As summer winds down and a new school year begins, it’s the perfect time to refresh your style—including your nails! A fun and trendy manicure can be a great way to express your personality and start the school year with confidence. Whether you love bold colors or soft pastels, DIY nail art lets you get creative without spending a fortune at a salon.
1. Colorful Crayons
Brighten a dull day back with this crayon inspired mani. You can make lighter colors of your nail polish using white paint so that the tips can be painted in a darker color to highlight the design.
- Paint each nail a different bright color (such as pink, blue, green, purple, and yellow).
- Use a black nail polish or nail art pen to create wavy lines, mimicking crayon wrappers.
- Seal with a glossy top coat for a sleek finish.
2. Pencil Tips
This chic yet playful look combines soft pink nails with a bold yellow statement nail, separated by a touch of silver glitter for extra glam.
What You’ll Need:
- Pastel pink nail polish
- Bright yellow nail polish
- Silver glitter nail striping tape or fine glitter polish
- Base coat and top coat
- Nail tape (for clean lines)
- Nail art brush or thin striping brush
Step-by-Step Tutorial:
Start with a Base Coat – Apply a clear base coat to protect your nails and help the polish last longer.
Paint the Base Color – Apply two coats of pastel pink polish on all nails except one accent nail (typically the ring finger).
Create the Accent Nail – Paint the accent nail with yellow polish, covering the entire nail. Let it dry completely.
Add the Pink Tip – Once dry, use nail tape or a steady hand to paint the tip of the yellow nail with the same pastel pink polish.
Apply the Glitter Line – Use silver glitter polish or nail striping tape to separate the yellow and pink sections for a clean, polished look.
3. School Accessories
Mix up your nail designs by painting a school accessory on each nail such as an apple and a notebook.
What You’ll Need
To recreate this adorable back-to-school-themed nail art, gather the following supplies:
- Base coat and top coat for long-lasting results
- White, red, blue, and black nail polish
- Nail art brushes or a fine-tipped marker for details
- Dotting tool (or the tip of a bobby pin) for polka dots
- Striping tape or thin brush for clean lines
Step-by-Step Guide
- Notebook Paper Nails – Paint your nails white as a base. Using a thin brush, draw horizontal blue lines and a vertical red margin to mimic notebook paper. Add small details like “A+” to enhance the school theme.
- Smiley Apple Design – On one nail, paint a white base and let it dry. Use red polish to draw a small apple shape, and add a green leaf. Use a fine-tipped brush or marker to outline the apple and draw a smiley face.
- Red Polka Dot Accent – Paint one nail red and use a dotting tool to create white polka dots for a playful and vibrant touch.
- Paper Airplane Nail – Apply a white base, then use a thin black brush or marker to draw a paper airplane and a dotted flight path for a whimsical effect.
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