This Valentine’s Day, have the best manicure of all of your friends with these awesome V-Day manicure ideas brought to you by sisters Donne and Ginny Geer of “Hey, Nice Nails.”
Look #1: Ignite some sparks with this mani’s subtle shimmery sparkle.
This first look is called “Rose Glitter Fade.”
What you’ll need: a clear basecoat, sheer pink polish, pink glitter polish, a dotting tool, a clear topcoat and 10 flat back rhinestones
How to do it:
- Apply your clear basecoat then apply two coats of your sheer, pink polish. Let it dry.
- Open your bottle of glitter nail polish and wipe the brush on the inside of the bottle’s neck so there isn’t too much polish.
- Place the tip of the glittery brush at the edge of the top of your nail. Pull the polish towards your cuticle, using light, quick strokes.
- Pour the flat backed rhinestones onto a flat surface and lay out your design.
- Use the small dotting to dot on some of the clear topcoat above your cuticle. Then, pick up your first rhinestone with the tool and press the gem into the topcoat dot.
- Cover your nail with a layer of fast drying topcoat and voila! You have the Rose Glitter Fade look.
Look #2: Say it with the nails that are cuter than candy
This look is called, “Crazy-Cute Conversation Hearts.”
What you’ll need: a clear basecoat, white nail polish, purple nail polish, pink nail polish, turquoise nail polish, yellow nail polish, a small and round paintbrush, aluminum foil, and a clear top coat
How to do it:
- Apply your clear basecoat then apply two layers of an opaque, white polish. Let it dry.
- Grab a second polish color and use the brush in it’s bottle to create simple heart tips. Nuzzle the tip of the brush into the side of your nail. Then, arc the brush up toward the middle and then back down off of your nail, making half of the heart. Repeat this on the other side for a symmetrical look.
- Open up a third polish color and repeat on the other nail. Make sure to switch up your polish colors for each nail.
- Pour some white polish on a piece of aluminum foil. Dip your small round paintbrush into the polish. Then, write a small message like “Kiss Me”—or your own personal V-Day message on one finger. Let this dry.
- Lock down the hearts with a clear topcoat.
Look #3: Keep boys on their toes with a menswear-inspired pattern in surprising, playful pink.
This look is called, “Whimsical Wingtips.”
What you’ll need: a clear basecoat, pink nail polish, white nail polish, aluminum foil, a small round paintbrush, dotting tool, striping brush, clear topcoat
How to do it:
- Apply your clear basecoat and then polish all of your fingernails with an opaque pink polish.
- Pour some opaque white polish onto the foil and use your small, round paintbrush to create a heart shape at the base of each fingernail.
- Pour the opaque pink polish onto the aluminum foil and dip your striping brush in it. Hold the brush horizontally over your nail, about halfway up the white heart shape. Press the striping brush down onto the nail, then pull it back toward the nail’s sidewall and off the nail to make a pink stripe. Put these pink stripes on all of your nails.
- Dip your smallest dotting tool into the white polish. Use the dotting tool to outline the heart shape with tiny dots. Try to make a trail of dots in the pink stripe as well. Repeat on all of your nails, and let your dots dry.
- Finish with a clear topcoat.
Look #4: Because you don’t need a ring to shine bright like a diamond
This look is called, “Blinging Accent Nails.”
What you’ll need: a clear basecoat, red nail polish, black and holographic glitter, striping paintbrush, aluminum foil, a small round paintbrush
How to do it:
- Apply your clear basecoat then cover your nails with the red polish. Let this dry.
- Choose an accent nail and tip your striping paintbrush into the black polish. Paint a triangle on the nail, with its tip slightly closer to your nail’s free edge.
- Paint a smaller thin, black line above the base of the triangle and connect the lines to create a diamond shape.
- Pour some holographic glitter polish onto a piece of aluminum foil and fill in the diamond shape with your small, round paintbrush.
- Once the glitter is dry, add details to the diamond. Use black polish and your striping brush to create two lines in the bottom triangle of the diamond. Continue those lines into the diamond’s upper segment.
- Paint a small V shape in the middle of the top segment of the diamond to connect the lines you painted in the last step. This creates the look of diamonds’ signature facets.
- Apply a clear topcoat.
If you loved these manicures, you can find more in Donne and Ginny’s Book, Nail Candy: 50+ Ideas for Totally Cool Nails. What look will your nails be showing off this Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments below!