift your nail back out of the water at this point.

6. Lightly Blow on the Top of the Water

Lightly blow on the top of the water while keeping your finger submerged. Take a toothpick and pick up the dried nail polish from the water. Make sure all of the excess nail polish is taken up from the water before pulling your nail out!

7. Take Your Nail out of the Water

Take your nail out of the water. Let dry for a minute or two. Peel back the tape, and use a Q-Tip to clean up any polish that may have gotten on your skin.

You Are Done!

Now you know how to create the marbled look on your nails. The marbled nail looks really cool as an accent nail as well. I will paint my nails all one color that I use in the marble and then do the marble only on my ring fingers and it looks really good!

This nail art is super easy and really cool looking when you are done! Don't worry if you don't get it right the first time - you can always take the polish off and try again!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

ToriM (author) from Atlanta on June 26, 2014:

Hi Deborah, Thank you very much! I hope you find it useful - and I hope your nails turn out great :)

Deborah Sexton on June 24, 2014:

Great hub. I'm going to try this, thank you for sharing this information

Lynsey loves trying out beauty tips and products. She often makes her own products and enjoys sharing any useful information that she finds!

How to Get a Salon-Quality Manicure at Home

Painting your nails properly can have a massive effect on the overall look of your at-home manicure. A rushed job can look messy and childish, so it is worth putting a bit of time and effort into it. If done properly, your nail paint can last 7–10 days.

As a recently recovered nail biter, I have made up for lost time experimenting with my shoebox full of nail varnish! In this article, I will teach you the secret of getting salon results from a home manicure, no matter what kind of varnish is used!

I must point out that I am not a nail art expert. But since I stopped nail-biting around six months ago, I have painted my nails every colour combination you could possibly think of, perfecting the method each time!

If you follow these five steps, you will have evenly distributed, long-lasting, chip-resistant nails.

1. Remove Residue

Using some nail polish remover, gently remove any residual nail varnish, oils or creams from the nail area. If the nail polish is particularly thick, soak the nail in remover for 30 seconds to penetrate the layers, then wipe off with cotton wool. This prevents over-rubbing and possibly thinning the nail.

If there is any staining left on the nails, you can usually remove this using lemon juice or whitening toothpaste. Personally, I don't see the point in this step unless I am using clear nail polish.

2. Apply Base Coat

The base coat is a necessary step for a number of reasons:

• It prevents staining from the colour of the varnish.
• It strengthens the nail and prevents snapping.
• It smooths ridges without having to file and thin the nail.
• It allows a better application of the nail colour.

Apply a generous amount, and allow to dry thoroughly for the best protection of the nail.

3. Apply Nail Colour

How you apply the colour is a personal preference, but my technique ensures an even distribution with no overpainting of a particular area.

• Paint from the bottom of the nail to the tip.
• Start on one side of the nail, then the other, then finally, the middle.
• Apply in thin, even coats.
• Allow to dry thoroughly between coats.
• Don't worry too much about smudges—these will be removed later.

4. Apply Effect

Apply any special effects at this stage. You could experiment with feather, velvet or silk effects. You can also add glitter, nail stamps, polka dots, nail beads or diamantes—it's really up to you!

Remember to apply any effects per the product instructions.

After this has dried, use a cotton bud (q-tip) dipped in nail varnish remover to remove any excess nail colour on the fingers. Be careful to avoid getting any remover on the nails themselves.

5. Apply Top Coat

This is probably the most important step to ensure a long-lasting finish. A top coat is important for a number of reasons|

• It smooths the final appearance of the nail.
• It can give a nice shiny effect—giving the appearance of a gel nail colour.
• It stops the colour underneath chipping.

I recommend a good quality top coat, and this again is a recent lesson I have learned. I was gifted a bottle of Seche Vite top coat, and I was converted. This particular product penetrates the nail colour underneath to form a solid gel-like coat that simply does not chip. I now grow bored with my colour, whereas before I had to redo my nails after a few days due to chips.

Be aware that a top coat should not be used with certain effects, such as velvet effect or some 3D nail effects. Check the effect instructions for further information.

Repeat!

Now that you know the secret to a salon-quality manicure at home, you can experiment and perfect your own method of application. There are plenty of inspirational ideas for nail art on Pinterest to keep your nails decorated for a while. You can rest assured that your chosen designs will last as long as you want them to.

© 2014 Lynsey Hart

Comments

Lynsey Hart (author) from Lanarkshire on May 08, 2014:

Lol!! I'm actually pretty sure it was my gran! Hahahaha thanks for the view, votes and comment!

FlourishAnyway from USA on May 08, 2014:

I wonder who -- I mean what -- caused your nail biting? ;-) Congrats on stopping. I liked your tips here, AA doing a good job yourself can save a lot of money! Voted up and more.

Lynsey Hart (author) from Lanarkshire on April 15, 2014:

Thanks! Yeah the profile pic was when I had stumpy nails... Couldn't keep the glitter on them :-p I know, the set is nice! If I didn't already have a shoebox full of varnish, I'd probably buy it lollol! Thanks for the visit and comment!

Suzanne Day from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on April 15, 2014:

Love your profile pic which is somewhat related to this hub! Thanks for the useful information and that SHANY Nail Art Set is quite brightly coloured nailpolish for all occasions. Voted useful.

Lynsey Hart (author) from Lanarkshire on February 27, 2014:

Thanks btrbell ! :-) glad it could help!

Randi Benlulu from Mesa, AZ on February 27, 2014:

Thank you! Just in time! I need to do my nails today! Congrats on stopping nail biting! Up+

Lynsey Hart (author) from Lanarkshire on February 25, 2014:

Thanks for your view and comment jasmeetk :-)

Jasmeet Kaur from India on February 24, 2014:

interesting hub!!

Kasja is interested in makeup and beauty and likes to try out new trends for hair and nails.

I'm always on the lookout for beautiful and colourful nail polishes to paint my nails with. One trend that I have taken a recent liking to is the gradient (or ombre, as they are most often called) nail art trend. Not only is this look extremely easy and beautiful, but it is also one design that you can probably do as soon as you finish reading this tutorial!

In this tutorial, I will show you how to create traditional ombre nails as well as one-colour nails with an ombre design on top of them. Let your creative side soar as no two nail designs will come out exactly alike.

What You Will Need

• 2–3 (or more) different colours of nail polish, depending on how many gradients you want to experiment with.
• A make-up sponge or any sponge found around the home. All that matters is that the sponge is one level and not used.
• Nail polish remover
• Q-tips
• Scissors
• Tape (if you are planning on trying a gradient design). Regular Scotch tape will do.

Ombre Nails

The first method we are going to try is the traditional method that is used with almost every gradient nail tutorial. This method is extremely easy to do, and the results almost always come out beautiful. Do keep in mind that you may need to practice this method a few times until you get it absolutely correct.

Supplies for This Tutorial

• Nail polish
• Makeup sponge or any similar sponge
• Nail polish remover
• Q-Tip

Instructions

1. Paint nails with a nude or white colour. White is usually the best to choose to make your colours seem more vibrant. Some colours blend better with a white base colour.
2. Wait 5 minutes or until your nails are completely dry. Attempting to sponge nails before they are dry may result in a mess.
3. Grab your make-up sponge and paint onto it the colours that you want to use. Make sure that the colours touch each other to avoid any gaps when applying the sponge to your nails.
4. Carefully align the make-up brush to your nails and gently dab it onto your nails until they are completely coloured. Don't stress yourself about being neat at this time as we will clean these up later.
5. Immediately after dabbing one nail, gently apply a top coat to smooth colours and blend them in even more. More than one top coat may be needed. Finish off nail with a layer of glitter nail polish if you choose to do so.
6. Add more nail polish to the sponge after each application. Sponges will soak up the colour. If you want to change up the pattern on your nails, you will have to use another sponge.
7. Wait until your nails are completely dry. The final step is to dip your Q-Tip into your make-up remover and clean up the areas around your nails.

Gradient Nail Design

The next style of ombre nail art is going to be a single design in the middle of your nail that is painted a gradient colour. This is a fairly unique trend but it is just as simple as the traditional way of painting a gradient on your nails. If you use a heart-shaped design, this is also a great look for Valentine's Day!

Supplies for This Tutorial

• Nail polish
• Makeup sponge
• Scissors
• Tape
• Nail polish remover
• Q-Tip

Instructions

1. Paint nails with a white or nude colour. Once again, white would be the best option as it will make your colours pop.
2. Wait 5 minutes or until your nails are completely dry.
3. Fold a thin piece of paper or tape in half. Using your scissors, cut out a half heart design. Open and check your design. It may not be perfect the first time, so keep working on it until you get a design that you like. Also, you do not have to use hearts. If you have any nail art stencils, feel free to use those.
4. If you are using tape, place the non-stick side down onto your dried nails. Fold it around your nail and tape the ends together underneath.
5. Paint your colours onto your make-up sponge. Remember to make them meet so that they will blend properly.
6. Very gently, dab the sponge onto your nails. If you are using tape, be extremely careful as you may tear your design.
7. Carefully remove tape and add it to any other nails that you wish to use.
8. Paint nail with a few layers of top coat to further blend and smooth out colours.
9. Reapply another coat of nail polish to your make-up sponge after every application.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Jasmeet Kaur from India on January 08, 2016:

beautiful work and hub

Valice Harris on October 13, 2015:

Look so professional i will be trying this out directions understsandable

Lubowa from Uganda on September 26, 2015:

Kasja, thank you for this informative article. I always admire anyone who adorns gradient nails. They look pretty if done very well. The way you wrote is clear and precise such that when I was searching for info to write an article for a client, with related keyword, your tutorial helped alot and he liked it and had it published at http://www.designsauthority.com/ombre-nails-art/

BuyMeBeauty on July 24, 2015:

I love the ombre nail trend but I never knew how to do it, so thanks for this tutorial! I bet it would look great with some Essie polishes.

Being in love with someone special is the most wonderful feeling in the world!! There is no particular time or day to express love for your sweetheart, but Valentine's Day is one of the special days in every lover's life. People always show their feelings for their beloved on the 14th of February.

Every girl wants to look perfect on this special day, regardless of whether she is going out with her love or having a party with friends. Usually, girls like to dress up in red or pink on Valentine's Day because these colors are the symbol of love. But, I feel we should wear what we love and in this way, we can enhance our beauty.

These days, nail art has become so popular that everyone is looking for an excuse to have a manicure. It has become a very important part of our style. It also shows what we feel and we can express our feeling with our nail designs.

Wearing a plain red nail lacquer doesn't look cool to me. I think there are many other girls like me who love to wear different nail art on every occasion.

So, I plan to share some amazing Valentine's Day nail art ideas with you. I always try to share some tips and tricks with which you can create some stunning manicures at home. I have also used the theme of Valentine's Day in my manicures including some hearts and flowers in reds and pinks.

3D Heart Nail Art

Items Required:

• Nail polish colors: baby pink and red
• French manicure tips: V-shape
• 3D decals with stone
• Quick-dry topcoat

Instructions:

It is quite an easy nail art design. You can do it easily without getting messy hands. Follow these steps:

1. Apply baby pink nail polish for the base. I have used a nude shade because it gives a perfect finish for French manicures.
2. Now, apply the V-shape French manicure stencils on your nails.
3. Apply red polish carefully, remove the stencils and let the polish dry.
4. Finally, take some 3D decals and apply them as required.
5. Seal your design with a quick dry top coat and your Valentine's Day nails are ready.

Pink Glittery Nails

Items Required:

• Pink and red nail polish
• Red glitter powder
• Transfer foil glue
• Red transfer foil

Instructions:

1. Apply one coat of red nail polish or whatever color goes with your nail art.
2. Let it dry and apply foil glue.
3. Wait for a few seconds until your glue becomes transparent and sticky.
4. Apply transfer foil carefully to your nails and press it firmly with your fingertips or Q-tips.
5. Remove the foil and the design will transfer on your nails.
6. Finally, apply the topcoat, and it is ready.

For this nail art, I have applied two coats of pink nail polish and then sprinkled some red glitter powder on the nails. On the ring fingernail, I tried to give some glittery contrast with red foil. Seal your nails with a quick-drying topcoat. It will give a glossy and long-lasting finish.

It took 5-10 minutes to complete the design.

Red Love Valentine's Day Nail Art

How about using the word "love" in nail art? Here is another easy DIY nail art idea for Valentine's Day.

1. I have applied white nail paint for the base.
2. Then, I added a red French manicure with striping tape to give a smooth finish.
3. After this, I used a dotting tool to write LOVE on my nails. How about a heart instead of "O" in "LOVE"? I feel it looks cool.
4. Highlight with golden dots along the edges of the French manicure.
5. Lastly, I added a layer of quick dry top coat to complete my nails.

Fuzzy Hearts Nail Art

For this design, I have tried a velvet nail art technique to make some fuzzy hearts on my nails.

Items Required:

• Nail polish colors: white, red, pink and orange
• Flocking velvet powder: red, pink and orange
• Thin nail art brush and a medium-size dotting tool

For this nail art design, just follow these easy steps:

1. First of all, apply two even coats of white nail polish and let them dry completely. You can put your fingers in ice-cold water to speed up the drying speed. Make sure that your white base is completely dry. If it stays wet, then the velvet powder will stick where you don't want it.
2. Now, make a big heart with red nail polish and sprinkle red velvet powder on it. You can use stencils to draw hearts if you can't make fine hearts with a brush.
3. Repeat step two and make some pink hearts.
4. Finally, add some polka dots with orange nail polish and your Valentine's day nail art is ready.

Wine Heart Nail Art

Here is another nail art idea for Valentine's Day.

Items required:

• China Glaze nail polish colors: Pure Elegance and Don't Make Me Wine
• White and silver dotting pen
• Quick-dry topcoat
• French Tips

Instructions:

For this Valentine's Day manicure, I used China Glaze nail polish.

1. Apply one coat of Pure Elegance nail polish for the base of the design.
2. Now, apply the French tips, and then Don't Make Me Wine nail polish.
3. The next step is to add some accessories to the design. I have added some hollow hearts and heart-shaped stones on it.
4. Complete the nail art with some white and silver polka dots.
5. Be creative!! You don't need to copy the same design. Try your own..:)

Red Love Nail Art

Valentine's Day is all about love, so why not express it with your nail art? For this, you need to have some experience with freehand designing. You can try drawing your design on paper first.

Things Required:

• Nail polish colors: white and nude
• Red Acrylic paint or red nail art pen
• Quick-dry topcoat
• Red transfer foil and foil glue
• French tips: Y style

Instructions:

1. First of all, apply nude nail polish by China Glaze. Let it dry.
2. Now, apply Y-style French manicure tips and apply white nail polish. This makes a heart shape on the nails.
3. Then, use red acrylic paint to write "LOVE"' and paint some hearts.
4. You can also use a red nail art pen for designing.
5. Finally, apply a top coat on your nails to make it shiny and long-lasting.

Heart Water Marble Nail Art

You can also create Valentine's Day nail art with a water marble technique. It's an easy technique if you have a suitable nail polish brand. I always use China Glaze nail polish for this effect.

Items Required:

• At least two nail polish colors
• Clean water in a glass or bowl
• Toothpick

Instructions:

1. Put a drop of each nail polish color alternately in the glass of water. Repeat it 5-6 times.
2. Quickly take a toothpick and start making a design in the water.
3. Now, dip your finger in the water and remove it slowly.
4. Use a toothpick to take off any excess polish.
5. Finally, apply a topcoat.

I hope you like my nail art ideas for Valentine's Day. Please share your suggestions and comments.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2014 Jasmeet Kaur

Comments

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on February 09, 2016:

Thanks dear

Aneesa on February 09, 2016:

Simply beautiful.I'm amazed.

These days, fashion changes really fast. Things that were new and fresh become common after just a few days. I really don't like to wear anything common. It looks really weird when you go to the market or some get-together and someone else is dressed the same as you.

Nail color styles change often too. I always want to keep my nails trendy with new art and colors, and I am sure that most of the girls want the same thing. I did some research and found some hot nail polish colors and trends.

1. "On The Edge"

There is nothing more chic than bright royal-blue nails. You can pair this shade with the same color dress. Add some water slide decals on your nails for a crisp look. Whether you go for classic cobalt or bright cerulean, you will feel that you have been transported to the seaside with bright blue shade.

Orly released its Adrenaline Rush Summer Collection 2019. All colors in this collection are bright including the bright royal blue shade, "On the Edge."

2. "Chic From Ears To Tail"

Pink color is always in style, with so many dark and light hues to choose from. This sober and sweet pink color is the best choice when you want to give your nails a simple look.

3. "Treble Maker"

Here is a fluorescent mint-green color from the China Glaze Electric Nights collection 2016. There are lots of bright and glitter shades in this collection, but I never saw such beautiful and bright minty shade before by any nail polish brand. Apply two coats of this polish to get perfect finish.

4. "That's Shore Bright"

Shades of orchid are always trendy. This one, "It's Shore Bright," is a beautiful, bright purple shade by China Glaze. This year, bright candy colors are going to be a hit. If you are going to buy some purple nail polish, then don't miss this shade by China Glaze.

5. "On Pinks and Needles"

"On Pinks and Needles" is a hot pink top coat with hexagon-shaped glitter. The glitter is of several different sizes and they look simply amazing when applied on a contrast color base. This polish gives full coverage and applies smoothly. The formula is good enough that one coat gives a perfect look. This shade is part of OPI's 2019 Brights collection.

6. "I Just Can't Cope-Acabana"

This is a really yellow cream shade. I like this shade because it goes perfectly with sunny summer days. It is a bright yellow color with a pastel finish. The formula is great, but I have seen a few lines in the first coat. It looks perfect after two coats.

7. "I Stop for Red" by OPI

The most popular red hue polish is OPI's "I Stop for Red." Like pink, red is a color that always stays on-trend, whether it is hot summer or chilly winter. This red will always add charm to your look. "I Stop for Red" is a cream shade that spreads quickly without streaks. It has an undertone of orange, but it looks red most of the time.

8. Essie "Perennial Chic"

Any nail polish collection is incomplete without a beige or cream color. From the long list of beige hues, I have selected "Perennial Chic" from the 2019 spring collection by Essie. It is a nude shade with a brown undertone. You can reach the full opacity with two coats because the formula is nicely pigmented. This is also a perfect shade for nail stamping.

9. "My Way or the Highway"

China Glaze released a bright teal shade in their Road Trip Spring Collection. It is brighter and even more green than previous shades, namely "Aqua Baby" and "Wait N’ Sea." There was a similar color in a previous collection, but that one is glossy. "My Way or the Highway" has a jelly formula that gives full coverage with a second coat. This cream polish is my favorite teal shade.

10. "Is Mai Tai Crooked?"

"Is Mai Tai Crooked?" is a gorgeous creamy light orange shade from OPI's Hawaii Collection. I have seen several orange colors, but this one is amazing and has no match. It has really good opacity that will flatter most skin tones. Two coats are enough for a perfect look. It is my favorite color from the Hawaii Collection.

I hope everyone likes my list of favorite nail polish colors. I am open for suggestion to improve my article. If you think I have missed a color, then make a suggestion in the comments.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2013 Jasmeet Kaur

Comments

T on May 08, 2020:

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bhavesh on April 18, 2020:

Thanks for sharing this post with us. I got some cool nail paints. they are reqally good. Also sharing an article on best nail colors for all skin tones. Check it out here: https://www.getstylego.com/20-neutral-nail-colors-...

Judy on October 12, 2018:

Love 'My Way or the Highway', but not too practical for a 60-year-old woman...darn! But, 'Essie Perennial Chic' is very pretty and more suitable for a mature woman.

Ssshhh22 on March 30, 2017:

On Pinks & Needles and On the Edge will be my next nail polishing adventure!!!

ANGELA on January 18, 2017:

ON PINKS AND NEEDLES IS ONE I MUST HAVE FOR SPRING 2017

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on May 02, 2016:

Thanks for the visit @McHuggs

McHuggs on April 09, 2016:

I love your collection of nail polish colors and surprised no Zoya colors were chosen I especially love "on pinks and needles" and and that "on the edge" blue is amazing. awesome selection of teals and reds. Great job. Thank you for all of this.

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on December 29, 2015:

thanks #Tinaya Sallie

Tinaya Sallie from Aliquippa, PA on December 28, 2015:

Nice color choices. Good article.

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on November 29, 2015:

Thanks

Danielle Nash from North America on October 06, 2015:

Love all of these, they are gorgeous!

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on September 10, 2015:

Thanks!!

Hina on August 26, 2015:

omg! I loved your article! it was very informative! Thank you for the effort! I just started to write blogs myself! Please support! Thank You! :)

Robin on April 12, 2015:

I love polishing my own nails ---The majority seems to go get manicures at salons... Which is fine sometimes for me also---but the ones who never do them themselves anymore Are missing out I think---Little primping of myself things since I was a kid was always a fun little thing to do

boththestar on October 12, 2014:

I am not female but in my opinion, that Blue one (#3) look the best

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on July 31, 2014:

@tiffani.... Thanks dear :)

Tiffani on July 30, 2014:

For the twill of it is more of a duo chromo then a holographic I'd say but over all great list!

