Although getting your nails done at a salon can be relaxing, giving yourself a manicure at home can save money and time. But how do you spice up boring, plain colors and add some fun to your nails? Nail art of course! Although it looks extremely difficult, nail art can be easy to do yourself if you have the right tools. Keep reading to find out the five most important products needed to create simple, fun nail art at home!
Dotting Tools
Whether you’re into polka dots or stripes, dotting tools are an easy way to add designs to your nails. The DragonPad 5-piece set ($1.88) offers different-sized heads so you can vary dot and line sizes. However, if you don’t want to spend the money a sewing pin stuck in the eraser of a pencil works just as well!
Wedge Makeup Sponge
If you’ve ever seen a cool gradient nail design on Pinterest or Instagram, it was most likely done with a makeup sponge ($4.99), probably using the technique I used to create the Kappa Alpha Theta nails. Although your friends will think it looks insanely cool and difficult, you’ll know how easy it was to create such a unique mani.
Angled Nail Art Brush
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, nail polish makes its way onto your skin. But have no fear; it’s extremely easy to remove. Just dip an angled brush ($4.20) in some nail polish remover and brush it around your cuticles to remove the paint. (Hint: A q-tip works just a well, but the brush can be used for nail art designs as well so it serves a double function.)
Nail Art Stripers
These polishes are great for making straight, thin lines. Instead of normal polish brushes, they each come with a long, thin brush that's easier to create precise lines and designs with. I recommend getting this Kiss Nail Art set ($7.61) to start off; you'll get a couple of great basic shades that you'll use often.
Hole Reinforcements
This might seem like a weird thing to see as a nail art too, but trust me—these things are great! Whether you want to create a French manicure or half moon mani (like Lauren Conrad's, below), reinforcements ($2.24) are great for preventing paint from getting where you don’t want it. Another home product that can be used for nail art is Scotch tape, which can used to make straight lines.
That's it, collegiettes—my top five products to create cool nail art. If you've ever done your own nail art, leave a comment below telling me what other products you've used to create your designs!