Women have painted their nails for years and years but with the introduction of nail art our nails are looking bolder and brighter than ever. We can create literally any design we choose using a range of specialised brushed and pens, stickers, outlines and much more. You wouldn’t believe how amazing some of the designs look or how easy they are to create. That said, here’s fifty of my favourite nail art designs…

1. Frosty Glaze

This design looks like frost on a winder pane and, despite it’s looks, is incredibly easy to do. Simply paint on your white undercoat, stick on some outlining tape, paint on your top coat and peel off the tape. Voila!

2. Minions

Withe the release of Despicable Me 2 Minions are more popular than ever. So long as you have a steady hand then there’s no reason you can’t have these loveable little creatures on your nails.

3. Polkadots

For this design I recommend using nail stickers to creature your design. For this, a steady hand simply won’t be enough to create this intricate look.

4. Polkadots and Cats

Why not mix up your polkadot look and turn one of your nails into something even more exciting. I simply love this design which incorporates an easy to paint cat. The use of only two colours makes this style so easy to do.

5. Green Flash

This is a great way to make the most of your favourite colours by shading various tones of it together. This makes for a bold yet elegant look.

6. Face Up

To create this look paint on your tips in  bold colour then simply get creative with your nail art pens. Be as wacky as you like!

7. Colouring Tradition

Who says manicures need to be simply flesh and white? Why not mix it up and experiment with some bold colours while still using this timeless style?

8. Speckled

Nail art doesn’t have to be hard to create. More and more bands are brining out polishes such as this which means you can simply paint a bold colour directly onto your nails. Easy!

9. Colour Blush

Grey nail polish needn’t have to be boring. Adding a few multicoloured polkadots is a great way to spice it up and bring your nails to life.  This is a great look, especially come winter.

10. Simple Spots

If you’re not too confident with your nail art abilities then this simple style is a great place to start. It’s so easy to create yet looks incredibly stylish!

11. Watermelon Crazy

This is a perfect look for summer! As the watermelon doesn’t have distinct lines it means it doesn’t matter if your hand isn’t too steady either. Paint away and see what happens!

12. Zig Zag

For this look it’s essential that you use some tape to guide you. Sadly no one’s hand is steady enough to create this work of art without a little help. Try experimenting with colours to see what you can create.

13. Easter Chicks

This is a perfect look for easter and spring time. It’s incredibly cute too! You could also try doing some rabbits instead of chicks if you wanted to be adventurous. Or why not throw and egg in there too?

14. Daisy Crazy

Once you’ve painted on your coloured tips it’s all too easy to get your nail art pens out and fashion these lovely daisies. They take only seconds to create but my the look fabulous!

15. Aztec

The  Aztec pattern really is at the height of fashion right now so why not use it for your nails too? Admittedly this style does take a fair bit of time to create but I’m sure you’ll agree the results are worth it.

16. Simple Swish

This is another design that’s ridiculously easy to create. Simply paint your base layer, add some guide tape, and paint on your alter net colour. Done! I love these colours but this is a style which is great to experiment with too. Be as creative as you like!

17. Add A Little Sparke

This design may look complicated but with the right nail varnish it takes only minutes to create. Simply paint on your base layer, let it dry, and add a little sparkle starting from the top down. I think I’ll try this myself this afternoon!

18. Bold and Bright

If you don’t have time to do a design on all your nails then just doing one can look just as good. I especially love this design as it’s easy, eye-catching, bold, and doesn’t take a lot of time to do.

19. Christmas Bows

This is a great Christmas design that’s super easy t create. To create your bows all you have to do is paint two small, sideways hearts along your tip and then add the loose lines.

20. Fruit Crazy

This is a true summer look that incorporates all your favourite fruits. It doesn’t have to be these fruits either – think strawberries, apples, anything you want!

21. Be My Valentine?

Add a little love to your nails for Valentine’s Day by doing this simple design. All you need is three colours, a steady hand, and you’re set!

22. Buzzy Bees

This is one of my favourite summer designs. Alongside the fact that it looks great, I love the fact that it’s ridiculously easy to create. You can even buy some goggly eyes if you don’t fancy painting them on for extra easiness.

23. Comic Crazy

For those of you who love comics or have a geeky side then this design may be for you. It takes the classic comic strip and uses the design to bring life to your nails. Pow!

24. Simple Stripe

When I first started out doing nail art I really wasn’t very good. I was clumsy, didn’t know where to begin, and the results weren’t great. This is one of the designs that helped me to step away from that. It taught me how to use guide tape, how to block colours, and wielded some fantastic results. This is a great starting point for the novice nail artist.

25. Fall/Halloween Sparkle

These nails are great for fall or halloween. They’re so festive and the added sparkle gives them a little something extra in my opinion. This is another design that’s oh so simple to do, great for those of you who are beginners when it comes to nail art.

26. Beaded Nails

You can create beaded nails such as this in either one of two ways. One, you can buy a specialised polish which has the beads already in it (not the greatest option in my opinion) or you can buy nail beads and sprinkle them onto wet polish, using tweezers to drop any in places that have been missed.