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on November 11, 2013:

@susan... thanks for your appreciation :)

Susan from India on November 10, 2013:

Wow... All Nail Polish Colors are awesome. Thanks for sharing. Voted up.

Recently, I have had a passion for do-it-yourself nail art techniques. I'm not the only one; I think most other girls are obsessed, too. I am always looking for the latest ideas and products.

These days, there are so many products available on the market that it's easy to be confused over what to buy and what not to buy, and that applies to me, too. To tell the truth, I want to try everything. These nail art supplies look so amazing that it's hard for a girl to stop herself from buying them.

I have tried several DIY nail art products, so I thought I should list a few of my favorite ideas, as well as a few tutorials on how to use them. However, bear in mind that some of these were hot in 2020 and may well not be going anywhere in 2021.

In this article, I'm going to share tutorials on the following:

1. Transfer foil
2. Flocking velvet powder
3. Dotting tool
4. Striping tape
5. Water slide decal

Transfer Foil

Let's start with metallic, glittery transfer foil. It is one of my favorites because it gives really amazing results. I've always tried to find the perfect metallic finish in nail paints but even the most expensive never comes up to my expectations. They often look glittery rather than metallic. However, transfer foils provide a perfect metallic and holographic finish every time, I simply love them!

1. Red Transfer Foil Nails

For this design, I applied the foil in a French manicure style. After that, I sealed the transfer foil with a layer of top coat. I added some petals using black nail polish and a stamping technique. Finally, a layer of quick dry top coat was added. Foils give a very glossy and perfect metallic finish to nails. These days, there are several highly glittery nail polishes available in the market, but foils have their own look.

I also used black and white nail polish strips on my ring fingernail. It gave a very beautiful contrasting look. A little practice can make you perfect with both transfer foils and stamping.

2. Blue Aqua Foil Nails

Black nail polish is the base for this design. Instead of applying foil glue on full nails, I applied dots of foil glue with a small size dotting tool. The result is that the foil transfers only on the dots or other areas where glue is applied. Finally, I applied a layer of quick dry top coat, and it is done!

There are several more ways you can use foil glue. The foils are available in all sorts of colors like green, parrot green, red, hot pink, purple, pink, lilac, gold, silver, rainbow, orange, and peach, etc. with several patterns per design. There are even printed transfer foils, which give a really stunning look to your nails.

Flocking Velvet Nail Art

Another popular DIY nail art technique for 2019 will be fuzzy nails. They will be more popular in the fall and winter because of velvet protects against the chill of winter weather. So why not give your nails a touch of velvet in a manicure today? It is one of my favourite techniques as its results are completely different from other styles.

You can either apply the same color velvet powder on complete nails or create a design. Alternatively, how about a gradient of color? Everything will look awesome.

Dotting Tools

Polka dots and other circular patterns were trending in 2020, and they seem set to stay in 2021. You can create numerous patterns with a nail dotting tool, including animal print, dripping nail art, flowers, rainbows, bubbles, and a lot more. Just explore your imagination and create some designs to complete your nails.

Nail dotting tools come in 10 different sized appliers from the biggest to smallest. They make your work so much easier and give you perfect polka dots.

1. Animal Print Nails

Animal prints look quite tricky to make, but they are not as difficult as they seem. I have a tip for making them easily. All you need is a dotting tool with a smaller dotting pen. Just make some semi-circles with your dotting pen, and your animal print is ready. Do not restrict your imagination to real color animal prints, try different colors, and make your own pattern.

I created an animal print on a rainbow base. I used five colors for it, including red, purple, blue, green, and yellow. Use black nail polish for these prints as they will show up well on other base colors.

2. Creamy Dripping Nails

This dripping nail art is quite easily created by using a dotting tool. First of all, apply a base coat, then make some dots with contrast nail polish color. Next, using the same dotting tool, stretch the dot into a drip shape. You can also use a sleek brush for converting dots to drips. Finally, apply the top coat to keep your nail art long-lasting, if required.

3. Rose & Petal Nails

Floral nail art is another easy design to create with a dotting tool. You just need to select some contrast nail polishes. As you can see in the photo, I have applied pink nail polish as the base, then used white and yellow nail polish for flowers. I have used the smallest point dotting tool for flowers, but you can make big flowers as well.

4. Pink Heart Nails

You can broaden your vision and create new designs. In this one, I have added some hearts and polka dots. You can easily make hearts with dotting tools. First of all, select a dotting tool size depending upon the required size of hearts you want to make. I have selected the smallest dotting tool because I want to make small hearts. Make three dots to make a triangle. Next, join them to convert it into a heart. Repeat the same trick for all the hearts you want to make.

Striping Tape

Striping tape is another DIY nail art product that will most certainly be popular in 2021. You can create ombre, stripes, checks, and many other geometrical patterns on your nails with striping tape. It is now easily available in India as well as on eBay.

1. Purple Striping Tape Nails

Striping tape is the easiest way to create clean lines on your nails. If you want to apply two or more colors, striping tape can make your work easier and produce super neat results. In this design, I applied horizontal stripes on black nail polish. Instead of removing them, I kept them in place and applied a top coat for longevity.

2. Cross Striping Tape Nails

As I said previously, you can apply several nail polishes separated by clear lines using striping tape. I did the same thing in this nail art with an amazing result. For this, I applied striping tape in a cross, then applied four different colored nail polishes in the four different boxes. I removed the striping tape and added a stone in the middle. A layer of top coat and my nail art is ready.

Water Decal Nail Art

Water decals are another hot trend for nail art in 2020 and will continue to be in-trend for 2021 as well. Water decals are really easy to apply and give professional results. They come in several ranges, including full nail decals, French manicure style, flowers, laces, golden and silver decals, and even glow-in-dark decals are available.

It is quite easy to apply water decals, and they look amazing and professional after application.

1. Yellow Water Decals With French Manicure

In this nail art, I have used flower water decals on a French manicure. They are perfect to enhance the look of a French manicure. I used striping tape to create a diagonal design. I applied water decals on white or nude shades, and finally, I added a quick dry top coat to complete the manicure.

2. Red Rose Nails

Flower water decals are perfect for those who love to make floral nail art but are not confident in their abilities. It is not easy to create a floral design on both hands. Floral water decals come in various colors and designs. So, friends, now you can apply nail art to match your outfit easily.

3. Full Nail Water Decals

Full nail water decals are another good option for those who want 5-minute manicures on both hands, and you don't even need to apply any nail paint. There are lots of designs and prints available in these and the application is easy and long-lasting.

• How To Apply Water Slide Decals For Easy Nail Art?
  Today, there are lots of ready to use nail art products available in market. We don't need to go to high-end nail art salon every time as we can do nail art simply at home.

77 DIY Nail Art Tutorials in just 8 Minutes

DIY Nail Art Tutorial with Water Decal, Dotting Tool & Nail Guides

Final Words

These nail art products will rock the fashion trends in 2021. Today, I have shared only a few DIY nail art ideas and products including striping tape, dotting tool, transfer foil, flocking velvet powder and water slide decals.

I hope you like these ideas and I will come back soon with more DIY nail art products and techniques.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2013 Jasmeet Kaur

Comments

palak786 on July 02, 2019:

google

[url= https://www.google.com/]google[/url]

https://www.google.com/

Lubowa from Uganda on September 26, 2015:

Thanks Jasmeetk for these decoration ideas.

More nail design ideas at: http://www.designsauthority.com/easy-nail-designs-...

Also a great nail stamping tutorial at: http://www.designsauthority.com/nail-stamping-famo...

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on August 03, 2014:

@Maggie.L Thanks dear for your appreciation. I just love to do nail art. I have used velvet powder for white and black polka dot nail art :)

Maggie.L from UK on August 02, 2014:

Fantastic nail art ideas here. I love the white and black polka dot design. This design would look great if you were dressed up as Cruella de Vil.

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on February 25, 2014:

You can't imagine how much I am happy to read your words... Thank you so much :)

swilliams on February 24, 2014:

I did know that you did nails! My daughter says that your nail art is the best she has ever seen and she will be visiting your site to view all of your amazing work. You are very blessed. Keep up the great work!

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on February 24, 2014:

@swilliams... thank you so much for appreciation... I just love to do nail art.. and sharing with others comes with great happiness... :)

swilliams on February 24, 2014:

This Article is So Beautiful! I love the nails! You are a great writer! Keep writing about what you know and you will soar to the top. Great job! Jasmeetk! I think you would make a great journalist too!

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on February 04, 2014:

@Greenlily... thanks for your appreciation :)

Greenlily from Philippines on February 04, 2014:

Wow cool nail effects!

Do you love art? Do you like to play with colorful nail polish? Use your nails as your canvas with this ombre tutorial.

Basic Two-Tone Ombre

Materials:

• Two different colors of nail polish
• A clear topcoat
• A piece of sponge
• Nail polish remover
• Cotton swabs

Instructions:

1. Gather all of your materials. You can use any nail polish colors; just remember you want one light and one dark color. As you can see in the images above, here I used yellow and green.
2. First of all, clean off any old polish with nail polish remover and cotton swabs.
3. Next, apply your lighter color as the base coat for every nail (in my case, yellow). You can apply a double coat if required. Let it dry completely.
4. Now, here is where the ombre comes in. Transfer some of your darker nail polish onto a plastic sheet or any other smooth, disposable surface. Then dab your sponge in the nail polish and press it onto the ends of your nails. Repeat it on every nail.
5. Let it dry and cover your nail art with a clear topcoat.

Tip

If you're in a hurry, dry your nail polish quickly by placing your fingers in ice-cold water for 30 to 60 seconds. Wondrously, the polish will come out completely dry.

Who doesn't love glitter? Instead of applying a uniform distribution of sparkles, mix things up by applying it in a gradient. For this, you can use either glitter nail polish or clear nail polish and loose glitter. You can apply both products easily with a sponge.

For the purple nails in the picture above, I used a very similar technique to that of the two-tone ombre. The base coat is a solid purple, and I created a reverse-ombre look by using the sponge to apply glitter at the base of the nail instead of the tip.

For the blue nails, I did something a little different. You'll notice that the base coat for all of the fingers except for the ring finger is a French manicure. I then used glitter to transition between the clear part of the French manicure and the blue part. To do so, I used the sponge to apply clear polish where the two colors met and then sprinkled on aqua glitter. For the ring finger, I applied pink hexagon flakes with a small dotting tool because the individual pieces are so small that they're difficult to handle with tweezers. Finally, I applied a top coat so that the glitter is sealed and secure.

Half-Moon Ombre

A simple variation of the two-tone ombre, this nail art will rack in the compliments. The only addition is a circular nail guide. I have created this guide with paper tape, but you can easily find these guides in the market. If you have a French manicure tip, that will work perfectly. Here are some simple steps to follow for the nail art:

1. Apply a base coat (here, I used yellow) and let it dry.
2. Apply the circular guide onto your nails as shown in the photo.
3. Sponge on the ombre hue (in this case, orange). Repeat this step to make a perfect finish.
4. Remove the guide from your nails and apply top coat.
5. Optional: You can embellish your nails with additional accessories, like the orange star I incorporated.

Multi-Tone Ombre

Get creative and embrace multiple colors. Try applying four or five different colors with the sponge technique. For this nail art, we need a white matte nail polish as the base. Apply two coats and let it dry.

Now, take four nail polish colors, such as pink, blue, purple, and green. Apply each with a sponge, and experiment with vertical, horizontal, and diagonal impressions.

Tip

Do not forget to seal your nail art with a top coat. It gives shine to your nails and makes the polish longer lasting.

Galaxy Nail Art

These galaxy nails use the same sponge technique. I used multiple colors—royal blue, white, yellow, green, pink, red, and black—as well as a bit of glitter. Here are the steps:

1. Apply one coat of royal blue nail polish. Here, we need only one coat as a base because we are going to apply several additional coats of polish with the sponge.
2. Now, use the sponge to apply white and pink diagonally across the nail.
3. Next, apply yellow, green, red, and black, one by one.
4. Add some glitter to the wet polish.
5. Now we need to give a center to our galaxy. Use a dotting tool to add a white dot in the middle of each nail.
6. Finally, apply a quick-dry topcoat and our galaxy nails are ready.
7. Optional: You can also make some stars with a striping brush.

Checkered Ombre

Ombre, which comes from the French word for "shaded," refers to anything with a gradient, whether it's the smooth gradient achieved with a sponge or the more choppy gradient achieved by simply painting different tones of a color with a brush. This is what I did in this manicure.

Materials Needed:

• White nail polish for the base and to mix with other colors to create your various tones
• Various other colors of nail polish, such as pink, blue, green, or purple
• 1 mm-thick striping tape
• Stripes brush
• Tweezers
• Quick-dry top coat

Instructions:

1. Apply a coat of white nail polish and let it dry completely—you can also use a nail-polish dryer to speed the processes.
2. Next, lay the striping tape onto the nails in a grid pattern.
3. Now you're set up to start adding color. Take a smooth disposable surface, such as foil paper or a plastic sheet, and transfer four blobs of nail polish onto it.
4. Next, take white nail polish and mix it with the polish on the sheet to make four progressively lighter tones.
5. Fill the squares of the grid on your nails with these tones to create a gradient effect.
6. If you're planning to use more than one color, as I did in the picture above, repeat the previous step as needed.
7. After filling all squares, carefully remove the striping tape and apply a topcoat.

There are so many variations of the nail art you can create with the help of a sponge. Have any other ideas for ombre designs? Please share them with me below. I would love to hear.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on August 12, 2015:

surely Blond Logic... u should try it once.

Mary Wickison from Brazil on August 11, 2015:

I have never seen this technique before. I love nail art and some years ago, I had my nails done every two weeks. I was never brave enough to do it at home, though.

I wish I had read about this soon, it looks easy and the results are great.

Shadaan Alam from India on June 09, 2013:

wow loved these beautiful nails and the tips you have given, pinned ur post.

idigwebsites from United States on June 05, 2013:

Thanks for the additional information! I'm so excited to try the other designs :)

idigwebsites from United States on May 27, 2013:

I sooo love nail art! Haven't tried with a bow though, so thanks for another wonderful tip!

cbar77 on May 21, 2013:

Hi Jasmeetk! I really like the pastel ombre nail art, especially the one with the bows. It looks so perfect!

passionate77 on April 28, 2013:

very nice and soo cute, jasmeetk, i enjoyed all the tips and pics step by step. really very nice and cool color schemes specially in summer in asia these days. great work, thanks for sharing dear!

These days, nail art is high in trend and fashion, and girls always search for something new to add-on to their looks. Us girls always want to look attractive. We can see there are several nail art salons and professionals. Their work is just mind blowing.

Yeah, it is true that you can’t apply such professional nail art home, but I have something special for you and I am sure that you girls will love it. How about water marble nail art? I know many of you have seen tutorials of this technique on YouTube and are rushing to try it. Unfortunately, you may end up with no result. It even happened with me. I brought several expensive nail paints for this nail art, but no result, just disappointment. It is true that this nail art technique requires a lot of practice, but at the same time, it requires the right technique. I am going to show you a step-by-step water marble nail art tutorial.

First of all, you need to collect few things.

• A glass or paper cup full of filtered water at room temperature.
• Toothpick or orange stick.
• Two or three different color nail polish.
• Nail polish remover.
• Paper or plastic tape.

Now take some filtered water in a glass. Water should be at room temperature. If you take chilled water, then nail polish will not spread perfectly. Also, if you take warm water, then nail polish circles will break while you're designing.

Cover your finger with tape. This will help in removing extra nail polish outside your nails. You can also use petroleum gel. Just apply it on your finger, not nails. Be sure to clean your nail with remover and apply white nail polish. It will help in brightening up the colors of other nail polishes. You can use fake nails for practice.

Here is the main tip. Add four or five drops of nail polish remover in the water. It will help in nail polish spreading. You can take any nail polish in this nail art. The only thing you need to consider is that it must be thin enough that nail polish drops can easily fall within a second.

Now start dropping nail polish drops in the water glass. I have taken only two nail polishes for ease. You have to perform this step with speed. Otherwise, nail polish will dry up and you will end up disappointed. So speed up!!!

Once you are done with spreading nail polish in the glass, you can start making designs with a toothpick. I have an easy trick for this step. Check the picture.

Now put your finger in the water. Remember to keep your nail horizontal. Otherwise, the results will not be so good and your nail will not cover the design. Keep your finger in water for few seconds and remove the extra nail polish with the toothpick. Take your finger out of water and see your professional-looking nail art.

You can apply a top coat on your water marble effect. It will add shine to your nail art and can help make it last long. In the beginning, I would like to suggest trying this on fake nails. You can also make some trials on a plastic sheet.

If you are fantasized to be trendy and love nail art, then you must follow these simple tips and try this nail art.

Comments

Vi kind Las Vegas. on May 04, 2017:

I'm just now getting into it , but it looks amazing , so I'm going to keep trying.

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on February 05, 2016:

I use China Glaze.Basically, you need a nail polish that is thin enough to put drops in water. New nail polishes work good for water marbling. You need to check the thickness of nail polish before buying it.

swathi on February 05, 2016:

but what nail polish to use for nail marbling?

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on July 19, 2015:

#manu check for an alternative nail polish brand. As I mentioned in the post, that for me china glaze nail polishes worked best. so, try different brands for it.

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on June 15, 2015:

cooll.... do share your nail art pics with me...

jasmine on June 09, 2015:

Im going to try this

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on May 22, 2015:

check your nail polish once. Is it thin enough that the nail polish drips fast?

bailey allen on May 04, 2015:

My nail polish marble didn't work I used opi nail polish and acetone before the nail polish didn't move just stayed at the bottom

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on March 25, 2015:

There is no specific brand. You just need to ask for water marble nail polishes.

piyu on March 23, 2015:

Hii...water marble special nail polish means .. can u name the brand???

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on February 03, 2015:

Kaili: it all depends upon the nail polish you are using. Maybe you added nail polish thinner in it, that's why it is drying instantly after hiting water. You can also try adding acetone in water before putting nail polish drops in it. Try water marble special nail polish. Their formula is designed for water marble.

Kaili on February 03, 2015:

The first time I tried this, it worked great! Then I tried it a second time and as soon as the polish hit the water, it spread. What am I doing wrong?

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on September 10, 2014:

#amy... thanks for the suggestion. The thing is walmart and dollar is not available in India. Anyhow, some nail polishes are specially designed for water marble are available now!!

amy on September 09, 2014:

I have found that the pure ice brand of Polish from Walmart works extremely well. And colors from the dollar general that are a dollar.

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on July 10, 2014:

Thanks @Hani for your appreciation :)

Hani on July 10, 2014:

Your tips are quite helpful .. Thanksss

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on December 19, 2013:

@tirath... first of all, you need special nail polish for water marble. If it is not available in your area then you need to find thin nail polishes, those drops fall easily. You can check it. then you can add some thinner in water so that nail polish spread easily. you can try china glaze polish or OPI. These brands work easily. Lukily I got some local nail polishes those spread in water easily. Do start with 2 nail polisg in beginning and drop nail polish with a little speed.

Tirath on December 18, 2013:

Can u tell me how to put all the nail polish in to the water because I am trying it's impossible please I need ur help when u get my msg please reply as soon as possible thanks...

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on November 03, 2013:

thats great :)

divya on November 03, 2013:

I used doab which is a local nail polish

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on October 13, 2013:

@divya Its nice to hear that you succeed in water marble technique. Can you share what nail polish you used?

divya on October 13, 2013:

finally, i have succeed in doing water marble nail art . thanks

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on August 10, 2013:

Sorry we are providing nail art courses but you can checkout our blog http://bombasticnailart.blogspot.in/ We have shared numerous DIY nail art techniques those you can create at home with ease.

We have also listed some required DIY nail art products. You can buy them online from ebay India (if you are in India). http://www.ebay.in/sch/jasmeetjasmeet20/m.html?_nk...

divya on August 09, 2013:

is there any courses for nail art

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on August 08, 2013:

Luckily I got these local nail polishes in the market and they worked well for water marble. Unfortunately, they worked only once. As they were local, they get thick after sometime.

sriya on August 08, 2013:

which nail polish you have used

Jasmeet Kaur (author) from India on August 08, 2013:

@Divya I understand it is quite irritating when nail polish do not spread or it just dry before making design. Believe I had tried numerous different nail polish brand and numerous tries before I get the result.

Even I dropped the idea of water marble many times but whenever I watch any video on it I get urgue to try it.

First of all, you need thin nail polish. You can try with new nail polishes. Do not use fast drying nail polish. They will never work for water marble. Also, you can add few drops of nail polish remover in your nail polish and make it thin enough that drops fall easily, but do not add too much nail polish remover.

If possible try to use OPI, Sally hansen, china glaze or Essie nail polish, they will work for sure, but they are a little expensive.

So, you just need to try different nail polishes. Just make sure they are thin and new.

