There are so many reasons it’s important to take good care of your nails. Regular manicures can ensure that your nails grow healthy and strong. They also ensure you have a lower risk of damage or infection in the sensitive skin around your nail beds.
Proper nail care is also an excellent opportunity to showcase your style and artistic skills. Whether you’re a professional nail artist or you’re just looking for ways to get new designs you love without too much fuss, there’s a gorgeous, unique manicure or polish to fit your needs, and Nailboo is here to help you find it.
Not only do we offer an easy option for salon-style nails with at-home dip kits, but we also want to share all we’ve learned about proper nail care and manicures. Here are some great nail art designs that beginners can try (and master) with ease today.
What to Keep in Mind About Nail Care
Before you get started on your next manicure, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind about proper care and maintenance, including some of the following:
Take Care of Your Nails Before You Paint
A manicure can be both relaxing and rejuvenating, which is why you’ll want to take the time to trim, file, and apply oils and creams to your fingers. Well-cared-for nails also hold the paint or polish better, which means a longer-lasting manicure.
Removal Is Important
Different nail styles have different removal methods, but it’s important you follow them carefully. Chipping or scraping away at your existing polish can be very damaging. Nail options like acrylics require the use of acetone for proper removal.
You Have Many Style Options
A lot of styles are difficult to apply at home, especially if you’re a beginner, but it can be helpful to know what options are available to you. Check out choices like gels, acrylics, and shellac to see which one is best for you. Here at Nailboo, we love the dip polish look!
Shape Matters
One of the simplest ways to define your new look is with the shape of your nail, specifically for nail options like acrylics. Some of the nail shapes are harder to achieve at home than others, so check out your simpler options like oval, round, and square nails.
It’s Okay to Mess Up
Nail polish and manicures can be messy! If you try a new look you love, and it just doesn’t turn out right, don’t worry. Keep a little nail polish remover on hand and give it another go. When you try out something new, you can find a style or design you’ll want to keep coming back to.
Designs for Beginners
Once you have your style and shape in mind, you have several different nail options to pick from. While many of these choices can be upgraded or made more complex, they’re great for beginners looking to try out nail designs at home. Which will you try out first?
1. Colors
The simplest way to paint your nails is to find a color or color palette you really love and go for a gorgeous uniform look. Alternate your favorite colors or pick a solid to fit the season and embrace it. With so many pretty colors to pick from, you can make this look unique, trendy, and chic. Plus, it’s a great place for beginner nail artists to get started.
2. Geometric
Geometric patterns look a lot more complicated than they really are. The best way to get geometric nails at home is through the use of nail tape. Allow your bottom layer of nail polish to dry completely. Then place your nail tape in the shape or design you like most and apply your next layer of color. Once you peel the tape away, you’ll have clean, stylish lines that are sure to impress.
3. Splatter
The beauty of a splatter paint design is that it’s meant to be messy, which makes it a great fit for beginner painters. Begin by painting your nails in a flat color. Once they’re dry, splatter paint by flicking the brush over your nails in whichever colors you like. A neon pattern is bright and fun for summer, or embrace the winter holidays with a green and white splatter design.
4. Polka Dots
Polka dots are a super adorable and easy pattern to try out at home, and they look great in just about any color combination. While you can find manicure tools designed specifically for the job, don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand. A bobby pin can also do the trick. Give your nails a clean base color, then dip the round head of your body pin in the dot color and apply in a random pattern as you like.
5. Accent Nail
Accent nails can be as easy or difficult to decorate as you would like, but they always look chic and fun. An accent nail can be as simple as a single nail in a different color from the rest of the set, or as complex as decals, decorations, and gems. Accent nails look great in glitter colors or can be used for a holiday palette.
6. Flowers
Flowers seem complicated, but think back to the simple polka dots. You can create an adorable daisy with the same bobby pin. Rather than just placing one dot, put your center dot in one color and then use another color to place dots around it, creating a petal-like look. Add a line of green if you want a stem and leaves.
7. Simple Tips
One way to make your nails look very dramatic is to give them a bold or colorful tip. The French tip is the most well-known, but you can pick any color you like. There are a few ways to go about doing this. You can get a consistent tip if you use nail tape and line off the top of your nail. Another way is to make a small puddle of the tip color and simply dip your tips in for a more organic look.
8. Beach Nails
If you want to follow a theme but you don’t want it to get too complicated, beach nails are a great option. Start with a light blue base for your nails and paint about halfway up from the base. Then use a light beige to create a squiggly, uneven layer on the remaining nail. Add in a small star or a fish for a cute ocean scene.
9. Newspaper Nails
Newspaper nails are so interesting and so easy to achieve. Start by applying a light neutral color to your nails. Then take an old newspaper and dip it into vodka. Lay it across your white or pink nails and allow it to sit for a moment. When you lift up the paper, you’ll see the print style and words across your nails. Finish with a protective topcoat.
10. Stamps and Decals
If you can’t free-hand a complicated design or style, don’t worry! Decals and stamps are a great option for getting the looks you love with clean lines every time. Decals work like stickers designed for your nail. With stamps, you’ll add the paint to the shape and then use your stamper to take the image and apply it to your nails. You can mix and match your stamps and decals with the colors and styles of your nail set for a unique look every time.
Conclusion
If you’re a beginner, there are so many gorgeous manicure styles and looks to pick from that you can try out without any extra training or guidance, and you’re sure to learn along the way. If you like straight lines and bold contrasts, geometric nails are a great option for you. If you prefer nails that have an organic, fluid style, check out splatter paint, floral décor, or even beach nails.
Not only are you working to give your nails a gorgeous new look with your own hand, but a proper manicure keeps your nails protected, reduces the risk of infection, and encourages strong, healthy growth for years to come.
When you’re on the search for more healthy nail care information and support, make Nailboo the team you turn to first. Our dip kits are very easy to use, and we share tons of unique and exciting resources for getting gorgeous new nail looks from the comfort of your home, no matter where you are in your nail art journey.
Sources:
A Comprehensive History of Polka Dots Throughout the Centuries | Cosmopolitan
