Nail art is a beautiful way to express your creativity. When you turn back the pages of history, you’ll find nail art first emerged in Babylonia where men colored their nails with Kohl.
The Egyptian Queen Nefertiti colored her nails red using the juice of the henna plant. Queen Cleopatra used deep rusty shades with an undertone of gold. In ancient China nail varnishes and lacquers were created from the mixture of egg white, beeswax, vegetable dyes, gelatin and gum arabic.
Nail art has become so popular nowadays that people even organized Nail Olympics called Nailympics in the US. In today’s world nail art can be an expression of a person’s personality and also their values, creativity, fashion savvy and humor.
In this article, you can find 30 easy ideas of the manicure magic which you can do all by yourself if you’re a beginner.
Tutorial- Nail artist Jenny Claire Fox
1. Fun Skelt Touch Polka Dot Design
Start with any base color that you want. Take a very large dotting tool and dot it along the nail. Continue doing this with all of your colors. Fill in the tips of the nail. Add the top coat and your design is ready.
2. Fun twist on French manicure
Start with a white base or any color of your choice. Take another color and swipe it across the nail on the upper half. Take the second color and coat it to the top leaving some space in the first color as you see in the picture. Apply the top coat.
3. Cool design with the same color but different shades
Apply one coat of your darkest color. Take the medium color and apply on the center leaving two narrow side strips. With your lightest color drag your nail brush down the middle of your finger. Take the while striper and draw a line at the center of your nail. Apply the top coat.
4. Tender hearts
Tutorial- Super wow style
Things needed- Base coat+ top coat
- White polish
- Acrylic paint of different colors
- Tooth pics
Method
- Prepare your nails and apply a base coat followed by white polish.
- Make V shapes and define them clearly to make hearts.
5. Messy nail art design
Tutorial- Super wow style
Things needed
- Fanning brush
- Flat tip brush
Method
- Apply some glue on the tip of the fanning brush. For easy clean up apply glue on the cuticles too. Let it dry.
- Prepare your nails with white polish. Take two colors in the fan brush and spread the colors in a random messy style.
- On a flat tip brush, take some water based black color and sprinkle the color onto your nails.
- Make an abrasion on the glue and peel it off to clean up.
- Seal the top coat and you’re done.
- Spray some deodorant on the brush and scrap off the polish.
6. Dotted concentric circles nail art
Tutorial- Super wow style
Things needed
- Base coat and top coat
- White polish
- Toothpicks
- Colorful polishes
Method
- Prep up your nails and apply a base coat.
- Apply 2-3 coats of white nail polish.
- Keep your favorite bright colored polishes on one side and dip a toothpick into it.
- Mark a dot on any point on your nail and simply draw dotted circles around this mark.
- You can use as many colors and as many lines as you want.
- Seal your design with a top coat.
7. Watermelon gradient nail art
Tutorial – Kelli Marissa
Things needed
- Base coat
- White nail polish
- Pink nail polish
- Dark pink nail polish
- Green nail polish
- Black nail polish
- Top coat
- Dotting tool
- Small nail art brush
- French manicure guides
Method
- Apply base coat and two coats of white nail polish.
- Take the darkest pink and apply on the tip of cosmetic sponge. Apply light nail polish right next to it. Finally, add white polish.
- Apply the sponge onto your nails. Apply some glue beforehand so that helps in easy cleanup.
- Take French manicure ingredient and place it on the bottom of nail leaving a little room.
- Take green color polish and paint the bottom section of your nail. Peel off the nail vinyl.
- Take a large dotting tool and place three black dots onto the nail. Create tear drop seed shapes. Apply top coat.
Tutorial- SaraBeautyCorner
8. Neon flower design
Apply the base coat to your nails. Paint your nail white. Take yellow nail polish and wipe off your brush. Make a tiny patch on the nail. Take another color and draw petals. The key to this design is to wipe the brush well. Make five flowers using different colors. Apply the top coat.
9. Rainbow design
Apply the white coat for the base. Make stripes using different colors of the nail polish. Let the colors overlap. Add a little cloud on the tip of the nail. Apply the top coat to bring the design together.
10. Cute mouse design
Apply bright pink for the nails. Draw a circle on the tip of the nail with white polish. Make two short stripes for the ears. Color the inner ears with light pink. Use a toothpick to draw the eyes. Make a little mustache and that’s it. Apply the top coat. This design is perfect for all you animal lovers.
Tutorial – Jenny Claire Fox
11. Curvy lines design
Start with a yellow base. Take a medium dotting tool and draw a petal shape with any color. Draw two petals on each nail. Take the black nail stripper and outline the petal with one swooping long motion and outline the petal. Repeat on the other side. Take a small dotting tool with turquoise color and emulate the red shape. Apply the top coat.
12. Pretty pink manicure
Create a slightly curved shape with pink color like a half moon manicure on the bottom portion of the nail. Apply a second coat and fill it to the top. Take a metallic nail polish and create a half moon at the tip of the nail. Top it off with silver glitter. Apply the top coat.
13. Black and white manicure
Apply a navy coat. Take a dotting tool and apply white dots in the center. Take the medium dotting tool and apply white dots on either side of the center line. Take the smallest dotting tool and simply fill the rest of nails. You can apply a white coat and add navy dots to create a contrasting effect.