+9++99* on August 07, 2013:

tell fast the reply

divya on August 06, 2013:

it is not spreading why tell me the reason i tried so many time but it is not spreading

Sam is the mother of two young boys, Juju and Blaze. Their family enjoys going on trips, crafting, learning, and exploring.

Nail designs are fun and fashionable ways to show off your favorite things and style without going crazy with your wardrobe. Although many people find nail art appealing, they often fear they lack the ability to create their own nail art designs.

I'm here to tell you that isn't so! Once you have learned the basics of nail design, you too can create amazing fun designs that will amaze others.

When it comes to nail design, there are just a few things you need to have and know to create beautiful art; nail art tools of the trade, how to create circles, how to create lines, taping methods, stencil methods, and where to look for more inspiration.

Combine all of that with patience and plenty of practice and you'll are on your way to being a nail design artist!

Nail Art Design Tools: Where to Find & How to Make Your Own

Essential Tools You Need to Create Nail Art:

• Nail file and buffer
• Nail Polish (and remover)
• Clear enamel or nail strengthening polish
• Dotting tools
• Striping tools

It is highly recommended that you also have:

• Hand moisturizer that you like
• Nail care tools
• Tape
• Q-tips and cotton balls
• Foam makeup sponges

Nail Care Tools

You can find nail files and nail care tools for very decent prices at dollar stores and beauty supply stores. At the very least, you should have a nail file (I prefer the metal kind because they last a lot longer), one nail buffer (they come in varying grades, a soft-medium one is good to start off with), and a cuticle tool (they come in wood and plastic, either work fine, some nail files actually have cuticle tools attached, so look for that as well).

Nail Strengthening Polish

I strongly recommend using a nail hardening or calcium nail polish as your base coat when painting your nails because it will keep them healthy, strong, and unstained. I just use LA Girl Calcium polish, which works fine for me and is easy (and cheap) to find, but I have heard really great things about OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener, which I feel makes it worth checking out and trying as well. Apparently, it not only strengthens the nail, it curves flatter nails which prevents them from breaking as easy. Wild!

Hand Lotion

I suggest using a hand moisturizer/lotion because your nail art is going to draw a lot of attention to your hands. If your skin is dry, that may be something that you may not enjoy very much. I have sensitive skin myself, so I have to be very careful with what I put on my skin. I have found that natural products like the goat's milk and hemp oil lotions work very well for me, but Cetaphil Restoraderm works best. I also have come across some recipes on how to make balms, lotions, and moisturizers.

Nail Polish

When starting out, it really isn't necessary to buy the big brand nail polishes that could cost as much as $5 a bottle. Once you have decided that nail design is something you enjoy, you may want to invest in quality polishes once you're comfortable. In the beginning, just look for deals at beauty supply stores, pharmacies, accessory shops, and your favorite clothing stores. A lot of the time you can find nice polishes for $1 each. This is how I first built up my collection and really got started on nail design.

I think of it this way. If you wanted to start painting, but had never painted before and weren't even sure if you would be very good at it, you probably wouldn't go to a professional art supply store and buy the highest quality paints and supplies you could find. You shouldn't do this because you might end up wasting your money if it turns out you don't like painting and you really have no idea what you're looking for and you can't trust the sales people, because obviously they want you to spend the most money.

Same thing goes for nail polish. When you first start out you're not going to be able to tell the difference between a cheap nail polish and a brand name polish—and no one else is going to know what you used, so why waste your money? Wait until you have some experience and can form your own opinions about what you should be looking for before you invest too much.

Q-tips & Cotton balls

I recommend having q-tips and cotton balls on hand, mainly to remove polish and clean up around the nails.

Tape

Painter's tape, masking tape, and even scotch tape can make nail art a lot easier to create. You can use tape to create sharp clean lines in designs, as well as stencils, and all sorts of other tricks. It isn't necessary for every design, but it can definitely make a difference.

Foam Makeup Sponges

These are also not necessary for every design, but they are fantastic for designs that call for gradients and textures. I've tried substituting them for bits of regular sponges and even paper towel, but the results are not as nice as with makeup sponges. I've used scrap fabric as well with varying results.

DIY Dotting Tools

You can find these online or at some beauty supply stores, but they are so easy to make at home that when you're starting out you might as well save your money.

Household items that can be used as dotting tools:

• Toothpicks (for drawing, lines, and very small dots)
• Bobby pin heads (for small to medium sized dots--most common size)
• Round head straight pins (for large dots)
• Straight pin heads (for small dots)
• Unsharpened pencil or unused pencil eraser (for very large dots)
• Match head (for small to medium dots)

I mostly just use toothpicks and bobby pins.

DIY Striping Tools

• Stencils, nail art pens/markers, and taping methods are great ways to create clean, sharp, lines and stripes.
• String (dip in a little polish and streak across nail).
• Nail art polishes (find for cheap at beauty supply stores, and when it runs out—reuse the brush).
• Thin paint brushes (cheap brushes from the dollar store or a craft store will do).
• Toothpicks (use to draw and create lines).

I like the taping method best, but I have many Art Deco Nail Polishes I bought for $1 at my local beauty supply store and will often use toothpicks for small intricate designs.

Getting Started: Preparing Your Hands & Nails

If you have any nail polish from your last design, remove that first.

File Your Nails

If you want to clip your nails first, then do that, but I usually go right into filing. It is best to keep your nails rounded rather than squared, or at least round the edges of your nails. This will prevent your nails from breaking. That is because points and corners are weak points, but round objects have no corners or points, so therefore have no weak points. Makes you wonder why we don't have round buildings, doesn't it?

Push Back You Cuticles

Do not cut your cuticles! Cuticles are necessary to protect your body from bacteria. When you cut them, you risk getting an infection. Cuticles are as necessary as your eyelids and gums.

If you are prone to hang nails, drink more water, keep your hands moisturized, and try taking a multivitamin daily to improve the health of your skin, hair, nails, and teeth.

How you shape your cuticles is really up to you. I like to try to keep the sides thin and straight and push the bottom down to make my nails look longer and thinner.

Buffer Your Nails

This isn't entirely necessary, but with a soft nail buffer you can rub your nails down and smooth out any nicks or bumps. I really wouldn't suggest doing this too much or too often though, because it will thin out your nails. Just do it as needed to keep your nails smooth.

Apply Base Coat

If your don't have a nail strengthening polish, then just apply a clear polish. This will protect your nails from being stained by the pigments of the nail enamel.

This is a nice weekly routine to keep, even if you don't plan to do your nails. It just keeps your hands and nails looking very nice. If you don't plan to paint your nails after this routine, finish off with a moisturizer and a nice hand massage. You deserve it.

Design Tips

• Check out YouTube and Pinterest for nail art design inspiration.
• Practice is the best way to improve painting with your non-dominate hand, but if it makes you really uncomfortable you could consider painting fake nails and applying them instead.
• If you're still worried about not being able to paint your own nails, practice with a friend. Let them practice their designs on you and you can practice your designs on them. I find this way more fun than painting my own nails anyway.
• A lot of the time the most intricate part of a nail design is reserved for the ring finger (and sometimes thumb) and the other nails are painted more simply. This will be less stressful for you and help highlight your design.

Decide Your Nail Art Design

You can go into your nail art design blind, but you may not like what you end up with. It has been my experience that the best designs are ones that have been planned out long before any nail polish hits the nail.

If you aren't sure what you would like your design to be you could go for something abstract or just think about things that you like or make you happy. Your design can reflect your mood, the seasons, a holiday or event that's coming up, something you're excited about (like going to the movie or beach), your pet, or anything really.

One thing I do when I'm really stumped is just pick out the colours I really want to use first and then create a design that will incorporate all of them nicely. Typically these designs are wild and abstract, but they usually make me very happy.

Once you've done some nail art designs a couple of times you may notice yourself wanting to repeat favorites. In this case of course you don't have to redesign it every time because you already know what it looks like and how to do it. I only suggest drawing out designs and planning first when it is a new design you are unfamiliar with.

Draw Your Design

On a scrap piece of paper draw little nail shapes then draw what you'd `like your design to look like. Keep things simple as possible. You don't need a lot of intricate details to have a successful design.

Test Out Your Design

This isn't entirely necessary, but I find it helpful when I'm not sure how certain colours will work together. Once you've decided on your design, redraw it a few times on your scrap piece of paper and apply polish directly to the design to see how it will look. Adjust your design as needed and practice a few times so you will be comfortable enough to apply it to your nail without a drawing to guide you.

If you are concerned that you will only be able to paint your nails on one hand and not the other used this as an opportunity to practice with your non-dominate hand.

Apply Your Nail Art Design

Nail art designs can typically be broken down into shapes, dots, and lines. Once you're able to break your design down into these things, applying your design will be simple.

Creating Nail Art Dots

• Dab some polish on an index card or scrap piece of paper.
• Dip your dotting tool in the polish.
• Apply gently to nail.

Nail Art Designs That Use Dots

Here are some basic and popular designs that use dots. Adjust the designs as needed to create your own nail art designs.

Nail Art Heart

• Make two dots next to each other.
• Use a small dotting tool or toothpick to bring polish to a "V" below dots.
• Fill in to create your heart.

Nail Art Mustache

Nail Art Flower

Polka Dot Nail Art

• Solid Polka Dots - After painting your nails a solid color, use your dotting tool to make a polka dot pattern on your nails.
• Circle Dots - For this you'll need two different sized dotting tools. Make a polka dot pattern with the larger, then go back over them with the smaller tool, using your base color.
• Dot Design - Create an abstract design by dotting a pretty pattern across your nails.
• Diagonal Dots - Give yourself a diagonal french manicure and add some dots.

• French Manicure with Dots - After applying a french manicure dab dots across.

Nail Art Bow

Bow Version 1

• Make a dot with the colour you want your bow to be.
• Draw a triangle on either side of your dot, using a small dotting tool or toothpick.
• Fill in triangles.
• With a marker, striper tool, or toothpick, draw an outline in a darker colour around your bow.

Bow Version 2

• Make a dot in the colour of your outline.
• Draw a triangle on either side of your dot.
• Fill in triangle with the colour of your bow.
• Use a dotting tool to add colour to the knot of the bow in the center.

Hello Kitty Bow 1

• Make a medium sized dot.
• Make two large dots on either side of the medium one, overlapping slightly.
• Draw a black outline using a striper, marker, or toothpick.

Hello Kitty Bow 2

• Make a black medium sized dot.
• Make two large black dots on either side of the medium one, overlapping slightly.
• Make a red dot in the center of the first black one.
• Draw a "C" and backwards "C" shape in the large black dots.

String Bow

• Make a small dot.
• Using a toothpick or a very small dotting tool draw a "C" and backwards "C" shape on either side of dot.
• Draw two little tails.

Nail Art Panda

Nail Art Paws & Bone

Using Stripers

Making Stripes in Nail Art

Stripers are great to make drawn designs, stripes, and french manicures.

When painting stripes with paint brushes or art deco polishes, make sure there isn't too much excess nail polish on your brush before you apply to your nails. This will keep lines clean and prevent globs of polish from using your design.

Rather than swiping your brush across your nail, try and keep the hand your painting with very still and move your nail underneath the brush for smooth clean lines that don't wobble.

When using tape to create your designs make sure any nail polish you are taping over is completely dry. Before applying tape stick it on your hand and then to your nail to take away some of the stickiness.

Pull tape off carefully before paint has dried completely but is not too wet.

Basic Nail Art Designs

There are just so many great designs you can do on your nails, it was really hard for me to pick out just a few to share. So here are some of my favorite easy nail art designs that I often find myself going back to again and again.

I hope you enjoy these and they inspire you to create some of your own designs.

Cheetah/Leopard Print Nail Design

Tiger Stripe or Zebra Nail Design

• Paint nails white, orange, or whatever you want your base colour to be.
• With a striping tool make stripes in varying places across nails, don't worry about them being wobbly!
• Add some glitter stripes for fun.

Kisses Nail Design

French Manicure

• Paint your nails clear, a light sheer colour, or really any colour you choose.
• When the polish has dried paint a white area across the top of your nail. You can either do this by just using your stripers or tape off the area and paint it that way. Either way works beautifully.
• Add glitter stripes and designs if you like.

Cupcake Nail Design

Rainbow Nail Design

• Using a striper brush paint semi-circle lines across your nails in the colours you want your rainbow to be. You should stick to three or four colours, anymore than that might be too much unless you're making very very thin lines.
• Using a dotting tool make cloud shapes at the tip of your nails.
• If you want to add little birds, take black polish and a toothpick and make an upside down rounded "w."

Hello Kitty Manicure

Just Nail Polish Brush

Sponge to Nail Technique

Dabbing on With Sponge

Ombre & Gradient Nails

Gradients are a great way to add a little extra flair to your nail art.

• Apply polishes using brushes. Dab on each colour while the polish is wet to blend the colours together.
• Apply polishes using foam makeup sponge. Paint directly on to your sponge then dab on to your nails. Or paint your base colour and dab on other colours using your sponge.

I know some people also use Q-tips to create gradients. I haven't had the best luck with that method though as little strands of cotton from the Q-tip always end up on my nails. I'm sure there are other methods of creating gradients, but these techniques have worked the best for me and are the most used.

Water Marble Nail Designs

Water marble nail art designs are a quick and easy way to create beautiful nail art. And the best part? You don't have to be ambidextrous to pull it off! Give it a try!

Magnetic Nail Polish

Caviar Nail Polish

Special Nail Polishes

• Glitter Nail Polish - Glitter polishes come in all different types of colours with fine to huge chunks of glitter. I love glitter polish. When I don't really feel like doing much with my nails or just don't have time to, I just apply glitter polish over a fun colour. It instantly makes me happy.
• Crackle Nail Polish - This is an easy way to get nail designs on your nails. Paint your nails a base colour, then apply crackle nail polish on top. As the polish dries it tracks, revealing the colour underneath.
• Magnetic Polish - I have yet to try this, but magnetic polish is another way to get cool designs easily. Apply the polish then hold a magnet over it while wet. Metal particles in the polish will create unique designs.
• Caviar Nail Polish - This is a pretty new trend in nail design that you'll either love or despise--or you'll grow into, like me. If you don't know what I'm talking about, this design consists of little plastic beads glued on to your nails. It creates a textured design that can be very visually interesting, but it doesn't last very long at all. It's probably best for a special event or night out, definitely not every day.

Nail Transfer Foils

Polymer Cane Nail Art

3-D Nail Art

Nail Stamps

Nail Art Pen

Nail Stickers & Decorations

There are lots of great ways to add art to your nails that don't require much art skill. There are so many nail stickers, stamps, pens, tapes, decals, decorations, and gems that you can apply to your nails that if you really can't get the hang of nail art designs, it's ok! With all your options you can still create awesome nail designs!

Since there is so much, I'm going to do my best to remember everything, but I apologize if I forget! If you know of something that isn't listed here, please feel free to remind me in the comments below.

Nail Stickers - These are by far the easiest ways to create great nail art. You can find them at beauty supply stores and all over the web. In the past I've even used tiny stationary stickers. There are also special striper tapes for nails that you can use, or any tape you like really. All you do is stick them on and seal them with a clear top coat.

Alternatively, you can create your own by using a bit of clear nail polish to glue cutouts or tiny drawings on to your nails. Again, seal it with a clear top coat and you're good to go.

Another way to create your own nail stickers is to paint on tape (scotch tape for a more transparent look and painters tape for something more solid). Then you can cut out any shapes you want and apply to your nails.

Nail Art Transfer Sheets - These are kind of like stickers, except they are typically an entire texture or design that you apply to your nail. This way you know all of your nails are going to look exactly the same.

You can make your own transfers by applying temporary tattoos to your nails or pressing printed paper (from comic books, newspapers, books, maps, or whatever you like) on to your nails after dipping it in alcohol. Then go over the design with a clear top coat to protect it.

Nail Decals & 3-D Decorations - These are kind of like stickers, except they aren't usually sticky and are typically more 3-Dimensional. I've seen tiny bows, keys, fruit slices, animals, candy, cupcakes, and more. These are typically applied with some nail glue and may or may not be sealed off with a top coat depending on how big it is. There are also special acrylic paints that let you create your own 3-D art.

You can find these at some beauty supply stores or you could use tiny little decals found at craft stores. Polymer clay canes are also extremely popular for these. If you're a crafty person you could make your own, or you could fine canes on eBay, Amazon, and Etsy (Canes on Etsy are typically more unique and sold at lower prices since they aren't marketed as "nail art" so I'd check them out first!).

Nail Stamps - This is another great way to get designs quickly and easily. There are lots of stamping kits found all over the web for any design you could imagine. Regular rubber stamps can be used as well. You could even use the ink from rubber stamps--just make sure to add that top coat before it dries.

Nail Art Markers - These markers or pens make drawing nail designs a lot easier than using a brush or tool. You could also use sharpies, but be warned they can sometimes bleed.

Glitter & Caviar - You don't need to buy glitter and caviar polish to get the effects of these polishes. Just sprinkle glitter on to your nails while wet and you'll get a similar effect. Go over with clear polish to keep it shiny.

Nail Gems - Rhinestones and little gems are another way you can dress up your nails. Use nail glue to stick them down and tweezers to put them in place.

Get creative. If it's small enough to fit on your nail, you could probably stick it on there. Try decoupage or other art techniques to create unique nail designs. Typically, if you can seal whatever you've done with a clear top coat (which you should do anyway to protect your art) you can add almost anything to your nails.

Removing Polish

Here's a neat trick I found on Pinterest.

As you can see from my pictures below, it really works!

Finishing Touches

Once you've finished your design and your nails have dried apply a clear top coat to preserve your design and help your nail art last longer.

Take a Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover and clean up any nail polish on your cuticles or skin.

When you are all done and everything is totally dry, apply your lotion or moisturizer and enjoy!

Comments

Lubowa from Uganda on September 26, 2015:

Hi samantha,

Your hubpage is not only informative but also interesting. The combination of videos, text and pictures makes reading enjoyable. You know what you write and I wish you could write a guest post for as in the nail desings category of our site at I wrote a http://www.designsauthority.com.

More nail designs ideas and tutorials for beginners at:

http://www.designsauthority.com/easy-nail-designs-...

http://www.designsauthority.com/nail-stamping-famo...

http://www.designsauthority.com/ombre-nails-art/

http://www.designsauthority.com/how-to-do-sharpie-...

http://www.designsauthority.com/how-to-paint-your-...

http://www.designsauthority.com/how-to-do-water-ma...

and more

Kenneth Avery from Hamilton, Alabama on April 26, 2014:

Hi, followthestray (interesting name)

I really had a great time reading this hub. Voted up and away. I like to get right to the point. You have a great talent for writing. I am not trying to embarrass you, but tell you the truth and encourage you to keep on turning out great pieces like this.

I have a granddaughter 13, one 7, and a grandson, 10. My eldest granddaughter is crazy about nail design and yes, a bit biased, she is rather good at this artform.

I left you some fan mail and now following you.

I ask that you read one or two of my hubs and I cordially invite you to become one of my followers.

Sincerely,

Kenneth/ from northwest Alabama.

Thelma Alberts from Germany on February 04, 2014:

Awesome hub! A very detailed one. I love nail art although I only make that on my nails for special occasions. I would love to try some of those nail arts photos above. Thanks for sharing.

Samantha Harris (author) from New York on February 12, 2013:

Oh that makes me so happy to hear! I hope you both have fun giving it a try.

Samantha Harris (author) from New York on February 12, 2013:

All you need is to try it once just to see it really isn't all that scary then you'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

Samantha Harris (author) from New York on February 12, 2013:

Thank you so much! I'm really happy you enjoyed it and yes I did make the dividers. :) I'd love to hear about what you come up with.

Tammy on February 11, 2013:

I would give this one a vote for Hub Of The Day...you did an awesome job here. I shared it with my daughter who loves to do her nails. I am not much of a nail designer, but this hub makes me want to try a few out. Thanks for sharing!

Chantele Cross-Jones from Cardiff on February 11, 2013:

Awesome hubs! Lots of interesting tips there. My mum bought me a nail art kit for xmas and I have yet to try any of it, as I'm just not brave enough!

Suzanne Ridgeway from Dublin, Ireland on February 11, 2013:

Wow Sam,

This is amazing, what an excellent resource you have written . . .talk about a stellar hub!! Your entire article is fascinating, interesting and the effort you have put in is evident. Gorgeous layout, love your dividers!!! did you make them yourself??

Congrats on an exceptional piece of work, I love nail art and you have certainly covered all the bases here, I can't wait to get going!!!

All the votes,shared and definitely pinned for future use!!!!!

I'm a published children's book author, magazine writer, and technology blogger.

The Ombre Nail Look

Ombre nails are everywhere, easy to dress up or down, and a fun way to express yourself! The ombre French manicure is a twist on the formal French tip, but instead of a distinct white line at the end of a pink, taupe or buff nail, the ombre French manicure has a longer, gradient look over the nail's surface. You can get the look by doing it yourself at home. It's a bit messy, and it takes some practice to get it right, but once you get the hang of it, it's a snap to do.

