The Nail Art Craze

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- If you’re active on Instagram or Pinterest, there is no doubt you’ve seen it. Even flipping through the latest issue of any fashion or gossip magazine you can’t ignore it. In fact, there’s even a magazine dedicated solely to nail art. What women are wearing on their fingernails is now almost as important as what they’re actually wearing. Nail art is not just another accessory to an outfit; for some, nail art is a hobby. People post pictures of their most recent manicure all the time, whether it was done by professionals or it was their own handiwork. So how exactly did this trend get so popular so fast and how can anyone jump on board?

This trend started, like most do, with celebrities. Katy Perry and Lady Gaga can be considered highly responsible for getting nail art public with their funky fingernails that have been adorned with everything from studs to sushi. Though their particular style is not the common wear of every woman, some risk takers took inspiration from their crazy claws and toned it down for a more easy to wear look. The result was a new form of expression and a way to spice up any ensemble. Nowadays, the perfect outfit isn’t complete without a matching masterpiece on each of your nails.

Long gone are the days when a girl can slap on a coat or two of color and let it chip away for weeks. It seems there has to be some sort of edge or technique used in the manifestation of your mani. But don’t worry, not every nail has to be the Mona Lisa. You don’t have to be an artist to keep up with the latest nail trends. The question is, how does one get salon perfect nails without actually shelling out $40 to a professional nail artisit?

Many blogs and videos teach women how to get looks that add dimension and flair without being incredibly complex or breaking the bank. In fact, many looks can be achieved with nail polish already on hand with little extra effort. Simply adding an accent color on the ring finger can easily liven things up. Or say you want to put a twist on a classic French manicure. Take the current single color polish you’re wearing and add sparkly French tips. Layer a coat of shattered nail polish over a bright color for a fun surprise. For something out of the box, be the first of your friends to add contrast by applying a half moon above the cuticle of your nail. Say you want an even bolder look. Plenty of beauty stores offer dotting tools and striping brushes so you can do the detail work for your latest nail inspiration, although any fine point paint brush can do the job just as well. Some extra creative people even add texture to their tips by gluing on microbeads, lace, fuzz, or clay pieces.

There is no limitation on what can or can’t be done! But please, use discretion and keep in mind simple tasks like opening doors still need to be done no matter what is attached to your fingers. If just the thought of gluing and detailing with a shaky non-dominant hand stresses you out then don’t worry, there’s still hope. Many nail polish brands offer nail stamps or stickers. They give you the best of both worlds by providing intricate designs or textures and absolutely no messy nail polish blunders left on your skin.

If you’ve decided to try out the wonderful world of nail art but want to skip on the tools then here’s a simple look you can get with just two different nail polish colors and a piece of tape. Place one piece of tape diagonally across a fingernail leaving half exposed and half covered. Paint color number one over the exposed nail, let dry, the remove the tape. Viola! A perfect line. Swipe color number two across the remaining nail and you’ve got yourself a work of nail art. No problem if you mess up or get some on your skin, that’s what nail polish remover is for. No matter what path you take to glamorous nails make sure to post it online and you’ll be sure to get a lot of likes. Share your ideas on nail art in the comments below.