27. Cartoon Style

This is one of my favourite nail art designs.It transforms your nails from ordinary to cartoon and really adds a bit of bold creativeness to your look. This is a great one to experiment on colours with and looks great as everyday wear or goes fantastic at a costume party.

28. Purple Pulse

This design looks incredibly simple but somehow there’s an elegance to it. You’ll need to use guide tape but still this design doesn’t take long to create. Again, why not experiment with colours to see what other great designs you can come up with?

29. Flower Power

To create this look you can either go freehand, use a guide or, my personal favourite, you can simply buy beautiful flower stickers to add to your base layer. I know, it’s cheating, right? Well, no, experimenting with different methods is what nail art is all about. Well, that and beautiful nails!

30. Disney Classics

If you’re an avid Disney fan then you’ll love this! It takes the best of Mickey and Minnie, colour and all, and used them to create loveable nails. I’ve also seen people use all their other favourite Disney characters such as Winnie the Pooh and the 101 Dalmatians to create unique design too.

31. Sleek and Sexy

This design takes the usual manicure look and really adds new life to it. By mixing such bold colours and adding a few sticker gems it brings this traditional look into the twenty-first century. These colours are perfect for at a party but you can also mix it up and use pastels, metallics, and much more.

32. Newspaper Nails

To create this look you literally do use newspapers. Simple paint on your white base coat, let it dry, dip your nails in alcohol and then press the newspaper to the nail. After a few moments gently peel away the newspaper and you’ll be left with this stunning design. This is definitely one of my favourites!

33. Daisy Crazy Two

Here’s another daisy crazy design for you all (can you tell they’re my favourite flower?). This one is again ridiculously simple to do I’m sure a child could do it. You just need a relatively steady hands, some nail art pens, and you’re set. Why not see what other flowers you can create too?

34. Zebra Splash

These nails are fab for making a statement and blending bold colours with this wild design. You can paint this freehand but when I’ve done it I’ve cheated and simply used stickers to create the zebra look. It really depends on how much time you have to spare and how steady your hand is.

35. Colour Splash

This design really does bring your nails to life. Here it’s been done using florescent colours but in reality you can use any colours you want. I always find mixing and matching to be the best way, don’t just stick to one or two colours. Or why not use one colour but in lots of different shades? That always looks ace!

36. Winter Warmers

This is a great winter look but one which you’ll probably need to use various methods to create. It’s not a case of simply going freehand (though you could try!) or using one particular stencil. You’ll have to use all the tricks in your toolbox to make this one work!

37. Elegant Flowers

A lot of the flower designs we’ve seen so far have been stylish but maybe not appropriate for all occasions. This design however is a little more refined making it suitable for office wear, christenings, weddings, and much more. I’m even considering this look for my bridal nails!

38. Skull Candy

This spooky design is perfect for halloween. It’s really easy to do and it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a steady hand. In fact, a mistake here and there will only add to the spooky effect. You could even alternate your nails between skulls, pumpkins, ghosts, or even just plain black and white nails.

39. Retro Swirls

These nails really are retro to say the least. For me they bring to mind the sixties, flower power and all that sort of stuff. I’ve seen people freehand this style but if I’m honest you’ll be much quicker investing in some stickers to create this effect, otherwise this look may take you all day to do!

40. Simple Stripes

For those of you wondering how to create a striped look with guide tape then here’s how. I bet you didn’t expect it to be that easy did you? I certainly didn’t! This is a great way to experiment with colours and find out which ones work for you. Once you’ve mastered this technique then it’s time to move onto something a little more complex.

41. Lemon Love

Yellow is undeniably a summer colour so with summer fast rolling around why not try out this fabulous lemon coloured design? You can create it using the technique outlines in the tip above and be as creative as you dare. Be bold! Be colourful! Be beautiful!

42. Giraffe Crazy

This is a truly wild design that brings your nails to life. Leaving one nail bare of the pattern to add a splash of colour also ensure it’s not too overpowering, something which can spoil your look.

43. Mario Madness

If you, like countless others, played the classic game Mario as a kid (or maybe you still do!) then you’ll love this design. It’s cute, it’s retro, it’s geeky, and it’s also really simple to do. You can pick out any of the characters or symbols in Mario’s world to use, choose whatever you fancy or whatever you remember most about the classic game.

44. Lite As A Feather

These feathers nails are fabulously stylish and perfect for a party if you ask me. You can buy stickers to create this look but if I’m honest this is one of the rare occasions where you’re better off going freehand to create this look. You can use any colours you like but  black and gold or black and silver look the best in my opinion.

45. Kiwi Crazy

Here’s another fabulous look for summer! It takes one of our favourite fruits and uses it to create gorgeous nails that everyone will be eyeing up. Again, freehand is your best option for creating this design, just be sure your hand is relatively steady first.

46. Fly Away Nails

Birds are at the height of style just now and are appearing on all our clothes and accessories. It only makes sense that they now appear on our nails too. You can try this design in a variety of styles but personally simple black and white looks the best. It’s effective, it’s eye-catching, and it’s classic.

