As much as I admire those who ritually go to the nail salon on a biweekly basis, it is never something that has been of utmost importance to me! Let’s face it, trips to the nail salon can be quite costly as they eat into both your wallet and your time. So if you are able to perfect the at-home manicure, then you are already eons ahead of others. Although, a simple shaping and polish definitely takes a little bit of trial-and-error, but once you get the hang of it, I promise you will be unstoppable! I am even going to throw in a few designs that I think anyone can implement into your manis, as well as all the supplies and polishes you might need to recreate the look without ever stepping outside. So without further ado, let’s dive into the easy nail art for short nails to try out at home.
Easy Nail Art for Short Nails to Try Out At Home
Growth Tips
First things first – you might be wondering but Kaye, what if it is hard for me to grow my nails? There is definitely a benefit of going to the nail salon on a regular basis if you are looking to achieve longer nails via acrylics or something similar. However, ensure you are doing all you can to increase the health of your own nails. There are a few tricks I like to implement to fortify my own:
- Take a biotin supplement (also promotes healthy hair)
- Eat more biotin rich foods
- Eggs, nuts, grains, bananas, soy, mushrooms, etc.
- Use a strengthening base coat
- Avoid nail biting and peeling
- Avoid glue or other toxins
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Glazed Donut Nails (Hailey Bieber Nails)
If you have been on TikTok or Instagram lately you know that there is a lot of buzz about Hailey Bieber’s signature manicure. Dubbed the ‘glazed donut nails’, this is exactly what they look like. A creamy, milky pearlescent that has a vintage charm. The best part of this particular manicure is that they happen to match with any outfit or occasion, making them a really great default manicure. Mrs. Bieber’s manicurist came out and told the world that she applied a thin coat of OPI’s Funny Bunny topped with a chrome powder for that addicting reflective detailing. But you can also achieve a similar look by utilizing a pearl polish.
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Multi-Colored French Tips
Nail down (literally) the classic, age-old french tip manicure by replacing the white with a multitude of colors. I am in love with the brighter combination for a real pop without necessarily being overwhelming for everyday wear. Admittedly, perfecting the french tip is certainly one of those looks that might take a few tries to get the motions down. My advice is to utilize an ultra fine brush to slowly create a smile-like shape on the top most part of the nail. Thus, the key to this easy nail art is to ensure that your nails are buffed, filed and shaped to perfection before applying any polish.
Pro Tip: If you find you don’t have a steady hand, try using this nail tape from Amazon.
Check Yes
Checkerboard prints have been all the rage in both fashion and decor. It has a Y2K inspired twist that everyone cannot seem to get enough of so why not replicate this design straight onto your nails? Rather than having to succumb to making every single nail on both hands into this pattern, why not pick one or two nails for the design and keep the rest solid? The result is a unique, fun look that is also a lot easier to do at home! For this easy nail art for short nails, you can either choose to use one color or a few different colors from within the same color family.
Cow Print
I was surprised when I came across this cow print design on Pinterest. I actually thought it was incredibly chic looking and it seems relatively easy to replicate, even if you do not have much nail art design practice! You do not even need that many supplies either. A base coat, white polish, black polish, and top coat is enough to do the trick.
Bonus: More Easy Nail Art for Short Nails
Glitter
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Nude
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Minimal Lines
Abstract