Here are a couple of methods that work well, the sponge method and the brush method. First, we'll take a look at the sponge method. This is the messiest way to get the ombre French manicure look, but probably the easiest.

Materials, Sponge Method

Step 1: Gather Materials

The manicure is made up of two colors, I used CQ French Pink 416 and CQ French White103. You'll also need a clear top coat. I used Nailene Clear Top Coat. While any non-flocked makeup sponge will work, I recommend using a wedge shaped sponge that you will cut to the right size. It's easier to handle, especially when working with your non-dominant hand. Nail polish remover, cotton swabs, paper towels or a paper plate, and a pair of scissors are musts.

Prepare the Sponge Tool

Step 2: Prepare the Sponge Tool

To make your sponge tool, use a pair of scissors to cut a smaller piece from the larger sponge. With a wedge, cut off one triangular-shaped piece so that the cut surface is about the same width or slightly larger than your thumb.

Base Coat

Step 3: Apply Base Coat to Nails

Set aside your sponge tool and paint the base coat of polish (French Pink) onto your nails, just as you would if you were doing a regular French manicure. Allow the base coat to dry thoroughly.

Apply Polish to Sponge

Step 4: Apply White Polish to Sponge Tool

The photo above shows a curved dashed line. You don't have to mark the sponge, but if you do, use a Sharpie or other permanent ink pen and let it dry. The curve is just to indicate how you will apply polish to the sponge, since white polish on a white sponge doesn't show up in photos. Apply polish in curved strokes below the dashed line.

Once your base coat (French Pink) is dry, you are ready to add the white polish for the Ombre effect. Apply two strokes of white polish to the sponge and blot excess onto paper plate or paper towel.

Apply Polish to Nail

Step 5: Apply White Polish to Nail

Working quickly and confidently, apply the polish from the sponge onto your first nail by rolling the sponge from edge to edge onto the nail. The white polish will go about 2/3 the way up onto the nail.

Nail, After One Coat

Step 6: Add Additional Coats of Polish With Sponge

Resist the temptation to continue to add white color to your nail while the polish is still damp! Instead, allow the first coat of white polish to dry, and move on to sponge color onto each successive nail.

After the first coat of white polish is thoroughly dry, repeat step 5 and continue adding successive coats of white polish, using the sponge, until you have the desired ombre look. Don't worry if the surface is uneven or "bumpy" in appearance. The top coat will smooth things out. Also, don't worry about how messy your fingers get. It's part of the process with the sponge method.

Step 7: Clean Up and Seal

After you have the ombre look that you want, use a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover and clean your fingers, cuticles and nail edges.

Use top coat polish to seal the look, and to even out bumpy surfaces. It will usually take at least 3 coats of clear polish to get a smooth, even surface!

Getting the Ombre French Manicure Look With a Brush

Now that you've gotten the hang of the sponge method, try using a brush to get the ombre French manicure look. Although using a brush is less messy, it is more time-consuming and takes a bit of artistic ability to get right.

Materials

Materials

In addition to the materials you used in the sponge method, you'll need a brush. Rather than using your nail polish brush, use a separate watercolor type brush. I used a #2 round with nylon bristles. Trim up the ends so that the bristles are blunt and do not come to a point.

Apply Base Coat

Step 1: Apply Base Color

As you did in the sponge method, begin by applying your base color, French Pink, to all nails and allow to dry completely.

Load Up the Brush

Step 2: Load Brush With Polish

Load a small amount of white polish onto the ends of the brush and dab off excess onto a paper towel.

Stipple First Coat

Step 3: Stipple First Coat of Polish Onto Nail

Stipple the polish from the brush onto the nail by using a quick dabbing motion. Don't sweep the color on the way you would normally do when polishing your nails. Avoid the temptation to go back over already polished areas, instead, move on to the next nail and allow polish to dry completely between coats.

Successive Coats of Polish

Step 4: Add Additional Coats of Polish

Continue to stipple on successive coats of white polish, allowing each coat to dry completely between coats. You may need 3 or 4 coats of white polish before you get the coverage you desire.

It takes some practice to get the ombre look using the brush method! But there is less clean-up involved and you can get more exact in how your create the look you want.

Add Top Coat

Step 5: Add Top Coat

Once the white polish is completely dry, protect the look with a top coat of clear polish. To smooth out the bumpy appearance of the polish, you'll need apply 3-5 coats of clear polish.

Ombre Manicure Tips

• Use good quality nail polish with lots of pigment. Rimmel is quite good.
• Practice, practice! It takes practice to get the ombre look.
• It's imperative to let polish dry completely between coats to avoid pulling up the polish. You'll have to start over on that nail if that happens.
• The top coat is perhaps the most important part of the ombre manicure look! It smooths out bumps, softens harsh lines, and creates glowing nails!
• If you get white polish too high on the nail when using the brush method, you can load the brush with pink polish to correct it. Stipple it on the same way you did with the white polish.
• If you like the look of the French ombre manicure, try other colors. Or try 3 colors!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

L.L. Woodard from Oklahoma City on December 14, 2012:

Nail polish and new techniques seem to be a easy way to add glamor or fun without a lot of cost. I'm passing this hub on to my granddaughters. Your instructions and pictures are very helpful.

Great hub; voted up and Shared.

Linda has written content for national fashion and beauty websites. She enjoys sharing style trends and tips with her readers.

If you do your own nails, you have probably ended up with an “off” bottle of polish—one that is just too thick to manage. Or, after several months, you might find that your favorite polish has morphed into a coagulated mess. It seems to happen more often with bargain brands than higher quality lacquers. However, even premium nail polishes can go from silky smooth to gloppy virtually overnight.

Just keep these tips in mind and have a few emergency supplies on hand—you’ll never again be caught off guard and will always be prepared to do battle with thick nail polish!

5 Ways of Fixing Thick Nail Polish

1. Mix It Gently
2. Add Nail Polish Remover
3. Use a Nail Polish Thinner
4. Make a Solvent
5. Take Preventative Measures

1. Mix It Gently

If your nail polish has thickened only slightly, try this trick to get it flowing again:

1. First, turn the bottle upside down to redistribute the color.
2. Roll the bottle between your palms for a few minutes to warm up the polish. The heat from your hands may work to thin it out.
3. If you must shake your polish, do so gently. Air bubbles formed during vigorous shaking will remain trapped in the polish. This can lead to prematurely thick polish.

2. Add Nail Polish Remover

Adding a few drops of nail polish remover will act to thin your polish temporarily and help out in a pinch. This tip is especially beneficial if you are using up the last little bit in a bottle before tossing it.

The ingredients in nail polish remover react with polish to give you good short-term results. Be judicious when adding nail polish remover—you can end up with a runny result, rendering a new bottle of polish useless.

1. Purchase an eyedropper, and add acetone nail polish remover one drop at a time.
2. Gently agitate the bottle after each drop.
3. When you get your nail polish to the right consistency, apply it to your nails as usual.

3. Use a Nail Polish Thinner

If you would prefer to get an actual nail polish thinner, there are many brands from which you can choose. The primary ingredients of most of these thinners are toluene, ethyl acetate, or butyl acetate.

1. Add one drop of nail polish thinner at a time to the bottle of nail polish.
2. Replace the brush and cap. Shake well and test the consistency on your nail.
3. Continue to add one drop of thinner, testing after each drop, until you reach the desired consistency.

Do not add too much thinner—as with using polish remover, you cannot re-thicken thinned-out polish.

4. Make a Solvent

1. Take a small amount of acetone (from the beauty supply store) and add an equal part of orange oil to the solvent.
2. Blend the mixture well and add two drops to the thickened nail polish.
3. Shake the bottle well and let it sit for ten minutes to allow the polish to thin properly.
4. Remove the brush from the bottle of nail polish to check whether it is thin enough. If it is not to your liking, add a drop or two and check again.
5. Do this until the desired consistency is reached.

5. Take Preventative Measures

• Don't hang on to nail polish for more than a couple of years. Some polishes won't even make it that long.
• Be realistic about the longevity of your favorite trendy colors. You may feel a certain affection for your Tiffany blue nail lacquer, but chances are pretty good the bottle won't survive long enough to be back in vogue.

• Store nail polish in a cool, dry place away from direct sun.
• Do not store nail polish in the refrigerator. Keeping nail polish in the fridge, which many women do, actually makes it thicken quicker. Even when it is removed from the fridge and allowed to return to room temperature, the chemical composition may be forever altered—making that smooth, even flow a thing of the past.

Caution: Dispose of Materials Safely

Remember to dispose of the leftover nail polish thinner, remover, or acetone after use or place it in an airtight container. Store it in a cool, dry place away from potential sources of heat and static electricity. Your city or county has instructions and locations for safe disposal of flammable chemical substances.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2012 Linda Chechar

Start a Conversation!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on April 18, 2013:

Nicole, give these a try. Maybe you can save a bottle of your favorite polish! :)

Nicole S Hanson from Minnesota on April 18, 2013:

I've thrown far too many nail polishes away because they were too thick. Nice hub here, very useful tips!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on November 07, 2012:

Guess we all do/did the same thing Londonlady! I thought the instructions used to say "shake well". Glad to hear you and your nail polishes will benefit from this tip. Thanks for the read and vote!

Deya Writes on November 07, 2012:

Oh gosh! I always shake my nail polishes like there's no tomorrow. I didn't know about the air bubbles. Then again, I see I wasn't the only one. Thanks for the tip! My nail polishes thank you also. Voted up!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on October 29, 2012:

Hope these tips help extend the life of your polishes, Sunshine625! Such a waste to throw out bottles before they're empty. Thanks for reading and commenting! :)

Linda Bilyeu from Orlando, FL on October 29, 2012:

Brilliant tips Linda! I just toss out the bottle of polish and purchase a new one. I used to thin it out with nail polish remover though :)

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on October 08, 2012:

Qudsia, I used to shake the heck out of my nail polish bottles also. Then I found out it wasn't good to do. :( Hopefully this Hub will save a few bottles of your nail polish!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on October 08, 2012:

TToombso8, so glad you enjoyed this Hub! Thanks for the vote and share!

QudsiaP1 on October 08, 2012:

You are like a life saver lindacee; I get so annoyed when my favourite colours get all dried out. I liked the 'rub the bottle within your hands' technique. Usually I just go all bad a** on shaking the life out of the bottle. :P P.S: I had no idea bubbles were bad for nail polishes. Thanks again. :)

Terrye Toombs from Somewhere between Heaven and Hell without a road map. on October 08, 2012:

Excellent tips, lindacee! Voted up and shared.

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on September 27, 2012:

Happy to help, teaches! It used to make me so mad to throw a half-used bottle of polish away. Now I can at least get a few more manicures out of a bottle! Thanks for reading, voting and commenting!

Dianna Mendez on September 27, 2012:

Thanks for this information. I have been throwing out polish when it thickens because it was not usable. Now, I am going to use this to fix that problem. Voted up!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on September 27, 2012:

meloncauli, I used to use nail polish remover to thin out my nail polish. Now I prefer to use the thinning product. It produces a better result. Hope this Hub helped save a few of your favorite bottles! :)

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on September 27, 2012:

Liz, thinning out thick polish will help extend the life of your thick nail polish -- at least for a few more manicures. Glad you liked these tips!

meloncauli from UK on September 27, 2012:

I found this article really helpful Linda as I have about six bottles of nail varnish that need sorting out. I didn't even know you could buy nail varnish thinner! Thanks. Voted up.

Eunice Elizabeth from Vancouver, BC on September 26, 2012:

Excellent suggestions, I would not have thought of thinning the polish.

Always super frustrating when the polish turns to thick goo.

Fabulous !!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on September 26, 2012:

Leah, it is certainly worth a try. I just hate the thought of letting nail polish go to waste -- especially when you consider the price of even L'oreal or Revlon these days!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on September 26, 2012:

ignugent, thanks for passing this along to friends. These tips do work and will save them from having to toss polish!

Linda Chechar (author) from Arizona on September 26, 2012:

Carol, maybe these tips will help you get a few more manicures out of a bottle! Happy to help. Best to you!

Leah Lefler from Western New York on September 26, 2012:

This is a really useful hub - I have a few bottles of old nail polish, and I'll have to try some of these fixes instead of just dumping them in the garbage!

ignugent17 on September 26, 2012:

Useful tips! I am not using nail polish much but I will share this with my friends.

Voted up and useful.

carol stanley from Arizona on September 26, 2012:

I have often wondered how to solve this problem besides just throwing out the polish ...Problem solved thanks to you. Voted UP.

Rosie is a part-time health nut, a slightly aging but still fabulous fashionista, and a movie fanatic. She used to work in a nursing home.

Don't you just hate it when you break a nail? What a disaster! If a nail breaks by accident, it's okay. Accidents happen. However, if your nails are constantly breaking, splitting, peeling, or chipping, then you have a problem.

You must take care of your nails diligently and with great patience—strong, beautiful nails do not happen overnight. By following the simple tips outlined below, you can have the nails that you have always dreamed of.

1. Keep Your Hands and Nails Clean

To have beautiful hands, you have to have beautiful nails. To have beautiful hands and nails, you have to keep them clean. Wash your hands with gentle hand soap and use a nail brush to scrub your nails thoroughly on top, along the folds, and under them where dirt usually hides.

2. Moisturize Your Hands and Nails After Washing Your Hands

Water hydrates your skin, but dehydrates your nails. To compensate, you need to moisturize your hands and nails after every wash. Your regular hand moisturizer will do. As you're rubbing your hands together, make sure your nails are being thoroughly moisturized as well.

3. Wear Rubber Gloves When Washing Dishes

Not only is this common chore tough on your hands, it is also very damaging to your nails. Excessive dish washing is one of the most common reasons that nails become dry and brittle.

If you have a dishwasher, use it. If you have to wash the dishes by hand, protect your nails by wearing rubber gloves.

4. Wear Protective Gloves When Doing Chores

You also shouldn't forget to protect your nails when doing other household chores. Harsh chemicals from soap and cleaning products are murderous to your nails. Wear latex gloves with a cotton lining to protect your hands and nails when cleaning your kitchen or scrubbing the bathroom.

5. Wear Protective Gloves When Gardening

Gloves also go for outdoor chores! Protect your nails from dirt and breakage when you are working on your garden. You should never work on your garden without garden gloves. In addition to keeping the dirt off your nails, garden gloves also protect your hands from blisters, sharp objects, and thorns.

6. Keep Your Nails Hydrated

Water, harsh soap, and other cleaning products dry out our nails. In addition, our nails get drier as we age. To make up for the loss of water, we need to moisturize our nails regularly to prevent breaking, splitting, and chipping.

To keep your nails hydrated, moisturize your hands and nails after every wash. You can also rub a small amount of petroleum jelly on your nails after bathing or showering, and every time you wash your hands. Shea butter, jojoba oil, avocado oil, castor oil, and olive oil are also great for keeping your nails hydrated.

Be careful of using manufactured nail moisturizers since these products may contain alpha-hydroxy acids, lactic acid, and urea, substances that can cause stinging and contact dermatitis in some people.^[2]

7. Polish Your Nails

Applying nail polish, even if it is just a clear base coat, protects your nails and reduces moisture loss. A proper nail polish application consists of a base coat, one or two coatings of your chosen nail polish, and a topcoat.

The base coat is important to ensure good adhesion to the nail plate and prevent the polish from chipping. The base coat may also prevent nail discoloration caused by dark polish.

The topcoat provides gloss and resistance to chipping.

Note: Nails don't need to breathe! Since nails are made of keratin, they don't require oxygen and do not need to "breathe" the way your skin does.

8. Avoid Excessive Use of Nail Polish Remover

Nail polish removers may contain strong solvents such as acetone, alcohol, ethyl acetate, or butyl acetate, all of which are harmful to your nails.

Conditioning nail enamel removers are available, but their effectiveness is minimal compared with the dehydrating effect of the strong solvents required to dissolve the nail polish.

It is not advisable to use nail polish remover too often. Once a week is more than enough.

9. Do Not Clip or File Your Nails When They Are Dry

Nails are made of layers and their natural oils are the glue that keep layers together. Clipping or filing dry nails will cause your nails to split and separate.

The best time to clip or file your nails is after a shower or bath or after washing your hands, when your nails are softer and less likely to split or break.

10. File Your Nails Correctly

File your nails only in one direction. Filing your nails back and forth will cause your nails to split.

11. Keep Your Nail Tips Well-Rounded

Long, pointy nails tend to break easily when doing daily activities. Short-to-medium length nails with well-rounded tips have the least chance of breaking.

12. Do Not Use Nail Hardeners

Nail hardeners are used to increase the strength of brittle nails. However, dermatologists do not recommend using them since they may contain toluene-sulfonamide-formaldehyde resin, which will actually cause your nails to become even drier.

It should be noted that nail hardener labels claiming "formaldehyde-free" may still contain formaldehyde, since formaldehyde in concentrations of 1-2% is still permitted by the Food and Drug Administration.

13. Do Not Cut Your Cuticles

Never cut or remove your cuticles, as this can cause inflammation and infections. Just push them back gently.

Before pushing your cuticles back, however, you should take a shower or soak your fingers in lukewarm water for 10 to 15 minutes to make sure the cuticles are soft and pliable. With a cuticle stick (wood is gentler to your nails than steel), gently push your cuticle back. Be careful not to damage it, as damage will weaken the entire nail.

Remove the dead cuticle by moving the cuticle stick in a circular motion around the base of your nail.

14. Do Not Use Cuticle Removers

Cuticle removers are formulated as liquids or creams that contain an alkali to destroy cuticle keratin. Since cuticle removers contain high alkali, irritant contact dermatitis is common if the product is left on too long.

As mentioned above, the removal or manipulation of the cuticle is not recommended, as it may result in inflammation and infection. Cuticle removers can also damage the nail plate through softening.

15. Moisturize Your Cuticles

To moisturize the cuticles, your regular hand or body lotion will not do the job. The skin on the cuticle is much more delicate and requires a product designed to deliver heavy moisture with a gentle touch. Here are some tips for cuticle repair:

• For Dry but Not Detached Cuticles: Use cuticle cream that contains citric acids, which are more effective moisturizers. You should choose moisturizers that contain petroleum, glycerin, shea butter or safflower seed oil. These natural moisturizers do wonders for your cuticles as well as your hands.

• For Detached Cuticles: Cuticle oil is your best choice. Cuticle oils are usually made of a combination of enriched vegetable oils, flaxseed oil or citric acids. The oil provides an intense hydration, allowing the cuticle to repair itself and reattach to the nail.

• For Cracked Cuticles: Use more intensive treatment with vitamin E oil, which you can find in most drug stores. Shea butter, almond oil, or olive oil also works wonders on cracked cuticles. Just rub it in the cuticles like any other cuticle oil for the same results.

15. Do Not Bite Your Nails

Your nails are not always clean, so biting your nails is absolutely unhealthy. It is a bad habit that leads to split and choppy nails, bleeding, infections, and pain. Stop it! However, I know it's easier said than done.

Here are some tips to stop nail biting:

• Get your nails professionally manicured and look at your nails to see how beautiful they are
• Use a bright color of nail polish so it's easy to notice when you are biting them
• Chew gum or a carrot or celery stick to focus your mouth away from your nails
• Paint a nail inhibitor on your nails

17. Do Not Use Your Nails as Tools

We all do it. We use our nails as tools without giving it a second thought. We use them to open cans, scrape or remove stickers, and even scratch up dirt. We use them as scissors, screwdrivers, thumbtack removers, etc.

All this misuse of our nails puts a lot of wear and tear on them. So, let's say it all together now: "Nails are nails. Not tools!"

18. Wear Warm Gloves During Cold Weather

While water, acetone, and other harsh chemicals will make your nails dry and brittle, causing them to split, cold weather can also make this condition worse, especially when you go outside without warm gloves.

Nails are made of layers. In the winter, dry air permeates the layers, leaving them so brittle that even the slightest impact, like striking a computer keyboard, can cause them to break.

To prevent this, you should always wear warm gloves during cold weather.

Nail Myths: Busted!

Eating Vitamins Does Not Help Your Nails

If nails were living tissue, then nails could just repair themselves when they break. But they are not. Nails are dead. They are made of layers of a protein called keratin, the same protein found in your hair and in the top layer of your skin.

Contrary to popular belief, you likely do not strengthen your nails by eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals and taking multi-vitamin supplements. However, a recent study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine shows that the B-complex vitamin biotin might help strengthen brittle nails. (See recent studies on nail health below.)

By the way, gelatin also does nothing to your nails. In general, you have to care for your nails from the outside.

Proper Care (Not Nutrition) Is the Most Important Factor in Nail Health

According to the 2007 report by Dr. N. Scheinfeld, Dr. M.J. Dahdah, and Dr. R. Scher from the Department of Dermatology in Columbia University:^[1]

1. Proper nail care seems to help maintain nail health.
2. No evidence supports the use of vitamin supplementation with vitamin E, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin A, retinoids, retinol, retinal, silicon, zinc, iron, copper, selenium, or vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) for improving the nail health of well-nourished patients or improving the appearance of nails affected by pathologic disease.
3. Brittle nail syndrome appears to abate with supplementation of a 2.5-mg dose of biotin daily or a 10-mg dose of silicon daily.