47. Colour Pallette

As I’ve already shown nail art doesn’t have to be hard but now I’d like to show you and even more basic look. This is still nail art but in it’s most simplest form. You’re literally taking your favourite colour and using all it’s shades to create a bold, sleek, and stylish design. It’s simple but it works!

48. Summer Fun

On the completely opposite end of the scale you could try a fabulously complex design like this. I admit, it will likely take you hours to do but if you’ve got the time to spare then I’m sure you’ll agree that the results are well worth the hassle.

49. Frosty the Snowman

Here is another wonderful Christmas design. As you’re not painting a complex snowman on each nail this design is actually simple to do. I love how Frosty is spread out across three nails as it really ties to look together and, like I said, makes it easier to create. I’ve also seen people do this design with Rudolph too. Maybe you could do one on each hand?

50. Blood Dripped Halloween

This makes for an unbelievably simple halloween design which you can paint on in mere minutes. Despite it’s simplicity, it’s really spooky and will go perfect with your costume if you’re dressing up. When I’ve done this, I’ve also painted things like scars onto my nails too for added effect. If you’re going to be out after dark, you can also use glow in the dark polish to make your look extra memorable.

When you’re painting your nails always be sure to remember to paint yourself a base coat and a top coat so that your nail art stays in place for longer. It helps, trust me. If you’ve enjoyed this article then please let me know! Thanks for reading!

(all images courtesy of pinterest.com)

It might as well be a fact that women love nail polish. Even if they don’t like wearing it, they’re sure to love admiring it. There’s just something about the way it illuminates our fingernails and draws attention to them.

If you’re a fan of wearing nail polish you’ve probably not only fallen in love with it but also cursed the stuff too. We’ve all been there, me included, we’ve all spent a ridiculous amount of time making sure our nails are painted with perfect precision and then, all too soon, the varnish begins to chip. Sometimes it can take a day or two and sometimes it happens within a few short hours – either way it’s incredibly frustrating.

I love painting my nails but sometimes I have to wonder What’s the point?. It’s not like it’s going to last long anyway. I’m not ready to give up on nail varnish just yet though and that’s why I’ve been busy researching these seven great tips to make your nail polish last longer. I’ve tried and tested them all and believe it or not, they work!

Always Start With Nail Polish Remover

If your nails are bare to begin with then this tip probably seems silly to you. It did to me too but trust me on this. Always, always rub some nail polish remover over your nails and fingertips before you start painting. This will remove any excess oils from your skin and nail beds which could potentially do damage to your newly painted nails.

Use A Base Coat

Using a clear base coat not only gives you a smooth surface on which to paint your color but also helps to protect your nails. Some nail varnishes can be tough on your nails and can leave your nails discolored after you remove it, especially darker ones. The base coat stops the varnish from touching your nail, preventing a possible chemical reaction.

You’ll notice a wonderful difference when painting onto a base coat instead of the nail. The finished result is much smoother as the base coat has already covered any cracks or dents in the nail which could cause chipping or peeling.

Add A Bit Of Sparkle

I’m not sure if it’s a fact or not but I’m sure we can all agree that sparkly nail varnish is a nightmare to remove. This may seem like a curse but, if we want out nail varnish to last longer, it can also be a blessing. Using a sparkly nail varnish will ensure your nails stay luscious for longer, even if it is for the most annoying of reasons.

Keep The Layers Thin

When applying color, it’s always recommended to paint on two layers to make the color stand out. Instead of applying two reasonably thick coats, I recommend applying three or even four incredibly thin coats. The thin coats tend to crack and chip less opposed to thick ones but because you’ve put more layers on you still get the same shining color.

Allow Your Nails Plenty Of Time To Dry

This tip is key. You can do everything else right but if you don’t allow your nails enough time to dry then it was all done in vain. Even if your nail varnish claims to be dry in 60 seconds, for your nails to last a fair amount of time you need to ignore this. Try to avoid doing anything much for at least an hour, the longer the better. If you’ve got some TV to catch up on or a new film to watch then now’s the time to sit down and relax. Plan to paint your nails when you can afford to take an hour or two out of your day and simply do nothing.

Moisturize

Make sure you keep your hands well hydrated for the entire time you’ve got nail varnish on. Dried out cuticles and skin will irritate your nail varnish, ultimately chipping it. If you moisturize often and keep your hands soft then you avoid this and, even better, your hands will look and feel gorgeous.

Use A Top Coat

Finally, make sure you always use a top coat to protect your color. I don’t just mean when you first paint your nails either – try applying a top coat once every three days (or quicker if you think your nails need it) and your nail varnish will be protected and look fab for much longer.

As an added extra, I will say you’re always better using a good quality nail varnish. Don’t go for the cheapest one on the shelf – even if you follow all these tips, your nail varnish will still wear off as quick as it always did if you buy cheap. You get what you pay for and when it comes to nail varnish that saying is especially true.

Let me know if you have any tips to add, I’m curious to know and my nails would much appreciate it.

Happy painting!

(All images via Pinterest.com)