3 Super Cool (and Easy) Do-It-Yourself Manicures

It seems like lately, the Internet is chockfull of close-up pictures of girls gripping bottles of nail polish showing off their totally cool nail art. Now, the next time you’re propped in front of the TV with some time to kill, you can grab a few bottles of polish, a nail file and give those Internet girls a run for their money.

Reverse manicure – All you need for this manicure is one nude-colored polish, one non-shimmery bright-colored polish for the tips, a topcoat and French polish guides (you can get them at almost any drugstore).

First, file your nails so each has an equal amount of white at the end. If you’ve got short nails, just try to file them so they’re all the same length. Apply two to three coats of the nude polish to each nail and wait until they fully dry – at least 30 minutes.

Next, apply the polish guides to the nails on one hand. Stick them on so the top of the nail guide aligns with the bottom of the white part of your natural nail. Apply two coats of the bright polish above the guide. Wait about 10-15 minutes before pulling the guides off so they’re less likely to smudge. Do the same to your other hand, apply a topcoat and voila!

Geometry manicure – I don’t know if this type of manicure has a name, so I’ve dubbed it “the geometry manicure” because, you know, angles and stuff. Anyway, makeup artist Anna Marie’s blog inspired me to do this one.

Take the nude again, and apply one to two coats. Then take a darker colored polish, like a ruby, navy or teal. Start at the base of the nail and sweep a diagonal line to the tip on the opposite side. Try to have it be one continuous motion so the line is straight. Then do the same on the opposite side. Fill in the rest, leaving the little triangle shape at the base of your nail. Apply a second coat if necessary.

Accent nail manicure – There are infinite ways to create this design. You can make it totally simple or go crazy with the nail pens or even nail stickers.

The “accent nail” is usually on your ring finger.  Just apply two to three coats of a colored polish – but not too bright so the accent nail stands out – to every nail. Then take a glitter polish (Deborah Lippman makes great ones) and apply three to five coats on your accent nail. Done! Alternatively, you can do a muted or nude polish and paint your accent nail neon (see colors above).

If you have more time on your hands or want to get a little artistic, grab a nail art pen and decorate your accent nail with polka dots, zigzags or whatever your little heart desires.

So use these simple techniques to jazz up your own nails and prove that funky manicures aren’t just for girls on the Internet.

By: Caroline Cox | Image: Source, Source, Source

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