You might be interested to know that brittle nails are not the same as weak nails. They are quite opposite, but both problems will cause your nails to break easily.

What Causes Brittle Nails?

Brittle nails are nails that are dry. The lack of moisture causes them to become too hard, making them break easily. This can happen when we wash our hands too often without moisturizing. Soap, cleaning products, acetone, and formaldehyde also dry out nails.

The Cause of Weak Nails

Weak nails are nails that are too moist. The excess moisture makes your nails soft, causing them to tear easily. Though there are nail hardening products on the market, you should be aware that these hardening products contain ingredients like formaldehyde, and prolonged use of formaldehyde may cause the opposite problem: brittleness. Because of this, most dermatologists do not advise the use of nail hardeners.

People who are prone to nail damage:

• People who change their nail polish almost every day are more susceptible to nail damage because most polish removers contain acetone and formaldehyde.
• Older people also experience more nail damage because nails dry out as we age.

How to Repair Nail Damage

If your nails are already damaged, here are some things that can help repair them:

1. Soak your nails in olive oil for 15 minutes a day for a month, and twice a week thereafter. This can help rehydrate and fortify damaged, peeling nails.
2. Use a cuticle cream every night. Regular moisturizing can help reverse nail damage.
3. Take a nail polish holiday. If you've tried precautions and are still suffering from brittle nails, try giving them a break and leaving them free of polish. All nail polish contains elements that dry out your nails, so giving them a rest (for about three months), might give them a chance to self-repair.
4. Take biotin supplements. Adding more biotin to your diet might increase the thickness of your nails and hair (see above study).

Some Final Advice

Give your nails lots and lots of tender loving care. If beautiful hair is the crowning glory of your face, having beautiful nails is the crowning glory of your hands.

If you follow the above tips to prevent your nails from breaking or splitting, but the problem continues, go see your doctor. There might be some medical conditions behind it.

References

^[1] Vitamins and minerals: their role in nail health and disease. Scheinfeld N, Dahdah MJ, Scher R. Source: Department of Dermatology, Columbia University Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA.

^[2]Nail Cosmetics by Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos, Consulting Professor, Department of Dermatology, Duke University School of Medicine. Source: Medscape Reference

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Rosie Rose (author) from Toronto, Canada on January 07, 2013:

Hiya Suzy sparks, you're welcome. I'm glad you found this hub helpful. I also learned why my own nails were breaking and splitting, while doing the research on nails. Cheers!

I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Rosie

Suzy sparks on January 06, 2013:

Found some great tips in this hub that I'll try. Thanks a lot Rosie.

Rosie Rose (author) from Toronto, Canada on June 15, 2012:

Hiya Moonlake, I'm glad you found my hub on nails informative. Ouch! I also had some nails split down into the skin, and it really hurts when they get snagged. I usually clip the broken nail to avoid that. Thanks for the vote. Cheers!

Have a nice day,

Rosie

moonlake from America on May 20, 2012:

Really nice hub so much good information.

My nails get very long. I can't put polish on them it will cause them to break. They split way down into the skin. Once that split gets high enough I have to put a bandaid on it to make sure I don't snag it on something because believe me it hurts if it gets pulled off.

Voted for your hub.

Rosie Rose (author) from Toronto, Canada on May 20, 2012:

Hiya Crystal Tatum, thanks for dropping. I'm glad you found my hub on nail care useful and informative. I know what you mean.. for years I thought eating gelatin makes my nails strong and healthy. Now I found gelatin does squat to my nails. lol Cheers!

Have a nice day,

Rosie

Rosie Rose (author) from Toronto, Canada on May 20, 2012:

Hiya AliciaC, thanks for dropping by and I'm glad you found my nail care hub useful. Cheers!

Have a nice day,

Rosie

Crystal Tatum from Georgia on May 19, 2012:

Very useful and informative hub. You debunked many claims I have heard over the years about nail care. Great job!

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on April 24, 2012:

Thanks for a detailed hub and for all the useful ideas for taking care of nails, Rosie.

Rosie Rose (author) from Toronto, Canada on April 24, 2012:

You're welcome, Helen. I'm glad you found my article on nail care helpful. Thanks for dropping by. Cheers!

Have a nice day,

Rosie

oceansider on April 23, 2012:

Thanks for all of the good tips Rosie!

Helen

Rosie Rose (author) from Toronto, Canada on April 23, 2012:

Hiya davenstan, it took a few days but finally I got it done. lol My nails are also breaking and splitting for no apparent reason. So I got interested in your question and did a thorough research about why nails are breaking or splitting.

I'm glad you found out the answer why your nails are breaking. Mine is because I'm getting old.. ok I'm old.

I'm glad you liked my hub answering your question, and thanks so much for sharing. Cheers!

Have a nice day,

Rosie

Katina Davenport on April 23, 2012:

Wow! you really answered my question. I think my nail breakage problem is from washing my hand too frequently and not polishing them. Socially shared. Thanks for answering my question.

If you’re like me, you like to nibble. And I don’t mean snacks. I’m talking about fingernails and cuticles.

When you bite your nails and cuticles, you introduce bacteria from your fingers to your mouth, and back again. Any germs on your fingers from a door handle, banister, salad bar scoop, or your coworker’s computer mouse (who you’ve never seen wash their hands) come to rest in your mouth. It’s an ideal way for something to become infected. And infections are never cute.

Also not cute is an adult with wet fingers, or bloodied fingers, from picking. Think about it. Going on a date? Sitting in a business meeting? Meeting your sweetie’s family? Job interview? First impressions count for a lot. I certainly wouldn’t want to shake hands, or kiss someone, who just had their fingers in their mouth or who was attempting to surreptitiously press their bloody cuticle against their pants to stop the bleeding. (Don’t pretend you’ve never done this. I’ve been there.) Bottom line: if you want to invite someone to NOT touch you, just bite your nails.

But besides stewing your fingers in pickle juice, or having a friend throw something or squirt you with a water gun every time they catch you nibbling, here are five ways to deter you from snacking on your fingers.

5 Ways to Deter You From Biting Your Nails

1. Paint With Denatonium Benzoate
2. Paint Your Nails With Pretty Colors
3. Cover Up Your Nails
4. Moisturize Your Cuticles
5. Wear a Reminder

1. Paint Your Nails With Denatonium Benzoate

The bitter chemical taste will get stronger as you nibble that nice piece of fingernail, then linger for over half an hour. Ultimately, it will deter you from putting your fingers anywhere near your mouth.

Drinking water won’t help much and brushing your teeth will feel nice, but it won’t do a good job of removing that taste. Paint your nails with it every other day, and be sure not to eat with your fingers. Anything you eat will also be laced with that terribly bitter taste. I learned that the hard way!

2. Paint Your Nails With Pretty Colors

The colors don’t have to be bright, especially since drawing attention to half-chewed nails and red, raw fingertips and cuticles look, and can be, unforgivingly painful.

Find a color as close to your skin tone as possible to make your fingers appear longer, or use a universally flattering color like pale ballet pink. Clear works well, too. Men, try buffing your nails instead.

3. Cover Up Your Nails

If your habit is to pick or nibble at night or while reading in bed, don a pair of sleeping gloves (very thin cotton knit) that will protect those sensitive fingernails from your roving fingers.

If it's cold outside, wear gloves to protect your cuticles from cracking and looking tasty. Better yet, wear gloves even if it's not so cold out. If your friends tease you about your new style, simply tell them with a knowing wink that if they were more glamorous, they would surely understand.

4. Moisturize Your Cuticles

Moisturized cuticles will be less enticing and won’t snag on fabric or rip. You will be less likely to pick at them as well.

Cuticle creams and butters are specially made for this purpose. But in a pinch, use a thick, water-resistant ointment like Aquaphor, or even a long-lasting lotion that will continually moisturize your skin over time.

5. Wear a Reminder

It doesn’t have to be a bracelet laden with bells. You are not an animal, after all! But a nice ring will help. When you, and others, see how much more attractive and different your cared-for cuticles look, you will be proud of your hands and more prone to wear jewelry, and others will be more likely to compliment you. And who doesn’t enjoy compliments?

So please take these tips on not biting your nails to heart and be like me, an ex-nail-biter! Save your teeth for eating real food, which although tastes nothing like your nails, does actually taste good.

Before and After I Stopped Biting My Nails

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Rachel Vega (author) from Massachusetts on March 08, 2012:

Thanks, Marina!

And the resultant little flecks of polish on one's teeth aren't that attractive either. Lol!

Marina from San Francisco, CA on March 08, 2012:

Nice Hub! I myself go through phases. When I paint my [usually mangled] nails, I tend to stop biting them for at least a couple of months. Nail polish doesn't taste so great as it turns out!

Rachel Vega (author) from Massachusetts on March 08, 2012:

Biter - Have you tried the gloves?

Biter on March 08, 2012:

I have tried and tried and I always seem to go back to a pet finger. Any tips?

Rachel Vega (author) from Massachusetts on February 24, 2012:

Nifwl, absolutely! The thing about hand cream is that if by chance I touch paper while waiting for it to absorb, the paper soaks up some of the cream and I can't write with pen on it again. I have quite a little pile of "pencil only" paper on my desk. Ha!

Kymberly Fergusson from Germany on February 24, 2012:

Hand cream with a very strong scent (and bad flavour) works very well for me! But I always forget to use it!

Rachel Vega (author) from Massachusetts on February 02, 2012:

Brainy Bunny, thanks! That's what happened with me. I had to be ready. (My impetus was a date.) I tried Mavala Stop! and it tasted so badly I think I pouted for two days.

Brainy Bunny from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania on February 02, 2012:

HaHa! I like your photo!

I tried the chemical stuff on my daughter when she still used to suck her thumb, and it worked great, but only once we got her buy-in. She had to be ready, but when she was, it worked like magic!

I'm a mom, a wife, and an aspiring writer. I love nail art and sharing ideas for manicures.

Designs for Your Nails

Once you have the basic tools to make your own nail designs, the only thing left is actually creating them! I will admit that doing your own nails can seem scary at first, especially if you've never tried in the past. I still get nervous whenever I redo my nails for a new manicure. I am a perfectionist at heart, and it makes me uneasy to begin a design without knowing exactly how it will turn out. Will my right hand look as good as my left? (I am right-handed, so my right hand performs better at designing than my left.)

But it's fun and gives me some downtime for myself. I have gotten many compliments on my nails and designs even when I thought they were not my best. My partner enjoys taking pictures of them and takes pride in the fact that I did not have to spend money at a salon to get my trendy look. So I say, "Put all those fears and inhibitions to the side, and keep in mind there's nothing you can't fix. There's always nail polish remover." Onward!

4 Nail Designs to Try at Home

1. Dotting and Rhinestones
2. Glitter
3. Fimo Canes
4. Stripes

1. Dotting and Rhinestones

Nail art can be accomplished by using your nail art dotting tools. Not only can you use them to dot your nails, but you can also use them to make flowers. Flowers are simple and elegant. They don't have to be complicated to make—although, once you have the finished product, it looks like you took a lot of time and effort when designing them.

I've used this technique many (many!) times, and I never get tired of them. You can use this style for weddings, summer events, or during holidays. All you have to do is change up the color of the flowers, and they look new and exciting each time.

How to Get the Look

1. First, I take the biggest size of my nail dotter (or one that you handmade at home), and then I choose a color to start the flowers. In the picture, I chose a bright red color.
2. I dip the dotter in some polish (I pour some on a piece of paper so that I can dip easily) and then make a dot on my nail in the area I want the flower to be on.
3. I repeat the process and place the next dot next to the first one. I form a diamond with the dots. In the picture shown above, I used 4 connecting dots to create the petals. You can see the beginnings of a flower.
4. All that's left is to put a small rhinestone in the middle, and there you have it.

Variations

As you can see, I wanted two flowers on one nail, and you can do the same. You can make several flowers on your nail, depending on how much space you have to work with. You can also make a 5-petal flower instead of a 4-petal.

You can make one flower a different color than the other. This would be nice if you were attending a party/wedding that had a color theme, like blue and white flowers or blue and silver. You get the idea! The possibilities are endless once you have this technique down.

2. Glitter

One of my favorite designs and techniques I use involve my glitters. I can be a glitzy girl if I want to. I think every women should feel glitzy sometimes; it's one of the best benefits of being a woman. I've enjoyed French manicures ever since I started doing my own nails. I think they are sophisticated and clean. However, I did not like how the white would get stained sometimes after a few days of wear. Also, I found that white chips super quick for a reason I have yet to figure out.

So I started experimenting with other colors to achieve the look. I normally would apply a color across my nail and then line the bottom of the polish with a glitter or white using the striper polish. This is cute in itself. But then I wanted to do something a bit different.

How to Get the Look

1. I chose a shiny purple to start this French replicating manicure. First, I swipe polish across, completely covering the white part of my nail.
2. I wait until it dries and go over it again to make sure it's rich in color and also to give my nail some strength. The more layers you apply, the better protection your nail has to withstand unintentional impact.
3. After the second coat dries, I use my glitters to line the bottom of the purple which is along the "smile" line of my nail. I love the brightness of the blue glitter, so I pour some out onto a paper I will be working with.
4. Before I apply the glitter, I polish my nail with a top coat so that the glitter has something to adhere to.
5. I use a nail dotting tool and first touch the dotter to my wet nail, then pick up a few glitters from the paper and attach them to my nail. The wetness from my nail will pick up the glitters from the dotter. I can then control the line I am creating under the purple.

The end product is beautiful and luscious.

3. Fimo Canes

To get a funky and fun appearance on my nails, I use my fimo canes. These are made of polymer clays and can be cut easily into slices if you have them in cane form. I try to cut them very thin so they stick to my nail better. These can be a little time consuming because you have to wait until they dry and apply several top coats over so they don't fall off.

How to Get the Look

1. I start by using a sheer sparkly polish because I will not be using any other color nail polish so I don't want it to be so plain.
2. Then while it's still wet, I pick up the fimo slice with my dotting tool (first touching it on the wet nail) and stick it on my nail.
3. After doing this, it's important to put on another top coat because then the fimo slice will start curling upward. Once the polish is on, use the nail dotter to gently press down on the slice so all edges are securely on the nail.
4. Wait a few minutes until the nail starts drying and then press down again.
5. Repeat this process one more time.
6. Allow several minutes until the entire design is completely dry. Finalize with a strengthening top coat.

Variations

Many fimos can be used on one nail. You can make a mini design on just one finger. You can use apples, grapefruits and lemons to make a mini fruit salad on your nail. I use these a lot during the summer because of all the fun, bright colors. I paint all my nails yellow or orange and "fimo out" my two ring fingers with fruits. It's a great way to amp up your nails and add a 3D effect.

4. Stripes

Probably the most used techniques is striping. Stripe, stripe, stripe! I remember going to the nail salon (oh so long ago) and my nail technician having free reign to do whatever design she liked. One time, she did an abstract design on my nails that I loved. I thought she had a method behind her madness. As it turned out her method was madness. She'd picked 6 different colors that came in the striper polish and randomly used them on my nails, along with dots and glitter. The finished result was gorgeous. I decided to replicate and make my own master plan.

How to Get the Look

1. I start out by choosing colors that I liked and would go good together.
2. Then I make lines all over my nail, some in pattern and some not. Two lines here, three lines there.
3. I then use my nail dotter to make dots in between parallel lines, with some forming a curve upward/downward.
4. I use a glitter striper polish to highlight some areas.

It really is that simple. Creativity is your motivation, and it's okay if all your nails have a different pattern as long as you use the same colors for the purpose of flow. Whenever I am burnt out of nail designs, I go to this true and tried method because you can never mess up.

Variations

Another stripe design is one that is as simple as the first:

1. Pick two colors of your choice and make horizontal lines down each side of your nail leaving space between each stripe.
2. Then go in with a different pigment in between the spaced out lines.

This is a striped tiger effect that can be done in just a few minutes.

Look for Inspiration

Getting ideas for your nail art are ways that can differentiate you from the crowd. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Sometimes I read through magazines and books and happen to come across colors that I would not have thought to use together. Themes and patterns are dripping from magazines and a lot of my designs come from them.

I also decorate my nails in accordance to a particular holiday or event. After Thanksgiving, I used hues in oranges, browns and red to help create a nail design. (The video below is an example of how to use a holiday to help you plan out a particular nail art.) When I went to the Breaking Dawn showing, I used black, red and white to show my support of the Twilight series.

DIY nail art is entertaining and unique. Try your hand at nail art and discover the nail tech within you!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Jasmeet Kaur from India on March 09, 2015:

Great ideas... Thanks for sharing... looking for some more new ideas!!!

Stephanie (author) from New York on December 07, 2011:

Thanks Libra Rajani and prasetio30! I appreciate the positive feedback.

prasetio30 from malang-indonesia on December 06, 2011:

This was so informative hub. It's like an art. I love how the nails look cute by decorated by beautiful pictures. Thanks for writing and share with us. Rated up!

Prasetio

Libra from USA on December 06, 2011:

Great informative hub!

Stephanie (author) from New York on November 26, 2011:

dinkan53, thanks so much for the comment. I enjoy painting my nails and doing designs on them and I never noticed how much money I was paying to get them done. Nail art is vastly growing, you are right! Another way for us women to glamorize!

dinkan53 from India on November 26, 2011:

women are known to follow the latest fashion crazes, running with the emerging fashion trends of today. nail art is an ever-expanding line of art and this hub is perfect with beautiful pictures and explanations. The video is also good. Vote up and awesome!

Dulcea07 has been writing about beauty ever since she stumbled upon HubPages

Arm yourself with a little knowledge before you go to the salon so you don't get surprised!

The first time I got solar nails (which are sometimes incorrectly called acrylic nails), I had no idea what to expect. Because I didn't really know what was going on, I got some surprises that made it difficult for me to enjoy my nails.

If you are thinking of getting plastic nail extensions, this article will tell you some things you really should know.

While it will not explain the procedure in detail, it does explain the end product and how to make sure you get exactly what you want.

1. Price

The nails should cost between $25 and $35 (in Texas, anyway). Call ahead to ask in your region.

2. Definition

Acrylic nails are those things your grandma used to get. They are full pieces of plastic that are glued from the root to the tip of your natural nails. They aren't as durable as solar nails, and this article is not about them.

Solar nails are what we're talking about in this article. They consist of a plastic nail extension that is glued to the tip of your own nail and a powder/liquid formula that is painted over the top to seal the entire solar nail.

3. Thickness

Solar nails will end up being quite thick. They will be approximately 10 times thicker than your natural nails (which are still underneath them).

4. Length

You determine the length of your solar nails. You will know how long the manicurist is making your nails by how far she cuts the white plastic tip extension past the tip of your finger.

If you want your nails shorter than what she has cut, speak now or forever hold your peace! Technically, they can be shortened later, but that will take a lot more grinding and filing than if you just say something when she is trimming the thin, white tips.

5. Weight

After your nails are done, they will be noticeably heavier than your original nails. This takes a day or so to get used to. Just ride out that annoying period.

6. Residue

After your nails are done, no matter how much you wash your hands with the special soap and brush in the salon, you will have residue on your fingers.

This is dried powder/liquid that got misplaced while the manicurist was painting the clearish/pinkish sealant on your nails. You can get it off with extra washing, a pumice stone, and time.

7. The Underside of Your Nails

When you look at the underside of your nails, you will see your own nail. Sometimes, the tip of your own nail fits nicely up against the white plastic tip. Other times, it doesn't.

If you're picky, like me, you can get some nail glue at the drug store and use it to fill in the space between your nail and the solar nail.

I think that helps keep crud from getting stuck under your nails, but that's just my opinion. I have no scientific evidence of that.

8. Care and Keeping

One of the risks of having fake nails is that dirt and germs can get caught under and around them, making your nails dirty (at best) or fungus-ridden (at worst).

I like to keep my nails clean by spritzing them with 91% rubbing alcohol and scrubbing under them with a nail brush every single time I wash my hands.

9. Growing Out

After a week, you'll start to see that your nails are growing out, and there is a line between the solar nails and your new natural nails. Apparently, you can get this line smoothed out by having the nail salon fill more acrylic over the new growth.

I don't know much about that because I've never done it, but that's what I hear. If you don't go back to the salon for maintenance, then you can care for your nails yourself by filing down your solar nails when they get too long.

Don't cut them with a clipper because that will significantly weaken the bond between the solar nail and your own, and it hurts.

Over the following two or three weeks, the solar nail will naturally start to wear off, and you'll see clear spots on the edges where it is lifting up from your natural nail.

If it bothers you, you can have the salon soak or grind off the solar nail, or you can just use nail polish to paint over it.

Nail polish seems to adhere to solar nails better than natural nails, so at least you won't have to worry about chips in the color.

10. The End of Your Solar Nails

After three weeks or so, your solar nails (if not filled) will fall off. Sometimes they come off without you noticing, and other times you might need to pry them off with the tip of a metal nail file (or another nail).

