You've bought your own gel manicure kit, but now what? With so many bottles and tools contained within, it can be overwhelming figuring out where to start. Here a few pro tricks and tips to ensure your manicure stays long-lasting, featuring the Gelish Basix Kit ($50). On Kirbie: Forever 21 necklace and Cameo shirt.
From the amazing soundtrack to the designer costumes, there's plenty of Jazz Age inspiration from The Great Gatsby, and I turned to the art deco style of the period for this striking nail design. This look is surprisingly easy to DIY; all you need are scissors, tape, and black and gold polish.
First, I applied two coats of Nails Inc. Black Taxi ($10) over my base coat. Once my nails were dry, I started cutting pieces of tape into small triangles to form the angular design. (You can see how the technique works from this starburst nail art tutorial.) I placed the cut pieces of tape onto the parts of my nail that I wanted to stay black, using three pieces of tape per nail to create four gold points shooting out from the base of my nail. Once the tape was laid down, I went over my nails with the gold-toned Deborah Lippmann Nefertiti ($19). I made sure to rip the tape off right after, or else you won't get crisp lines as the polish dries. Next, I added a little flapper flair with the glittering Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow ($20) on top of the gold polish. Seal everything in with your favorite top coat, throw on a sparkling headband, and you're ready to hit a Gatsby party.
The stars and designers alike get all decked out from head to toe for the Costume Institute Benefit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the manicures are no exception. We're zooming in on all the polish details for your up close look. Just keep clicking!
Ciaté is known for taking the nail-art trend from the streets to the comfort of your own home with its easy DIY kits, like this Very Colourfoil Manicure Set ($25). The end result is a colorful and intricate design that looks far more complicated than it really is. To see how to use this genius kit, just keep reading.
We've been painting on pastel and springtime hues as soon as they hit shelves, but now that it's actually sunny and warm outside, we're rounding up the best new nail colors to try for May. From bold, bright hues to textured formulas and even a fun nail art kit, you won't want to miss our top polish picks this month. Just keep clicking!
After spotting Bella Thorne's Summery nail art at the Iron Man 3 premiere, I was dying to re-create the simple design. What makes the look stand out is the complementary color combination of yellow and blue, but the design itself is very simple. I started off with a coat of Essie First Base ($8), and then I applied two coats of Chanel Le Vernis in Mimosa ($27), leaving my ring fingers bare. Next, I applied two coats of Essie Bikini So Teeny ($8) to my ring fingers. While the paint was still wet, I used a dotting tool to create the random white spots with Chanel Le Vernis in Eastern Light ($30). A high-shine polish, Essie Good to Go ($10) topped off this cheerful style.
Like what you see? Then be sure to check out even more manicure ideas on our Ultimate Nail Guide!
When it comes to double-take manicures, like this full-lashed eyeball nail art look, Ke$ha is no stranger to the out-of-the ordinary. But this isn't the first time the singer shared her love for the eye-catching design. Earlier this year, Ke$ha showed off an impressive set of eyeball nails (pictured below), which were pointed at the end to resemble the real deal. Other stars have also presented their own takes on the microtrend. Sophia Bush painted an Eye of Ra symbol as an accent nail a few months back, and Alexa Chung showed off an evil eye nail art look early last year. Would you set your sights on this style?
Nail appliques have made it possible to create a salon-style manicure practically any time, any place. In our latest episode of Lazy Girls' Guide to Beauty, host Jackie Perdue shares how to fake a perfect manicure in a flash with these easy steps.
Into every life, a little nail polish must fall. But just because you accidentally lacquered your skirt, desk, or couch doesn't mean the stuff has to stay there. The faster you act, the better off you'll be, and most materials respond well to solvents you already have lying around the house. See our easy polish-stain fixes now.
For the good side of nail polish, be sure to check out our ultimate nail guide!
Zooey Deschanel has made a name for herself in the nail art world, and it's all thanks to celebrity nail technician Tom Bachik, who has also created red carpet nail designs for Jennifer Lopez and Anne Hathaway, too. We sat down with Bachik to discuss the upcoming trends of the season, and he even spills his tips on getting red-carpet-worthy manicures without spending your afternoon at the salon. On Kirbie: Bebe dress.