14. Delicate flower nails
Tutorial- cute polish
Start with a base coat. Paint your nails in sheer light pink. Take a dotting tool and create five black dots in a circle. Alternate and use white. Create another black flower below the white one. Use a toothpick to pull the dots towards the center. Place dots in the center of the flower. Apply top coat.
15. Easy all romantic vintage pink rose print
Tutorial – Yummly nails
Apply dark pink polish. Roughly paint five-petaled roses all over your nails. Take white polish and paint little C curves all over the roses. Paint small white leaves. Add top coat.
16. Subtle floral lace design in white and gray
Tutorial – Yummly nails
Add three coats of white polish. Take lace and thin gray paint. Wrap the lace around your nail and sponge gray paint. Add a coat of clear polish. Draw white petaled flowers randomly. Add white dots. Add top coat.
17. Black and gold water marble design
Tutorial – Yummly nails
Add top and coat nails with gold polish. Take water glass and start creating bullseye. Sweep the polish to create a pattern. Choose a spot and dip your finger. Remove the tape. Finish with top coat.
18. Crocodile skin design
Tutorial – Yummly nails
Apply silver polish onto the sponge and tap it onto the edge of the nails. Spread some glitter with a fan brush. Take a very fine hair net. Add top coat. Apply hair net. Use silver glitter or liner. Sprinkle glitter with a fan brush. Apply top coat. File the excess hair net so it stays longer.
19. Harvest waterfall nail art
Tutorial- My simple little pleasures
Apply black base. Choose your favorite sparkly colors and using long striper brush draw lines from the cuticle. Move to next color. Apply gold stripes to enhance the effect.
20. Red rose nails
Tutorial- Robin Moses Nail Art
Apply pink polish and add white nail polish at the tips. Draw thin lines with black nail striper. Use green to make flat leaves. Draw dark red roses. Add light red to give the layers. Finish off with top coat.
21. Hunger Games nail art
Tutorial- midniteblue
Apply black coat. Take purple nail polish and place five drops on the tips. Make S designs with the drops. Bring it to the middle of the nail. Again add white drops on the tips and repeat the S motion. Finish with top coat.
22. Neon pop art
Tutorial- Pinkflyingcow
Paint your nails white. Draw a black line across the middle. Fill the halves with colors of your choice. With a dotting tool keep black dots on one-half. Gently write the word POW and apply a white coat. Finally, add a pink coat to enhance the words. Play with your creativity for other fingers.
23. Easy henna tattoo inspired design
Tutorial – Yummly nails
Apply two coats of neutral polish. Paint two stripes on the tip of your nail. Paint three teardrop shapes above the stripes. Paint two arches above the teardrop patterns. Add dots above the arches and between the teardrops. Draw a teardrop pattern above the arches. Apply top coat.
24. Summer flowers Ombre gradient nail art
Tutorial- Love4nails
Apply hydrating base coat. Apply a milky coat. Dab yellow color to one side of the sponge. Apply to the bottom of nails. Dab the orange color to the sponge on the other side of yellow and apply to the tip of the nails. Dab gold color on the yellow area on the sponge and apply on the lower part of the nail. Add orange glitter the same way to sponge and then to the nail. Add shimmer over the entire nail. Take a small dotting tool and draw a flower with white polish. Keep a green stone in the middle.
25. Easy splatter party nails
Tutorial- Julie Ventura
Apply a base coat and paint the nail white. Put tape on each side around your nail. Start with a couple of drops of your first color. Add 4 to 5 drops of thinner. Dip your brush and tap it over the nail. Repeat with all the bright colors. Peel off the tape. Apply top coat.
26. Valentine’s Day heart nail art
Tutorial- Simple nail art designs
Fold a piece of tape in half and cut out half of heart. Use red, pink and white and a makeup sponge for the gradient. After the base color is dry, apply the tape and sponge on the gradient. Remove the tape and add a top coat.
27. Lightning bolt nails
Tutorial- Janelle Estep
Apply base coat and black color. Stick tape on half of your nails. Overlap and stick another tape over the base of the nail. Apply gold shimmer color onto the nails. Peel off the tape. Again place the tape over the nails and apply a white coat. Remove the tape. Apply top coat.
28. Water marble black and white swirl design
Tutorial- ilovemylongnails
Prep your nails with masking tape and white nail polish. Put black polish in a glass of water and add the white polish. Repeat to get the marbling effect. Make a swirly pattern in the water. Drop your nail in. Hold it still in the water for few moments. Carefully take nail polish off the water. Carefully take the tape off.
29. Fishtail braid manicure
Tutorial- Jenny Claire Fox
Paint your nails with one of the three colors. Draw a pink cross line. Draw a purple line and it looks like X. Apply the colors crisscross as shown in the picture. The result is a beautiful fishtail braid design.
30. Galaxy nails
Tutorial- Jenny Claire Fox
Apply blue nail polish to the nails. Take some blue glittering polish and apply onto the sponge. Dab it on your nails. Take silvery gray color dab it on to the sponge and apply on the nails. Take the pink color dab it onto sponge and apply on your nails. Apply glittery top coat and that’s it.
Nail art can be therapeutic. Seeing these amazing designs applied on your nails can relieve your stress and make you feel good. Since these are easy to do, you can do it all by yourself in the comforts of your home.
Try these designs and have fun.