This doesn't hurt, and it doesn't damage the underlying natural nail too much. Your natural nail will be weaker than it was before the solar nails were applied, however, so be prepared to deal with about a week's worth of flaking and cracking in your natural nail.

Good luck with your nails!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Dawn on March 07, 2020:

My God, this article has so much incorrect information.

Noelle on February 11, 2020:

This is wrong information

Kara on May 01, 2017:

This article is full of misinformation. This is part of the problem and why I have to explain what the difference between acrylic and "solar" is everyday, which is nothing other than different brand names of acrylic. So frustrating.

An Ohio licensed nail technician on March 01, 2017:

Honey, I'm not sure what you're talking about here but let's go into some details.

Acrylic nails are always a liquid to powder ratio, generally applied on top of a plastic nail tip made of plastic, nylon of acetate.

CND came out with an acrylic powder referred to is "solar powder". This is nothing more than their brand of acrylic powder.

Acrylic enhancements will always be a liquid to powder ratio. True solar or as a true professional calls them "UV Gel enhancements" are always applied with a wet gel to the nail and cured in a UV light.

Please, stop before you hurt yourself because this article is a waste of online server space.

RWP on December 23, 2016:

Don't think this article is correct and I'm a guy who has had full acrylics for going on 3 years. I got them to get my wife back to doing hers again. I am a joker by nature so no real inhibitions. So far I've had 3 of the 7 styles and never had a plastic tip glued on. The lady that does ours does beautiful work and the main reason I still have them is because I've gotten use to the compliments by people who notice them. No polish except clear and have never experienced anything described in this article. Mine are the pink and white american style and the pink really is closer to your natural color nail bed. My white is a softer white than my wifes and a little closer to natural white of nail tips. My nails haven't slowed me down at all and most times don't even think about them. I go once a month and my wife goes every three weeks. Round and squovals are best for active folks ( I am ) but got stuck with coffin style this past halloween with candy corn art on them. The girls at the shop love challenging me, lol. Even though longer didn't notice any difference other than small clasps take a little patience. Some women say they feel a tightness as the acrylic set or uncomfortable wearing them so they may have sensitive nail beds? I like acrylic over gel as my daughter screams when see breaks one of her gel nails. I've broke a couple ( I said I was active ) but never knew it until I looked at them. I am the only guy in my area wearing them so I only have my opinion. The only way to know for sure ladies or men is to try them once, they can be taken right off if not for you, no harm, no foul. Men if you are insecure about yourself, don't or you will walk around with your hands balled up all the time. Ladies, try them once and then decide. Mine were never on my bucket list, but now plan on keeping them and enjoy the compliments in my old age ( 68 ) because I like them. Pick a quality shop and stay out of the hot shops. Men, as a last note, I have never gotten an insult yet by anyone male or female. Questioned only twice, once by a female that had nubs for nails and once by a husband whose wife complimented mine. I don't think he got dinner that night, lol.

TippyToesnNails on April 19, 2016:

Whoever wrote this has NO idea of what they are talking about. This should be removed because of so many inaccuracies. "Solar" nails ARE Acrylic nails! Just a brand of acrylic by CND (creators of Shellac). Basically, it's a schene because it's a quality acrylic that should be offered in the first place. The press on nails are the old ones but solar/Acrylic nails are both liquid and powder combined and added to the nail bed. The application process is exactly the same.

Ben on January 07, 2016:

Can guys get these???

Laurie Kilborn on October 24, 2015:

I would imagine if your own nail is painful after filing, then they filed too

much. The object is to lightly take the shine off before doing an acrylic. There shouldn't be any pain involved. Maybe it's inexperience, or they are trying to rush.

Definately going to an experienced tech would be in anyones best interest, if you want the job done right.This will avoid problems for your nails,short term or long term.

she;by on March 22, 2015:

i have a question, so i got my nails done,and instead of using acrylic powder over the plastic tips they used gel powder then applied gel nail polish on top of it i was wondering if there is a way i can take the gel color off and keep the tips on?

ally on January 11, 2015:

dude she needs more info for.my bday im going and need info what kind of nail is better acrylic or gel please tell me ll appreciate it

laurie frazier on June 26, 2014:

Have solar nails and when i press down they feel like they are going to fall off or not on right what do i do

Tayla on June 19, 2014:

wow....you are so wrong. When you go to a discount nail salon and get your nails done and you tell them you want solar nails it is not acrylic (Power and liquid) based. Solar nails are a gel based nail but because everyone wants to run to these cheap nail salons that get you in and out as fast as you sit down you believe the crap they spill.

Your nails should never be heavy after having solar nails or acrylic nails done. Your nails shouldn't be thick either if they know how to properly apply the chosen method of nails. Also in most cases they will not just fall right off your nail after three weeks if done properly. You also should NEVER pry them off. You are causing damage to your nail bed and natural nail.

Please stop putting such poorly written crap out there. You make professional nail tech look awful and end up scaring people away from having beautiful nails.

payton on June 07, 2014:

my nails are painful ???????

Liza on June 07, 2014:

Nail tech 22 years. I have heard a lot of non sense over the years but this pushes the envelope. Solar is a brand as mentioned above. It is acrylic none the the less. Prying ANYHING off your nail with a metal ANYTHING will cause serious damage making your nails susceptible to infection as well as other unsightly things. If there is one thing I can't stand it is people doing a professionally half assed job making our industry look bad. Others who post ignorant uneducated rants about a professional product they know nothing at all about also makes our industry look bad. Please heed the advice of the above nail techs and go see a profession nail tech.

Nail Tech on June 06, 2014:

Solar Nails are a brand of acrylic nails. Acrylic nails weren't around until the '90s. The fake plastic nails that glue on from the root of your nail to the tip are fake nails. Please quit posting blogs that are incorrect and absolutely unsupported.

arzoo on May 22, 2014:

very difficult preparation of long nails

Debbie on April 03, 2014:

Oh my goodness I had this done today for the first time. Wish I read your article first as I feel like I have 10 prosthetic fingers and can't even pick a piece of lint off the floor!! Ha ha

Kelly on April 02, 2014:

This article is some of the most INCORRECT & RIDICULOUS crap I've ever read!! The person writing this article clearly is NOT a professional nail technician and should NOT be giving nail advise to anyone!!! Please disregard everything you've read in this article as it is all completely WRONG!! SMH!!!

Denise Becker on April 01, 2014:

You obviously aren't a nail tech. You have no idea what you are talking about. I am a nail technician and everything you said is completely false. Acrylic nails are built with a liquid and powder. Those plastic stick on grandma used where just that, stick on. Solar nail doesn't even exist. It is a brand of acrylics used by a manufacture. Know what your talking about before posting things.

Nailtechinseattle on April 01, 2014:

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Please visit a licensed nail professional at your earliest convenience. If you are going to write a blog - at the very minimum you have a responsibility to be informed! Dear heavens - you had so many mistakes my head spun!

Janet Schneider on April 01, 2014:

This article is a JOKE!! If you would go to a professional nail technician, you would not experience any pain, residue, heaviness etc.. You are going to the wrong places (NSS) which means non standard salons...Remember the saying " You get what you pay for"

Amy Murphy on April 01, 2014:

OMG. Please go find a licensed nail tech you can communicate with. This article and the comments below are so full of wrong information I feel like I just need to dictate my Nail Theory book on here. PLEASE.. I BEG you.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/157204661023205/

Angel on March 04, 2014:

Huh? I'm MORE confused now....

I'm a nail tech. on February 19, 2014:

I do nails professionally. I just want to make sure you're aware of a few things. Solar nails are the same as acrylic. The solar powder is just more refined and doesn't lift or yellow near as quickly if at all. They are usually ten- fifteen.dollars more expensive then a regular acrylic full set. The applications have the same basic procedure, but solar uses two separate powders; one for the tip and one for the nail bed. Regular acrylic is usually just one powder put over different tips for certain effects (like French or natural) or painted.

Also if you're left with acrylic on your hands when you're done with your nails point it out to your tech because they messed up. No acrylic should be left on your skin

sam on December 11, 2013:

This is not entirely correct. What you are talking about ARE acrylics. All solar nails are are acrylic. True solar nails no longer exist. They are a discontinued line by cnd. Now the closest thing are their retention line. On the contrary, solar nails are the fancy charge you more way of doing p&ws or now more commonly p&glitters\mylar. All it is is them putting more than one color powder on your nail. The only thing that is different in the salon are gel nails, as even "true" solar nails are just a more durable line of acrylic.

Na. on August 15, 2013:

The worst part about getting fake nails is that they grind your natural nail down so it is really thin and rough they say this is done to help the acrylic adhere to the nail better but in my opinion I think it is a scam to keep you coming back. I found one place over in treasure island that didn't "grind" my nails down before acrylic and they did great...Having my nails grinded down can be painfull especially month after month of nail refills, When I go I try and urge them not to grind my nails so thin there is no need for the extra pain and discomfort, I feel they get carried away with the grinder a lot.

TxNailGirl on May 16, 2013:

I've been a nail tech for 20 yrs& this is blowing my mind to see other nail techs giving advice and it's incorrect ! "Solar" is the brand name of acrylic liquid & powder products by Creative Nail Design. I've used this product for 20 yrs and NEVER have had to use any kind of light for these nails. The reason they are more expensive at the "discount nail salons" is because the product is very expensive! If it really is "Solar" the liquid they use will be purplish in color. I use straight acetone to remove polish every day...ever tried to remove red polish with non acetone remover? It's fine to use Acetone as a polish remover. I never post on these sites but I hear of clients paying extra for "solar" nails and they are not getting what they are paying for. I've gone myself to a "discount salon" to have my own nails done and left disgusted at how half assed they did their job to get you out in 30 minutes and people wonder why their nails are popping off in a week...my clients have gone 6-8 weeks between fills and to my amazement they are all usually still in tact...that's how it should be if your nail tech does her job correctly!

Sara on April 07, 2013:

Lol ! Solar nails are acrylic nails, first type of acrylic to b more specific

Amber on January 23, 2013:

Oye, so confused! Lol, I am a nail tech & am trying to find info on these solar nails. Gel? Acrylic?? Is it made by Creative? Or completely different? Anyone with any info would be so, so helpful!!! Thanks!!!

Katie on December 01, 2012:

Solar nails ARE acrylic nails. The powder and liquid (monomer/polymer) is acrylic. The only difference between solar and acrylic is they add a gel top coat so they don't yellow if you go tanning. The "pieces of plastic" you are calling acrylics, are only tips with no acrylic. For the people who are saying they hurt, yes they may hurt for a few days afterwards as your nails are adjusting.

Meg on August 29, 2012:

First of all almost everything you said was false beginning with the definition of acrylic nails. Everything there after followed suite with almost no truth to it whatsoever. I feel bad for anyone who is new to nails and took any of this as truth.

lez on June 29, 2012:

i am having mine done for the first time ever for my prom :D is there anything i should do befor hand to get my nails and skin in better condition for having them? thanks

Amanda on June 20, 2012:

wow i thought i was not one of the regular nail salon customers. I have had solar nails for a little over a year. There is different colors you can choose from for the tip, from white, off-white, red, blue, green, etc. No the nail, like other have said, will not fall off. On how often should you refill your nails if you do want to keep them? Depends how fast your nails grow. My friend can go a whole month without refilling them, I on the other hand have to go every other week. I personally only have the pink powder on my nails and no tip so it looks more natural and i don't have to refill the tip either, making it cheaper for me. Also instead of using the fake nail as the tip, you can request to get the tip powder in the color you want and just refill that. Yes you can put polish on top of the nail but when removing the color make sure you have a polish remover with no acetone. Acetone will rub the nail off. Hope this helps. :)

Courtney on June 18, 2012:

I just got my tips on yesterday, they do feel weird after aa while but then you get used to the,, it is hard to do everyday stuff but that's the price you pay for beauty. The nails will be rejected by the skin and will come off on their own accord. Just use moisturiser on your nail beds until they seem healthier again, I was told to leave the nails until they just are rejected by my finger(-:

unknown on June 10, 2012:

This has a lot of bad information. To keep your nails healthy, you should get them filled every 2 weeks. Why would you not? It's a waste of money if you don't. It only costs 10 dollars.

unknown on May 29, 2012:

when they fall off does it take yyour nail with it???

kassandra on May 20, 2012:

they said you can refill them in 3 weeks and thank god mine dont hurt anymore or feel heavy any more im gonna try to get them refilled whatever that means but what i do know is where i went they charged me $40 per person and to get them refilled they are going to charge me $30 im going to shop around

Ziggy-zag on May 18, 2012:

I did mine the first time two weeks ago and it didn't feel heavier. They look almost natural and no white residue at all.

Mine did hurt a little for a while and it doesn't any more. I'm guessing that it is due to the thinning of your natural nails when they file them down. I'm starting to wonder what's next...? Can I get it re-done without having them replaced if it's still nicely intact?

kassandra on May 18, 2012:

actually i just got home from getting my nails done or the first time and they are solar and they do feel heavier also they are hurting me and im not sure why so if someone could tell me why they hurt or why they think they would hurt that would be great thanks

Cheyenne on May 11, 2012:

J Jackson, you can use nail polish remover as long as it is Acetone Free. Acetone is what dissolves the artificial nail. 90% of this article is wrong. Solar nails ARE in fact, acrylic nails. The only differences between solars and regular acrylic is:

Solars are stronger and last longer

The solar powder is made with a no lift acrylic formula

They are solar because the powder is cured under a solar lamp before application, and then when finished they are sealed with a top coat of clear gel polish. This prevents them from turning yellow, and makes them shine more. Regular acrylics turn yellow after about a week because they only use buffing cream on them, so dirt adheres to them.

There should NOT be any residue left on your fingers after getting your nails done. That is not normal what-so-ever.

Your nails will not feel heavier, they just feel tight because of all the product on them, they stop feeling tight because after a day or so they loosen up a bit (it is only noticeable in the feeling, not the look)kind of like a new pair of shoes.

They will not fall off on their own. They may break off or after a while pop off very easily but prying them is not recommended. When you pry off the nail it tears off multiple layers of your nail off causing them to be even more thin than they would if you soaked them off in pure acetone.

Hope this helps!

(I have been a nail technician for 10 years)

Wow on May 05, 2012:

Wherever you had your nails done, don't go back!

There are 3 kinds of fake nails (not including the press on stuff you mistaken called acrylic). Pink & Whites (Solar Nails is simply a brand name,they are just colored acrylics), Gel, and fiberglass (a fiberglass mesh is applied under the acrylic, it is invisible when finished).

None of them will fall off.

None of them are harmed by putting polish over them.

There should NOT be any residue on your fingers.

Your nails will be thicker but should not feel noticeably heavier.

Never ever pry the nails off! As someone said above, it will seriously damage your natural nail. If you want them off, soak them in acetone or go to a salon to have them do it.

There is no reason not to say if you want them shorter, it takes a mere minute to shorten them. It would be rude to wait until they are completely finished to say something though.

Your nail tech should use a light filing to remove any "dirt" under the nail at the time of application and during fill ins.

J Jackson on April 17, 2012:

Taylor, you can't use nail polish remover on solar nails. It destroys the solar nail.

Taylor on April 15, 2012:

if i get solar nails can i paint over them with nail polish without the worry of Nailpolish remover taking the whole nail off after i want to change nail polish

Addicted to Solar Nails on February 03, 2012:

Solar nails will not fall off by themselves after three weeks. I usually wait at least 3 weeks before going to get them filled and if I could stand them being gross and ugly for longer, I'm sure they would last many more. Your nail basically has to completely grow out before the solar nails will 'fall off'. Also, you should NEVER pry them off! This can SEVERELY damage your natural nail beds and is EXTREMELY painful! I've done it and it's one of the most unpleasant experiences!

Scott Biddulph from Gainesville Georgia on September 10, 2011:

I obviously don`t use nail salons *laughing* but I enjoyed your hub. You are a very good writer. Welcome to the Hubpages and good luck to you!!

Voting useful and up!

I used to spend a lot of time and money getting acrylic nails at salons before discovering shellac manicures.

Shellac vs. Acrylic Nails

As a mother of four, my hands are constantly working on just the type of tasks that can ruin a manicure (laundry, dishes, etc.). I've tried fake acrylic nails in the past, but I simply cannot get to the salon every two weeks, nor do I have the luxury of being able to spend two hours on my nails twice a month.

My ragged cuticles and split-prone nails do not hold nail polish well. Instead of continuing to paint my nails and watch the polish chip off within days, I had resigned myself to natural nails... at least until the kids are in college.

Then I tried a shellac nail manicure (also called soak-off gel nail polish). It turned out to be beautiful and extremely long-lasting! If you haven't heard of this new type of nail polish treatment, then you're about to be excited as well. Shellac has been heralded as a "hybrid" nail coloring solution that combines the high-shine gloss of a gel nail treatment with the easy application of ordinary nail polish.

What Is a Shellac Manicure?

If you would like a shellac nail manicure, you're in luck—nearly all beauty salons offer them. If you aren't sure, check out a salon's website (if they have one) or call ahead. The procedure is so popular that salons that do not offer them are getting left behind.

A shellac manicure does not involve glue or fake nails of any kind. Your own natural nails will be cleaned, your cuticles will be removed, and your nails will be filed and shaped. The process is much quicker than having acrylic nails put on or getting a fill.

Once your nails are ready to be polished, a special base coat for the shellac manicure is applied. A special high-speed dryer is used to cure each coat of the base, including the nail polish and the top coat. After the base, two coats of your selected shellac nail polish will be applied. Special care is given to coat the top edge of the nails. Finally, a top coat is applied, and your nails should be cured for about 30 seconds. How does a start-to-finish manicure in 25 minutes sound?

What Is Special About Shellac Nail Polish?

Shellac nail polish literally makes your nails stronger and, due to its composition, less likely to chip. Most shellac manicures last 14 days or longer! Shellac is comprised of a "patent-pending formulation of solvents, monomers, and polymers." It is applied like nail polish and wears like a gel treatment. Shellac does not contain formaldehyde, toluene, or DBP and is hypo-allergenic, too.

What I love about Shellac nail polish is that my nails are beautifully shiny and without any chips or smudges. Some people call it a "mirror finish." For me, its literally the best of both worlds—it's a gorgeous, long-lasting manicure polish, and it gives me the ability to enjoy my natural nails without running back to the salon for a fill or enduring the torturous removal of fake nails!

Perhaps the best aspect, however, is the nearly instant drying time. You can literally reach into your purse for your keys within minutes of the application of the final coat of shellac nail polish. No more worrying about drying time, chips, or smudges!

I loved this review on Shine! at Yahoo:

"Our chemists invented a modern solution to the normal polish inconveniences that frustrate women," says CND co-founder and style director Jan Arnold. "Shellac is fret-free and convenient. Women can finally get their time back." How does Shellac get around the dry time? CND has created a special UV lamp that accommodates both hands and feet and cures the polish as you go. (The machines can easily be completely washed and sterilized between customers.) Shellac paints on just like a regular polish using specially formulated base coat, two layers of color, and top coat. After each coat of polish is applied, you put your hand under the timed lamp while the other hand is being painted. As soon as the manicurist is done with your nails, you can dig into your purse for your keys without any concern of smudging or chipping. They are 100 percent dry in the same time it takes for a normal manicure. I tried scratching at my nails, and even rubbing them along a brick wall--the polish stays put with a gorgeous, shiny finish.

Sound like a dream? Believe me—it's real!

Salon or At-Home?

You can do your own shellac nail manicure at home, or enjoy a salon treatment. For a professional manicure, prices range from $25-75, depending on your region. At a salon, you'll get a full manicure treatment including cuticle removal and nail shaping, plus the shellac nail polish.

Since shellac came out in 2010, nail polishes for DIY manicures are much more available. You can find shellac nail polish, base coat and top coat on line and at beauty supply shops. You might invest $100 up front for the professional dryer, plus nail treatments, but you'll get at least 10-15 polish changes as a result.

I had a hard time deciding between a neutral french-tip manicure and a fun nail polish color. To give me the most bang for the buck, I went with the shellac french manicure since I'll be wearing it for at least 2 weeks.

I also wondered about the cost of a professional salon manicure as opposed to doing it at home. I figured the extra cost was well worth it - at least at first. A shellac nail manicure is only about $10-20 more than a regular manicure and will last 2-3 times longer. Not to mention the fact that you don't have to worry about smudging it when you go to get your keys or answer the phone.

I'll probably go with a salon shellac nail manicure several more times before trying it at home. I must say that I am extremely happy with the results so far!

How Do You Remove Shellac Nail Polish?

Easy removal of shellac nail polish is another of its amazing attributes. You can remove the application in 10 minutes, using acetone-soaked wraps. Hate taking off fake nails? Me too! When it comes time to re-polish your shellac nails, you don't need to suffer any painful drilling or stripping of your nails.  Again, it is best to do this at a professional salon, however.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Dar on August 19, 2018:

can you put on 2 sets of coats of shellac back to back to make them stronger???? TIA.. =)

Sara on November 24, 2014:

Shellac CND is one of the best gel polish in the market. - pedisource.com

michelle on March 31, 2014:

I had these dont last Saturday and a week later amd god knows how many hours in a florist over mother s day I don't have ome chip

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on January 23, 2014:

That is a good question, Claire. Let me see what I can find out. The beauticians use UV light to "seal" the specialized shellac color, so it does not chip off as quickly as regular manicures.

