I have fallen out of love with nail polish in recent years. Nail polish used to be so intriguing, and as a young teen, I was obsessed with water marbling and intricate nail art (even though time and frustrating time again, my dexterity failed me and I ended up furiously scrubbing my hands with acetone minutes after starting). Throughout high school, I found myself eschewing polish in favor of bare nails, citing time, mess and a lack of inspiration as reasons for my disinterest. However, in recent years, nail art has gotten a huge upgrade, with artists favoring mod, eye-catching designs over the busy neon patterns and concerning nail shapes of my childhood. I’ve found myself inspired by nail art nowadays, free of the wariness that for so long kept me away. Hopefully, though, with these tutorials in hand, nail art will cease to be the forgotten fashion accessory of years past. The following designs are fun, fresh and, most importantly, easy. With just a few colors (each design can be customized using whatever polishes you may own), as well as simple household items such as tape and Band-Aids, you’ll be well on your way to looking just like a NYC trendsetter.
1. Upgraded French Tips
You don’t have to worry about looking like a bridesmaid with this manicure. All you need for this simple-yet-stylish look is some nude polish, a bright cherry red polish, and a box of small Band-Aids. To achieve this look, paint two coats of nude polish on each nail, and let dry completely. Cover all but the tip of your nail with the Band-Aid, rounded edge parallel to the rounded tip of the nail. Paint the uncovered portion of the nail red, and peel the Band-aid off before the red polish dries. Let the red polish dry completely, and finish the look with a glossy top coat.
2. Geometric Minimalist
Blocky and fun, yet still polished (pun intended), this manicure is the perfect accessory for any look. To begin, paint nails with a thin layer of glossy top coat, and let dry. Cover the bottom two thirds of your nail with tape, and paint the top third with a fun color, such as chartreuse, persimmon or stormy gray. Peel off the tape, and let the polish dry. When dry, tape off half of the freshly painted tip as well as the entire bottom of the nail. With another color, paint the very tip of the nail, peel off the tape, let dry, and apply a final layer of top coat all over the nail.
3. Artsy, Asymmetrical and Alluring
This asymmetrical manicure is chic, modern and eye-catching. For the red side, begin with two coats of an orange-red polish. Once completely dry, tape over all but one top corner of the nail. On the exposed corner, paint over the red with a sky blue polish. Peel off tape, let dry and finish with a top coat. For the neutral side: Begin by painting your entire nail with a white polish. Once it is dry, tape over the bottom half of the nail, and paint the exposed top half with a light pink polish. Let dry completely. Use some black or brown polish and a striping brush to paint three horizontal lines on one side of the nail. Let dry, then apply top coat.
4. Sophisticated Confetti
This super-cool manicure requires very little effort. Begin by painting your nails with two generous coats of polish in any color you like (for fall, this reddish pumpkin orange is very fitting). While the polish is still wet, use tweezers to carefully place sequins (such as these) on the bottom corner of your nail, in a scattered, haphazard fashion. Paint over the entire nail with top coat to cement everything in place.
5. Semi-Precious, Totally Charming
The appeal of this manicure relies on the use of enchanting pastels and colorful gems to create a chic-yet-unique nail look. Begin by painting your nails with two generous coats of a pastel polish (such as lavender, mint or a muted orange). While the polish is still wet, use tweezers to carefully place two gemstones (such as these), one above the other, on the bottom half of your nail. Add a top coat to seal everything in, and you’re done! For some extra visual interest, use a bigger stone and a smaller stone on each nail; this look can be endlessly customized, depending on the color of the base polish and the placement, shape, size, and color of the gems used.