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Whether you want to go glam or understated, here are on-trend nail art ideas and polish colours for you to try out in the comfort of your home.
Gold and baby blue
Who knew these colours could look so glamorous together? Paint your nails blue and add gold to the tips. If you’re new to nail art, use French manicure stickers to make it easier to apply the gold neatly.
Pink and silver
These shades work beautifully together. Instead of neat French tips, try an ultra-trendy fade. Paint a base of silver on your nails. Then use a sponge to blot pink polish on the tips to create the fade effect.
Black and white
This classic colour combo is a winner when it comes to creating a marble effect. Paint your nails white and wait for them to dry. Using an old lipliner brush or a thin brush you can buy at a nail shop, paint on the black marble effect.
Make sure there’s enough polish on the brush because the consistency of the black polish must be quite thick to create the desired effect. You can also swop the colour around and use black as the base and white for the marble effect on top.
Green and yellow
Yellow and green go hand in hand. We especially love the combo of deep teal and vibrant sunshine yellow. Use a thin brush for geometric designs, starting with simple shapes such as one or two vertical stripes. Try more intricate designs as you get better with practice.
Pale peach and black
The combination of pale peach and black is perfect for sedate environments such as work. Together the colours look formal and chic. Keep your nail art simple for a sophisticated look.
- To help soften cuticles, soak your fingers in warm water for five minutes before you push the cuticles back.
- Remove smudges around your nail with an eyeliner brush or earbud soaked in nail polish remover. Both are precise for getting into those tight spots.
- To help nail polish bond to your nail, put cotton soaked in white wine vinegar on your nails. This removes any oils from the nail surface.
- Don’t shake your nail polish bottle. Rather roll it between your hands (as if rubbing your hands together). This prevents your application from having tiny bubbles.
- When painting shapes or designs, use a nail polish with a runny consistency. It’s easier to work with and dries faster. Polish with a thicker consistency works well if you want to drip it to create a marble effect.
- Apply Vaseline on the skin around your nails so smudges are easy to fix.