Claire 1974 on January 23, 2014:

I work in healthcare is it safe to use shellac???

Jamie Brock from Texas on May 11, 2012:

HOW have I not heard of this!!!!! It sound fabulous.. thank you so much for sharing :)

ladeda on March 06, 2012:

I work in healthcare and am therefore constantly washing my hands. I love the Shellac polish, my nails don't break and the polish doesn't chip! However, I have found that it makes my natural nails a bit thinner, so I'm trying to make it a once in a great while special treat.

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on February 29, 2012:

Hi August girl, yes, I have heard of that happening - kind of like with acrylic nails. My own nails get weak when I peel off the shellac, which is a habit I need to stop. Thanks for the comment. Best, Steph

August girl on February 29, 2012:

I started getting cnd shellac because polish won't stay on my nails at all. While it looks great and lasts long, it ruined my natural nails. It made them very thin and I had basically scratches from where they would scrape off the old polish after soaking. I would only do it again for special occasions.

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on February 25, 2012:

Thanks SuzieQ - I agree, and I am a 100% shellac convert. No sense in even paying for any other type of manicure in my opinion! Best, Steph

SuzieQ on February 25, 2012:

I invested in the CND Shellac System in October of 2011 and have been using it exclusively since. I love the CND Shellac and have had no problems. I use exactly as directed and remove with CND Wraps. My manicure lasts at least two weeks and the color choices are beautiful. I even layer colors for variety. If you haven't tried the CND Shellac nail system, you are definitely behind in the newest manicure system. Love, love love

stessily on February 23, 2012:

Steph, Very interesting! Painted nails can be fun, and shellac makes the whole process easier.

Thanks for sharing.

Alex Crisano on November 11, 2011:

Wow! This is a great information. I wonder why I didn't found this on google.com

carriethomson from United Kingdom on August 04, 2011:

great info! beautiful hub...going for a shellac nail manicure this week end.up and beautiful.

carrie

fashion on August 03, 2011:

This is very informative and beautiful hub.Thanks for sharing.

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on August 01, 2011:

Thanks Cloverleaf! I hope you all get to try a shellac nail manicure. Next up for me.... a shellac pedicure! :)

Cloverleaf from Calgary, AB, Canada on August 01, 2011:

Hey Steph, I have never heard about a Shellac nail manicure before reading your hub. This is definitely something I will have to try out. I will forward your hub to all my friends too, I think they will appreciate the info :-)

Voted up and useful

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on July 25, 2011:

Good luck!! Shellac nails are the best!

caramellatte on July 25, 2011:

I like this hub! I want to try this.:-)

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on July 21, 2011:

Thanks amymarie and K9 - I have really enjoyed the shellac nails ever since I got them. Happy manicures and here's to beautiful, natural nails! :)

India Arnold from Northern, California on July 21, 2011:

Steph, this solves a real problem for active people who want beautiful nails, but struggle with finding the time to go back for filling and replacement nails at a salon. Very well presented and your french tips are gorgeous!

Thanks for sharing your Shellac secrets!

Cheers~

K9

Amy DeMarco from Chicago on July 21, 2011:

I'm getting a manicure done this weekend. I never even heard of shellac until now. I can't wait to try it. Thanks for the info!

Darlene Yager from Michigan on July 08, 2011:

This sounds great! I may have to try it. My daughter uses inexpensive diy glue on nails that look great, and I don't mind them but I have been wanting my own nails done. And now I know how I want them done. Thanks! Nice hub.

drvosjeca on June 18, 2011:

i see you have some nice hubs here...

i will be following you from now on.

suejanet on June 15, 2011:

Good information. I may try this.

peanutroaster from New England on June 07, 2011:

Amazing shellac is made from ground beetles.

Genna East on May 31, 2011:

What a welcome relief and alternative to acrylic! This I will have to try. Thank you!

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on May 29, 2011:

Thanks Prasetio - I hope your sister is interested and that she enjoys a shellac nails manicure! Best, Steph

prasetio30 from malang-indonesia on May 28, 2011:

Nice information, Steph. I'll show this to my sister. I believe she will love this hub. Well done, my friend. You got my vote. Cheers....

Prasetio

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on May 27, 2011:

Hi Triplet Mom - I am sorry to hear about your experiences with cracking and removal of the shellac. Very helpful for you to post that. I get the impression that after about 2 weeks, you should remove and/or replace the shellac, even if the manicure still "looks" good. And, I wonder if weaker nails would not fare as well as strong nails. Good luck and thanks! Steph

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on May 27, 2011:

MPG Narratives - I love the idea of having a shellac manicure before vacation! I figure that I will have the treatment a few times a year - before special occasions like next weekend, before the holidays and before my birthday or anniversary. Glad to hear that your beautician is offering shellac manicures - another year or two and your daughter can enjoy them too! Steph

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on May 27, 2011:

Hi StayPos, I think that's funny. I really just stumbled upon shellac the other day. I was going to have a traditional manicure and they offered shellac. I said, no, I don't want fake nails. Then I was pleasantly surprised that the treatment is on natural nails. Hope your wife enjoys the manicure! Cheers, Steph

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on May 27, 2011:

Hi Audrey - I'm with you. I'm not really a "nails" person because I am too busy (and perhaps lazy), but the shellac is a great option. I'm glad that my nails are already done for next weekend. Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try. Best, Steph

Triplet Mom from West Coast on May 27, 2011:

Great hub Steph! Its good to hear that some have had great experiences with shellac. I am one who has not. I also have a few friends that have had bad experiences with them as well. I like that the manicure lasts longer but the shellac basically destroyed my nails and once the shellac started to crack and chip it was incredibly hard to remove from my nail. Thanks for the detailed information, I might try the process again at a different location. Voted up!

Maria Giunta from Sydney, Australia on May 27, 2011:

My beautician has started offering shellac and my daughter is so excited to be able to have them done (she's only 13 so I won't be letting her just yet).

Me, I already have strong nails so I will have my nails shellaced when I go to a special occasion like a wedding. Another good idea to have them done is when you go on holidays, no need to worry about your nails whilst your away!

Good article Steph, voted up and useful.

StayPos from Florida, USA on May 27, 2011:

Thanks Steph,

What a “coincidence”, my wife and I were just talking about this today! She was lamenting over the short life cycle of the traditional manicure.

Perhaps Shellac nails is her answer :-)

I’m pushing send now to surprise her with this great hub!

Audrey Kirchner from Washington on May 27, 2011:

Wow, Steph - actually a manicure that might last me more than 2 hours~! I'm such a 'hands on' gal and everything I do requires lots of my hands....I'm always dinging my manicure within hours on the rare occasions that I get them. I imagine it might be great for pedicures too - I have a little bit better time with those as I haven't figured out yet how to type, do dishes or work in the garden or clean with my feet~! Will have to try some of the DIY products and see how they last!

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on May 27, 2011:

Thanks Stephanie! I was exactly the same way - had thought long and hard about putting acrylic nails back on. I hated the hassle and expense. I hope you enjoy shellac and your nails will look great for the wedding! Cheers, Steph

Stephanie Henkel from USA on May 27, 2011:

Your hub about shellac nails is so timely for me as I'm going to a wedding in a few weeks. My nails are rather a mess from gardening, and I debated about trying acrylic nails again. The shellac option sounds so much better! Thanks for a very informative hub!

Stephanie Marshall (author) from Bend, Oregon on May 27, 2011:

Thanks Philipo and Dexter - shellac does make for beautiful nails. Best, Steph

Dexter Yarbrough from United States on May 27, 2011:

Hi Steph! Great information. I am passing this along to my wife and daughters! Thanks.

Philipo from Nigeria on May 27, 2011:

Women's world. Beautiful.

Gel nails, and acrylic nails for that matter, should not hurt at all. I've read numerous articles from people who have received gel nails, and I'm shocked to the core about some of the stories. I've heard people saying:

• That it hurts to cure the nails and that some salons tell you to push down to reduce the pain or have a fan to cool nails.
• When getting infills, the gel is clipped off using clippers.
• That the nails lifted after a few days but they were told this was normal and to put some cuticle oil on it.

Are you for real!? If you experience pain at any time, you should just leave, because the technician is a butcher and will ruin your nails. It's a fact.

If you get your nails done by a properly qualified technician, not someone who's done a one-day course, you should have a lovely experience which goes something like this:

• You should be asked to wash your hands. At the very least yours and your technician's hands should be sprayed with sanitiser.
• Your natural nails will be shaped and the therapist will either buff your nails gently or use a nail dehydrator and germ killer—something like scrub fresh.
• The point of this is to remove germs and natural oils on your nails to allow the extensions to bond. If your natural nails are touched at this point, your nails will lift as oil has been put back on your nails.
• A primer may be used to aid the bond if the gel system requires it.
• If tips are being applied, please note the following: when filing a tip, they should never wipe off dust with their fingers or blow it away. Wiping introduces oils and blowing introduces germs—not good. If you ask for a natural tip, your technician should be able to file this so you have no visible join and no file marks on your natural nail.
• If they've filed your nail, it is damaged. If there is a join, tell them. If you have short nails don't opt for white tips since they'll look too low. Instead, get sculpted nails so your nail plate can be extended.
• The tips and gel will be applied following the instructions for that system. There's no point in writing more as all systems are different. But all gels should be applied in layers.
• When your fingers are put into the UV lamp, it should not burn. If you get a flash of heat on your nails, the gel is too thick. The burning can damage your nail plate and the thick gel won't cure or bond properly meaning they will lift easily. As I said above, gel should be applied in layers, which helps each layer cure and bond properly.
• Nails will be hot to trot when all of this is done. Put on a little cuticle oil and you're out the door.
• When it comes to infills or removal, no enhancements should be picked off. Doing this also takes a few layers of nail with it, leaving weak, damaged nails.

Depending on the system, they should be filed off or soaked off. If filing them, you should be left with a very thin layer of gel on your nails. This is the safest way to remove the gel without removing or damaging your natural nails.

File too far down and you get weak, damaged nails which you'll have to grow out. If your technician goes to pick them, puts clippers under them or anything similar, tell them where to go and leave. I hope this helps you make the right decision when it comes to choosing a technician as everyone deserves gorgeous pain-free talons!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: When my SNS polish is filed off, I get a burning sensation, why is this?

Answer: Any time a polish is filed off it should be done gently and carefully. Filing too quick and for too long will cause a heat build up on your nail and can damage the nail bed. Your technician needs to slow down and be more careful. They should also leave a very fine later on your nails as filing too low, into the nail itself, can also severely damage your nails.

Comments

Linn Högberg on July 01, 2020:

I like your tips and information. Although, I just want to add that the burning sensation that can happen when curing gel isn't always because the gel is applied too thick. It can also happen because the natural nails are thin and damaged already, and some people are just more sensitive to it. Some gels also tend to "burn" easier than others, even when applied thinly. And also - the burning sensation can not damage the nail plate, when it burns very much and fast it's just the exothermic reaction that's happening really fast and it goes away in seconds. I wonder where

you've learned that it damaged the nail plate? It's just a sensation that goes away, it doesn't actually DO anything to the nail plate. Other than that - I really liked all of the helpful information for the clients

Renee on October 14, 2018:

OMG I started doing my own gel nails at home an I was confused that my nails weren't burning and its because my old nail tech made them SOOOO thick... omg....

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on June 07, 2017:

Oh my.. thats awful! Brands have different chemicals in them so it may be just one ingredient, but its not worth the risk to keep trying. Take your doctors advice for sure. I personally wouldnt have nails done again and no tech should do them if you told them about your reaction. Your body may settle down but, again, its not worth the risk should anything happen again. Get the cuticle oil out and try your best to get the nail bed healthy and grow your own long, strong nails. x

Rebecka Hogan on April 05, 2017:

I have been having my nails done (hard gel) for almost 4 years. LOVED THEM!! BUT .. after a family tragedy my health took a dive and my immune system weakened, apparently a lot. It was at this time that I started seeing some swelling begin in my cuticles when I had my nails done. Twice it went away within 2 days, so I didn't worry. But the third time, IT DIDN'T QUIT. Blisters developed the full length of my fingers. I soaked my hands in a multitude of things trying to draw out the infection, which helped a great deal with the swelling and the pain. But after a day or so it would start all over again. After a week (don't ask me why it took me so long) I finally removed the nails. I did body cleanses, lotions, herbs - everything I could think of. This went on for 2 months. I finally ended up in the emergency room as the little infections and blisters on my fingers had moved up my arms to my shoulders. I developed rashes up both arms, on one foot, on the back of my neck, which developed into a bulge on my spine below my head, and a rash above one eye from my apparent rubbing an itch while having my nails done (which was also the cause on the back of my neck). The doctor said that I had an allergic reaction to the chemicals and that it had gone systemic, and that it was attacking my nerve endings. My nerve endings are STILL erupting in open sores, and this has been going on for over 4 months. I can tell when a patch is going to erupt because it feels like bees are stinging the area. Within a couple of hours a bad rash breaks out and the sores open up. I have to use anbesol, of all things, to try and kill the surface pain just to be able to endure this. The doctor put me on Predizone and Gabapenton to reduce nerve swelling and calm the nerve damage. I also am using hydrocortisone cream, which helps a little, but not much. I am taking pain killers because of the incredible, constant pain, but since I am (now) sensitive to painkillers, I have to be very careful of using them because of the resulting constipation, which put me in the hospital all by itself. Does this ever end? The REALLY odd ball part of this (if there isn't enough already) is that it affected a nerve that runs down the inside of my upper right leg. That freakin' nerve is somehow tied to my right temple in my head. HOW? If it gets pushed or rubbed even lightly, WOW - an electric shock goes right to that temple, like getting hit in the head with a bat. Then for a few minutes I can't see out of that eye. The doctor had to research it, he was so floored by it. I have to keep a wrap on my upper leg to keep that nerve "snug", which seems to keep it from hurting me. Ugh. I can temporarily (about 2 hours) kill the surface pain in certain areas with the anbesol. The other odd thing about all this is - I MISS MY PRETTY NAILS! How stupid is that??!!! I have never been allergic to anything in my life. But my health dive after the death in the family really took a toll on my immune system, which, apparently, opened me up for this. Sorry this was so long. My warning is - if you develop even a tiny bit of swelling in your cuticles, GET THE GEL OFF ... before it causes widespread damage. Doctor said once you develop the sensitivity to it, you're done, because it will just get worse, and there's no going back. Well, gotta go take my meds, and rub some anbesol on those open sores. Will this ever go away?

megan on July 20, 2016:

2 days ago I went to go get my gel nails filled and the nail guy said they needed to come off and be redone, he used a clipper and a fake nail to pry them off. When he was doing this to my right pinky I screamed out in pain and he stopped and went on to the other nails and then came back to my pinky, it was so painful but he got it off, then he took the drimal thing and buffed all my nails and replied the gel, that night my pinky was so sore, I woke up the next morning and the tip of my pinky was red and swollen and hurt to the touch I just left alone hoping it would heal well it's day 2 and I woke up with my pinky throbbing in pain and it feels really hot to the touch. What should I do?! Waiting for my hubby to get home so I can go to the doctor but u they can't see my actual nail... any advice?

Sheri on April 20, 2016:

Thank you for posting this

I had gel nails done on my beautiful long nails and she butchered them. Filing the tops until they hurt. I told her a different nail technician did not do that with my pedicure and she said she had to do it to make the gel adhere. As a result I do not want to go back to a salon. Bad nail techs are wrecking your reputations. Please continue to share good information so consumers can be informed.

MC on November 06, 2015:

I have started having pain in the nailbed. I went to the doctor in case of infection and he prescribed me a 10 day antibiotic treatment, if it does not get better the nails will be coming off. Doctors orders.

Anon on May 17, 2014:

As well as when ur nails are weak keep

Them polished with a hardener and polish with hardeners to help strengthen them

Court on May 17, 2014:

A lot of nail techs are unlicensed just ask to see their licenses as well as if it is burning pull your hand out of the light for a second and put it back in the burning will be gone and it burns if any is on skin as well. No matter what when you take product off your nails will be weaker than what you started with and the damage comes from

Taking the product off and on constantly.

KPaola on March 22, 2014:

I almost cry while I had my nails done. It was horrible, my finger was so red and swollen and every time she pass the brush over my fingernail it burned as it was on fire .

I had a bloated feeling under the nail and she told me to dip my finger in alcohol and she put acetone on my cuticle. I think it was the drying base, I had acrylic (made by an inexperienced girl from the same salon) and I had gelish a day later. The first day was just one nail , but the second day was the most of them, especially one burned terribly. She told me she was going to get a base for sensitive skin, but I have the question: why did this happen? Am I allergic? Did they do a bad job? Why no one told me the same thing happened to anyone?

I hope it ever happen again. (I'm sorry if you can't understand me, English isn't my native lenguage)

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on March 05, 2014:

i stopped getting comment notifications so didn't realise there were so many! Its scary to read of so many people in major pain from nails.. if your hurting and it wont stop the best thing is to get them off - go back to the salon and demand a free removal or go somewhere else if you don't trust them. Then really you just gotta let them grow. If your nails have been filed through or weakened theres nothing you can do really. Just take it easy with them, no nail varnish and apply cuticle oil. Don't get nails redone - and when you've grown it out go somewhere else! Gel and acrylic are 2 different things. Gel is a thick liquid sculpted with a brush and hardens under UV light.. acrylic is a liquid and powder which is mixed, sculped and hardens itself. Acrylic and gel both look equally natural as long as its done right. hope that helps a little x

Darla on March 04, 2014:

Your stories are very helpful but as I'm typing this my fingers under my new solar tips are hurting sooo bad. All I asked is there anything we can do for the pain ? But no one has the answer !!!!! I have heard to rub menthalatham on them so im going to try it ,Just thought I'd spread the word so good luck ;)

fana... on January 11, 2014:

Pls can u tell me does liquid nail buffer creats a layer or coatng on nails?

Lindsey on January 10, 2014:

I got gel nails on over a week ago and I went to get them removed today and when I got to salon the machine that the girl uses had broke so she filed them off with a normal file. Since I got them filed off I am in really bad pain. Can someone please tell me if there is anything I can do to stop d pain :-(

Sophie on December 18, 2013:

cont.. I presume this is the right process for gel nails? www(DOT)youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=mswff2CzhCg

Sophie. on December 18, 2013:

Christ it sounds like everyone has had crap experiences with nails! Could you please explain the differences between gel nails and acrylic? I want to get gel nail done, as I've heard they're very natural looking at light, but I want to avoid acrylic at all costs, as they look cheap and heavy. Is gel nails an actual piece of gel added to your nail or is it sculpted by powder? Do you have any links or images of the process to share??

TayTay on December 09, 2013:

I get my nails done all the time but the last time I went the lady filed one of my nails till it went through to the nail bed and now a few hours later the tips of my fingers are hurting and this has never happened before is there anything I can do to stop the pain and also is there anything I can do to report this?

Julia on November 29, 2013:

So my problem is slightly different. My gel nails have been infilled four times now! No burning no probs after or during treatment. My fingers are starting to get really sore down the sides as if the nails are so strong they are growing into the skin. It's only two or three nails but the more they grow and infield I have the worse they get. I had them cut right down this week but the pain is starting again. Please help

Brandi on September 09, 2013:

I have a UV machine that I bought because I was sick of spending $30 to have nails chipping the same day. Well I get bumps around my nails and they itch. Underneath the nail my skin peels and cracks. Sometimes I don't even have feeling in my fingertips. I might have to sell this machine and go back to the old fashioned way. I have not soaked off in acetone but I can't even imagine because my fingers are constantly irritated. I have yet to see a full 2-3 week last on them. So not sure what the point is from my perspective.

Skylar on May 23, 2012:

So glad to read that others have painful experiences at the nail salon too! I love the way my nails look, but I kid you not, I would rather be at the doctor or dentist having 50 needles jabbing me at once than to sit through having my nails done. It is a painful experience every single time I go. I just got "powder gel" nails today. I hadn't had them done since last august so I had forgotten just how bad it hurts. They used the electric file on my natural nail. One person described it as a shocking feeling. I guess I could agree with that, but to me it always feels more like the tech pushes down too hard and catches a big chunk of nail. It is a quick, sharp sting though. And it hurts for weeks after. My nails are extremely sore now. The skin on my fingertips just under my nails feels like it is glued to the nail. It is extremely sensitive and I can't run anything under the tip of the nail because my skin is so tightly glued. Typing hurts. Touching the nails hurt. The only relief I find is applying pressure to the nails by squeezing them. It hurts badly at first, but then the pain goes away. The techs at the salon always laugh at me and think I am joking when I tell them I am in pain. They tell me that I am being a big baby and I need to trust them. They always tell me that I am the only one who is ever in pain at the nail salon and everyone else thinks it "feels good." I was beginning to think I was crazy. Today when I got home I took a shower and just the hot water from the shower hurt around my nails because I have so many cuts around the edges. I somehow have cuts on my fingertips where the tech used the electric file under the edge of my nail. After reading this I am mortified. I want them off immediately. I noticed that I can see a huge black spot under one nail. It is towards the middle of the nail so I know it cannot be something under the nail. I am worried that there was some sort of long-term damage done. I want these nails off immediately but all of the salons in my area use nail clippers to pry the nails off.

