The Beginner's Guide To Nail Art

Delving into the world of nail art can be quite off putting when you’re surrounding by amazing designs and intricate art that may seem impossible to recreate yourself. The truth of the matter is that nail art is a skill that’s incredible easy to improve on, so if you don’t have the confidence to step outside your basic enamel comfort zone, then it’s time to poke your head out and see what nail art has to offer.
It can be intimidating for those who are inexperienced in the world of nail art to know the differences between items like foils and wraps, or how to apply appliques, but with a little knowledge you’ll be able to tell them apart and choose the ones that suit you best.
Some of the most popular forms of nail art include:-

• 3D Appliques – These enhancements can come in all manner of designs and are easily applied using nail adhesive. Although they look particularly gorgeous on every nail, a lot of people like the go for the minimalist look and wear them on a select finger on each hand.
• Crystals – possibly one of the most glamorous looking, nail art crystals will make you feel like a super star and are simple enough to apply. If you have larger fingers or lack a steady grip, place each crystal onto the nail using nail adhesive.
• Foils – These are used for giving your fingers the most unique looks and effects that other methods can’t quite put off. Once again these are applied using nail adhesive and are usually extra shiny.
• Glitter – There’s no nail art that wouldn’t look even better without a glittery addition, but glitter is also great for transforming the nails for the evening or creating frostier looks during the festive season.
• Stickers – The simple application of nail art stickers make them a favourite to use when you’re running low on time. Whilst there are designs for the whole nail, there are also different looks and shapes for just a portion of the nail.
• Wraps – these are super easy to apply and come in a range of intricate designs that was be next to impossible to recreate yourself. They work in a similar way to stickers, and once fastened to the nail the excess that overlaps the nail can be easily filed away.

An added benefit of stocking up on some nail equipment are that nail art supplies are actually very cheap to come by, so even if you’re just practising, you can replace or get more items easily.
There are numerous nail art designs that are easy to create yourself, it just takes a little time and yours or a willing friends hands. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to recreate some of the harder looking designs that fill the web. The gradient effect is a skill that that every beginner and seasoned nail pro will love to grace their finger nails, and despite it’s professional look it can be easy to create yourself!
To recreate this style you’ll need:- Two different nail enamels, a top coat, a sponge, and plastic sheet!

1. Using the lighter shade of the two enamels as a base coat, cover your nails and wait until they’re completely dry.
2. Using the plastic sheet, place both nail enamels side by side on the sheet, and mix slightly where they meet using a toothpick.
3. Using your sponge, dab is down onto the blended colours a couple of times.
4. Once there is a generous amount, dab this directly onto the finger in and up and down motion.
5. Once you’re satisfied with the appearance you can add your topcoat to even out the texture.

There’s every chance you’ve made a mess around the fingers and cuticle areas, so apply a little bit of nail varnish remover on these areas, but be careful not to erase all your hard work!
Nail art is a fun hobby to get into, and the easiest way to get better is to keep at it and practise on friends and family. There are plenty of sites such as Pinterest that have a number of unique nail arts for beginners to try out, and perhaps soon it'll be you who submits your original ideas.


Guest Post Written By: Tifanny Beeson
Tifanny Beeson runs her own nail art blog where she posts tutorials on how to create the easiest nail art.