Plain, old nail polish is so 2010.
But kicking up your manicure to include some "nail art" can be expensive, so our beauty expert, Jessica Metivier, has a variety of fun and fashionable ways to get those nifty nails right at home.
"One of my favorite looks is having an individual color on each nail, but within the same color family, and it's super-simple," says Jessica.
Jessica says all you need to do is add white polish to your favorite color, creating five individual colors. The more you add, the lighter the color will get.
Or, you can keep your hand a solid color, but paint a different color as an accent to one nail. It's a great way to add a pop of unexpected color -- and don't be surprised if people ask you about it!
"But if you really want to step up your nails, you can paint some geometric shapes on them," says Jessica.
To do this, you'll need a solid, neutral base color and an additional color to make it stand out. Grab some tape, a pair of scissors and you're ready to work.
Start by painting your nails a neutral base color and let it dry for at least a full hour.
"Once your base coat has had plenty of time to dry, cut individual pieces of tape in different shapes, depending on the effect that you're going for," says Jessica.
Just apply the tape to create a pattern of your choice, then paint over the base color with the second color. The tape is going to protect your base coat from your top coat, so when you remove the tape you'll have cool shapes.
"For a more advanced look, take it to the next level by creating decals for your nails," says Jessica.
Simply paint some thick swatches of nail color on a plastic bag with nail polish and then let it dry. Once it's dry, take a scrapbooking shape puncher to create decals by punching out individual shapes. Put your decal on your nail and then use a top coat to set the look.
"There's no reason to spend a lot of money at a nail salon when you can easily create these eye-catching designs for your nails right at home!
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