Alyssia on May 06, 2012:

I went earlier today and had my nails done. I was the last person they allowed before they closed. The man was nice but I am worries that because of time he was in a rush and that caused all my pain issues. I have gel nails on and there was the gel on my fingers when I got home. Another problem I had was that I don't think that they are gel. I have had them before but this time he used a powder. & on the container it said acrylic powder on it. When I am paying $50 i want to make sure that I am getting what I paid for. Also the skin around my nails is really sore and pulled towards my nails. Any advice?

Chris Hugh on May 05, 2012:

Very good info. Thanks!

Katy on April 20, 2012:

Hi that's all very true what you've put but can you put gel to a toe that has no nail at all will it stay as it has nothing to attach to? My client has has an operation and is now left with no toenail at all. Thanks

Tina on April 17, 2012:

I am a Gel Nail Technician.

Everything you say Emma is spot on. It makes me angry when these things happen to people. It ruins the whole experience for them. It is supposed to be relaxing, not uncomfortable, and especially not Painful. It gives the rest of us technicians a bad name. The whole point in us being a Nail Technician is to make nails beautiful and healthy. Not damage and ruin them. Some so called nail techs out there, should not be allowed to touch anyones nails!!

LaraineZ on April 16, 2012:

I had gel nails and went every two weeks for a year for my appointments. The electric nail file burned and cut the left side of my nail three separate times within that year. The girl was always very sorry and she was very sweet and I loved my nails so I would go home and soak my finger in peroxide and use neosporin. After a year, that same finger started having such pain I soaked off the gel nails for hours in acetone. It took a very long time to get them off. It has been 16 months now and I get very sharp, severe pain in the finger. I saw a neurologist after a few months and he told me that it should heal with the year and it hasn't. I am now looking for a new neurologist. I need serious help with this. At times, the pain is debilitating. It can come on at any time (even whilte I am sleeping) and I have to put a Lidocain patch around the nail to get some relief. I believe I have nerve damage and at this point, if I was told that severing the nerve in that finger was the only cure, I would do it immediately.

Nicole on April 10, 2012:

I am currently training as a uv gel nail technician, its a 4 day intensive course. I applied some nails on myself as part of my training then filed them off and applied a full set. I then started to remove the second set at home and wasn't paying attention and managed to file the nail plate down so much on one nail that I can almost see my nail bed clearly...thank god I only done it on myself as I would be distraught had it happened to a client. We were told that gel shouldn't sting or burn while curing providing we didn't put too much on. And my accidental file fail is my own fault as we have not been shown removals yet, I was just jumping ahead of myself! I hope to be a great nail tech and be able to give clients a professional, healthy set of nails rather then butchering people. As I said I will definitely learn from my mistake!!

carly on April 05, 2012:

iCarly's I had my toe nail removed and was wondering if I could use gel over lay on the skin or would it damage the skin?

Louise Palmer on March 31, 2012:

I wonder if you could give me some advice. My Nail technician does my nails lovely, they don't hurt and the nail underneath is never too badly damaged. Howeveraround the edges near the sidewalls and the cuticles the gel goes cloudy or looks as though condensation is underneath. Why is this happening? Is this somethin which I am doing or something shes not doing correctly such as the prep?

kathy cross on March 25, 2012:

i was about to go today but im not so sure.

carly brain on March 19, 2012:

jus got my nails done and they r hurting...they was ok when i left at first and now im at home and my hands r warm they really hurt when i bend my fingur n e thing...when shud i do???

Melody on March 15, 2012:

This is my first time getting my nails done. My natural nails are long and healthy. When the nails started to go on I felt a little bit of itching on my ring finger, then it started to sting...eventually my whole finger was pounding with a burning sensation. Then my middle finger started burning as well, this pain travelled up my arm to my elbow, it was dredful, this pain felt like or a little worse than my trip to the dentist. I thought maybe because its the first time or that my nails are thin but after the pain kept coming and going I thought I should do some research and see if my nail isn't infected or anything. I don't know what's going on but this is too painful and I am not exaggerating the magnitude of it.

GelsbyJO on February 28, 2012:

I have been doing gel nails for over three years with the proper training/certification. The pain or burning that you feel when you place your hand in the uv light, is called "heat transfer". This is the gel curing which is basically shrinking while it hardens on the natural nail. The UVA light is attracted to the polymers in the gel which harden as the light penetrates them (i.e., curing). There are many manufacturers of gels and the Brisa system by CND claim they have very minimal heat transfer due to the least amount of shrinkage - less than 50%. Sensitive/thin nails can most certainly enjoy this service, however, the gel MUST be applied in very thin layers. The thicker the application, you will have heat transfer. Good luck everyone.

alex on February 26, 2012:

ok 1st time getting gel nails. they hurt so badi can barely do anything andcant sleep its 430 in the morning. ik what to do

Fuming on February 14, 2012:

I had my nails done at Zaks hairdressers. I get my hair cut there all the time and really trust the staff, they opened a beauty room not so long ago so i thought id take advantage of the 50% off voucher for a beauty treatment as it was my birthday and i was off out for the night.

Ive never had gel nails before so didn't know what to expect, i was told to "push down" on the uv lamp to stop the burning, its now been over a month since i had them done, they came off after a few days and ever since then my nails are vile! Its like half of my nails have been burnt off, they wont grow, they're thin and very red! Really worried in case they don't grow back to normal! I love having long nails and the only reason i had the gel ones done was a)because of the 50% off b)it was my birthday night out and c) due to the work i do my nails broke pretty much a week before.

WILL NOT be going back there again :(

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on February 03, 2012:

So really your saying if you have thin nails and get a real, professionally trained, tech she should be tellling you not to get extensions.. which will result in no pain.. which is the title of the article - yeah? The problem is there are many courses over here in the UK that give 1 day of training and your certificate can then help you get insurance and work on real clients. Its these training companies that are butchering nails and giving techs who spend years studying and updating their skills a bad name. in 6 years of practicing i have never had 1 client complain of pain or flashes of heat because i spend the time looking for contraindications and not just whacking extensions on anyone. This is what a correctly trained tech will do.

I'd also be interested to see a link to your powder gel, as the whole point in gel is that its a liquid. Many powder gels are actually just clear acrylic - wording can be misleading. I'd be interested to check out the label as i like to keep upto date with bonefide products.

Chelsea on February 03, 2012:

I didn't really like this article actually. I'm a nail tech myself, I went through almost a year of schooling to be one. When your nails are thin, the gel burns... That's just the way it is. The acrylic burns when they're thin too. If you have thin nails, you shouldn't get services done, simple as that.

And also, just so others know, there is such a thing as gel powder. If you ask for gel and get a powder, it's possible that it's still gel.

It's funny, I graduated from the top school in Canada and we were told that the gel burning you is normal when your nails are thin. I also graduated two years ago, so it's not like we have no idea about nails anymore.

The idea of this is great, educating people is awesome but telling them that the Tech is doing something wrong is wrong. Sometimes people are "Divas" or really sensitive. I've had to deal with all kinds of clients. If someone off the street told me that I was doing my job wrong, it's kind of a slap in the face.

delainey on January 26, 2012:

Actually, as a certified nail technician and a gel nail instructor, filing the natural nail with an electric nail file is perfectly safe , AS LONG AS YOU ARE TRAINED WITH ITS USAGE!! You can get electric files that go very very low speed so that you will ensure not fileing too low!And as for burning, sometimes people do have very sensitive nails ( i am one of these people) even 1 layer of gel burns on me and just as a test i didn't even file my natural nail first , the burning is caused by the friction on the nail caused by the molecules in the gel racing around to bond together. so ya , you don't put on allot but sometimes they burn anyhow with sensitve nails!!

Carolyn Thorne on January 26, 2012:

I just read the comment from Cathy Mitchell and am fairly sure we are both suffering the same thing. I had a UV nail set for my birthday. The first time I used it it was fine - the nails were great for over 3 weeks! However, I did them again 10 days ago and the next day started experiencing what appears to be sunburn on my fingertips, under my nails! My fingertips were very tender for the best part of a week, and if I caught a nail on something it started to bleed underneath The skin under my nails has now gone brown, I presume that this is burnt, dead skin, and appears to be scab like and the surrounding skin is hard and dry (this is under all of the tips of every nail). For the last couple of nights, I have been applying globs of antiseptic cream under each nail and just leaving it there overnight. I feel thet I want to remove the nail polish and acrylic, but am worried that the acetone remover will be extremely painful due to 'open wounds'. I did wonder if I had perhaps got some of the acrylic coat underneath my nails and then cured it - causing burns. Could this be the case? Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice would be welcome, I'd hate to have to stop using the nail kit.

Glitzy Jo on January 15, 2012:

**LADIES** I am a professional, qualified nail tech and am totally astounded by some of these stories. Firstly you should NEVER use an electric file on the natural nail plate and secondly where the hell have these nail techs trained or even got jobs for that matter when they are filing nails so thin that it's causing the client so much pain. These sound like horror stories, a lot of these '' Chinese nail bars'' use a product containing MMA purely as its cost effective for them but seriously should never be used because of the dangers associated with it (google it). Let's just hope for all you ladies that have had a bad experience you find yourselves a good nail tech to restore your faith as acrylic, gel, fibreglass nails are fantastic to have providing they are done in the correct manor. Please do not be put off by a bad experience as there are some fantastic nail techs out there that you will go back to time and time again xx

Emily on January 09, 2012:

I am really concerned about my nails. I had them done for the first time today and didn't know the right or wrong way of doing things.

The nail tech filed my nail surface with an electric drill thing and then applied a white tip, and a liquid & powder solution. Firstly, I paid for gel nails but I am now lead to believe that what I was given were L&P acrylics. Also, I am concerned that they may have used MMA on my nails rather than EMA, as they had to file the nail plate a lot and the evening after application they are VERY sore.

What should I do?? I'm so miserable I could cry.

Kerrie on January 01, 2012:

They feel totally normal today and I LOVE them :) They look fab!

Kerrie on December 31, 2011:

I just had my nails done - I've never had them done before but I love the way they look :) I asked for gel nails, but after reading all of this I think I must have been given acrylic - because she used a white powder and clear liquid with a lilac hue. They look great but I'm a bit annoyed that I wasn't given what I asked for. But it seems acrylic are easier to remove than gel. I can feel quite a lot of pressure and some of my fingers are a bit tingly, hoping this will subside over next couple of days! My tech also used an electric file on me.

cathy mitchell on December 29, 2011:

i was bought u.v nail set for crimbo this year, which i was over the moon to have i read the leatlet and watched the dvd but have had my nails done in a saloon i sat and did my nails took my time and was left with the most hurtfull bruning and sore redness around my nails. my fingers are so swollen to do anything at the minute is a nitemare, wot are ur suggerstions pls as i love wearing my nails xxxxxxx

B on December 22, 2011:

Can you file and shape gel nails? I had them done yesterday.... She drilled and yes they burned, but right now I'm worried that they look too square. Suggestions?

Nicky on December 11, 2011:

I'm a trained & insured nail tech & if anyone goes near your natural nail with an electric file walk out!!! An electric file us only safe in the hands if someone who has been trained to use it, a trained & insured tech will never mind you asking to see their certificates of insurance & qualifications,

Jade on November 09, 2011:

I just had gel nails done for about the 3rd time in my life and I had never had the burning experience when under the UV light until then. It was my pinky nail. I pulled it out and look at the girl and I was like its really hot, i thought she screwed up or i was like having a reaction to the gel or something. She just told me to put it in front of the fan and then back under the UV light. I did as she said and every single nail got super hot under the light so needless to say I now know after reading this that it was not supposed to happen. It has been almost a week now since I have had them done and they look great and everything feels fine now, but I will definitely choose a different salon next time. Also when i was telling her that it was getting really hot I could hardly understand her because she had a very strong Asian accent and i kept saying "huh" like five times, I hope she didn't find that rude but I thought my finger was catching on fire! ah...Good luck to the rest of you getting this done! Hope no one has to feel that heat under their nails as I did because, believe me, it was NOT fun! :)

Sam on October 10, 2011:

omg i JUST got my nails done, gel tips for the first time, and she used the electric filer and went sooo far down, my cuticles are killing me! i even started bleeding! and thennn she told me to put it under the UV lamp and it burnt sooo bad! and now hey are sore :(

chermaine lewis on September 06, 2011:

hi ive had gel nails done twice and both times they have burned really bad under the lamp its like when i put my hand under the lamp it starts burning i know his shouldn't happen but can you tell me why its happening please as i love getting them done but will never get them now because of this and i had mine done with to perfessional qualified nail technicians

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on May 01, 2011:

nah it shouldn't affect them as gel nails don't disolve. If you have your hands in it for long periods of time you may get lifting but same goes for water so i would advise you wear gloves when doing dishes or perming etc.

Grace on April 30, 2011:

Does hair perm solution affect gel nails?

charlie on April 24, 2011:

thanks for your advice emma. it's been 2 weeks now and the pain finally went down; i put some clear nail polish to make my fingers look a bit less like stumps, and i regularly file as the nails grow back so the nails aren't catching on to anything. 8 nails are doing ok, 2 of them including my thumb are looking super-ugly and you cal literally see what's going on through them, that's how thin they are!

i'm going to go to the girl and explain to her why i think she didn't do her job properly and hopefully she'll have some kind of explanation to provide. It's such as shame as i live so close to the beauty place and yet i'm never gonna go there ever again to have treatments done, they've lost a good customer!

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on April 16, 2011:

Allie you've had acrylic nails done if its liquid and powder. I'd say it could be that your tip is a little small for your finger so its nippng your nail and can cause pain on the sides of your nail. If it doesn't ease off id advise you to go back and tell them how much pain your in and if needs be take them off and redo them free of charge (if you trust them to do it again!). At the very least they should take them off for you free. If they are acrylic they can soak them off in acetone but make sure they soak them off and don't pick or pull the acrylic off as this will damage your nail, light buffing is ok. it could take a while but every last drop of acrylic will melt eventually. hope you get sorted x

Allie on April 16, 2011:

I just got my nails done last night, and the technician put on white tips and then used powder and some type of liquid to create the rest of the nail. It did not start hurting until around three thirty this morning! It hurts to grab things, to press my fingers down on a surface, to type, and it hurts mostly on the sides of my nail, not the actual nail itself, but the skin surrounding it. It doesn't hurt all of my fingers, strangely enough, both my pointer and pinky fingers on both hands are fine, but the rest really hurt! i do not know what to do.

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on April 10, 2011:

Aww Charlie that's awful. She really mustn't have known what she was doing as she should have been paying close attentiont to your natural nail. All technicians should have insurance if they are practicing on paying clients. If you wanted to report and make a claim i'd go back to her and explain that your nails are sore and have been filed down way too much. If you ask for her insurance details as you want to make a claim against her - filing your nail that much it hurst like you explain is negligence. I'd take pictures etc now if you want to do this so you've got your evidence. DON'T feel bad about doing this though - at the end of the day shes ruined your nails and will prob keep doing it as shes not trained properly. Any good technician would take this on the chin and do some more training to improve their skills. With regards your nails i'm afraid there isn't much you can do. The pain should ease off as your nail bed becomes less sensitive but your nails wont improve until they start growing in, but you will end up with ridges in your nails where the new is thick, again this will have to grow out. you'll have to keep them short for a while as they'll be really weak. You could try putting a little cuticle oil on your nails to help them but id wait until they are less sore incase you aggrivate them more. i hope they get better soon x

charlie on April 09, 2011:

Hi, I've had a bad experience with my gel nails in the UK...about a month ago I had nail extensions as my nails were looking a bit manky, and even though the girl was and is lovely and very friendly i am left with mangled nails and it hurts! first off i asked for short nails and i got given great huge claws, not practical at all but i dodn't want to be rude so i let her finish and filed them down at home. I had a backfill done with no problem and i could see my lovely nails grow underneath the extensions and thought yay i'm gonna have lovely natural nails when this gets removed! but the girl filed my nails down sooooooooo much that it hurts really badly, my right thumb is red and sore and i can't touch it, the side of it looks like there's hardly any nail left, when i touch my nails they're all soft and my fingertips feel both numb and painful, it's sooooooo bad! i feel bad for the girl as she was really nice but when i read your article i realised she wasn't too professional... Is there anything I can do, i.e report her parctice or something? I should have gone with my first instince and filed off the el myself at home, i would have done less damage! how long would it usually take for my nails to improve?

I just bit the bullet and clipped them right down, there's hardly any nail left, it hurts but at least it looks less mangled :-(

nat on February 27, 2011:

hi i went ot get my nails done the other day and they buffed then with the electric buffer and buffed way to low. While they where buffing i felt pain like my nail was gettin an electric shock. two of my finger hurt now and i don't no what i should do ?

Meri on January 09, 2011:

The best professional advice I have ever read about gel nails!!!

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on December 30, 2010:

yeah it might go away, just keep an eye on them. if it does ease over in about 28/48 hours go back and ask them to redo your thumbs. if you get a long term tight feeling you could damage your nail plate so best getting it sorted early x

Cindy on December 29, 2010:

I just had gel nails done. My thumb nails are sensitive when I press on them. I don't feel pain otherwise but when I press on the top of the nails on my thumbs, they feel tight and a bit sore. If I don't press, no pain and the rest of my nails are fine. Is it possible this will go away?

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on December 18, 2010:

its really hard to try and find a good technician as there are no regulations really in the industry. A couple of good places to try and find someone local is the beauty guild (but i've a feeling this is UK only) and salon geek. If those fail the best thing you could do is maybe check out qualifications or contact the big names in nails, creative, brista etc as they have specific training to get one of their qualifications. But whereever you go if anything hurts or you don't think they are doing things right stop them straight away and explain the problem. if they get defensive, say its normal etc get up refuse to pay and leave. x

Courtney on December 17, 2010:

I want to get my nails done professionally, But I am scared of the pain! my school does them but they take forever and I don't have a spare! I am very sensitive to pain. I have tried the drugstore ones but I feel like people can tell the difference? Can I tell the person that will be doing my nails to be gentle? or should i just say no?

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on November 28, 2010:

sometimes you can feel a small amount of pressure as some people have sensitive nail beds but they shoulnt really hurt when you touch them. are they defo gel nails? as sometimes techs claim to give gel but they are just acrylic with uv top coat. did they use any form of liquid and powder or was it a gel that was applied and cured in a lamp? if they are hurting i recommend they are removed incase they damage your nail bed. if liquid and powder was used you could buff the top coat off and soak in acetone (nail varnish remover normally contains acetone). it'll take a while but will melt them down. if they are gel i'd go back to where you got them and tell them they are painful, don't let them fob you off with 'they are meant to hurt a little bit' and demand your money back so you can pay someone else to remove them. x

Hannah on November 27, 2010:

I had my nails done today and I'm i'n pain I c feel a pressure underneath and it hurts to press on them

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on November 27, 2010:

just be very careful when your filing them just incase you start filing your natural nail. keep to a high number file (180/240) then move to a buffer block. but try and keep a thin layer of gel on your nail, much safer. gel nails are great and last the best so its a shame you've been put off. next time you pick a tech try and see if you can watch themdurin an appointment. a well trained confident tech shouldn't be bothered by this. you can then watch for issues. or if you pick some one that does any no nos just tell them to stop and leave. sounds like you need to strengthen your nails. get yourself some cuticle oil and apply every day. gently file the edges of your nail with an emery board which will help the chipping. wait for them to harden up before puttin more nails on. hope that helps x

Dink96 from Phoenix, AZ on November 26, 2010:

I've had gels for almost a year and my tech has done several of these "no-nos." I was going to have her remove what's left tomorrow, but I'll just keep filing them down until they naturally come off. Thanks for a great article. I love the look of gel nails but the cost and time are too much. My nails break and chip though. Any tips? Thanks.

emmahetherington (author) from United Kingdom on August 04, 2010:

aww petal that's awful! its people like that which make me fume! extensions should be a pleasure and its such a shame people like this can put you off so much. Theres not really much you can do now unfortunately.. but if i were you i'd get that nail varnish off, might sting tho to get the air to them. get yourself some cuticle oil, something like solar oil and put that on everyday. it'll help calm them down and strengthen then a bit but they'll only fully get better when they're grown out. hope they calm down for you soon xx

Lisa on August 04, 2010:

I just came back from getting gel nails filed off and she filed way too far down. My nails are red snd tender and several times I had to ask her to stop because it was burning too much, and nearly every nail has a cut on the side because of the nail file. It even stung when she was putting a clear polish on afterwards. Put me off getting them ever again =[