Tutorial: Polka Dot Nails
I love doing my nails and I love finding new and cool designs to put on them. When I want something a little bit more than just one plain color but don't really feel like putting in too much effort, basic polka dots are my go to. It's so easy and it gives your manicure that little something extra.
What You'll Need:
- Two nail polish colors of your choice. I'll be using Samoan Sand and Black Onyx by OPI
- Clear Top Coat and Base Coat
- Cuticle Oil/Lotion, Nail File, and Nail Clippers
- One q-tip
Step 1:
I usually begin by clipping and filing my nails to my desired length. I then massage in cuticle lotion, get rid of any excess cuticle, and then push them back. This provides a blank base and I'm ready to begin. The next thing I do is apply a clear base coat. I use Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails because my nails tend to be a little bit frail and this helps strengthen them. I give this about five minutes to dry before moving on.
Step 2:
Next I take OPI's Samoan Sand and apply one coat. I wait another five minutes and apply a second coat. Now, because this is not a very pigmented color you may need more than two coats. I usually apply three. The trick to applying more than two coats without it getting sticky is to apply them very very thinly. The thinner the coat and the longer you wait between applications, the better chance you'll have of getting a nice, clean finish. I have on three coats in the picture below.
Step 3:
After your base coat is completely dry, you need to take your q-tip and remove the cotton tip from one end. You can either do this by pulling off the cotton or cutting the tip off completely (as long as the cut is completely even; I usually use my nail file to ensure that it's level). This is what you will use to make the polka dots. Now I take OPI's Black Onyx, dip the q-tip into the polish as needed and apply three dots to make something of a triangle. Use your judgement here as to where you fill in the rest of the polka dots. Continue with this technique until you've finished both hands and let dry completely. I usually wait fifteen to twenty minutes before continuing to the next step.
Step 4:
Once your manicure is completely dry, take your preferred Top Coat and apply one even coat to ensure a long lasting manicure. Make sure you let it dry completely and you're done!
Polka dots are always my go-to manicure and there are so many ways to make it different. There are an endless amount of color combinations. You could use two to three different colors for the polka dots or even do a different color on every nail. It's so simple and it really takes your manicure to a whole new level. Hope you enjoyed this post and if you have any questions just ask!
Step 2:
Next I take OPI's Samoan Sand and apply one coat. I wait another five minutes and apply a second coat. Now, because this is not a very pigmented color you may need more than two coats. I usually apply three. The trick to applying more than two coats without it getting sticky is to apply them very very thinly. The thinner the coat and the longer you wait between applications, the better chance you'll have of getting a nice, clean finish. I have on three coats in the picture below.
Step 3:
After your base coat is completely dry, you need to take your q-tip and remove the cotton tip from one end. You can either do this by pulling off the cotton or cutting the tip off completely (as long as the cut is completely even; I usually use my nail file to ensure that it's level). This is what you will use to make the polka dots. Now I take OPI's Black Onyx, dip the q-tip into the polish as needed and apply three dots to make something of a triangle. Use your judgement here as to where you fill in the rest of the polka dots. Continue with this technique until you've finished both hands and let dry completely. I usually wait fifteen to twenty minutes before continuing to the next step.
Step 4:
Once your manicure is completely dry, take your preferred Top Coat and apply one even coat to ensure a long lasting manicure. Make sure you let it dry completely and you're done!
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