How to get perfect nails with these DIY effects

Perfect nails are the best way to finish off any look, and nothing ruins a well put together outfit like messy or chipped nail polish. You don’t have to go to a salon to get perfect nails; if you dedicate a little time and energy to doing your own nails, you can easily come up with designs and patterns that look wonderful.

Here are some ways that you can create fantastic effects on your nails at home, with tools you can find around the house.

You probably won’t be able to find nail transfers laying around the house, but they really are one of the best ways for you to create intricate and perfect designs in almost no time.

Nail transfers can be found with the nail polish in chemists and beauty stores and come in all shapes, colours and sizes to suit the look you are trying to get. Just apply them to wet nail polish and then apply a coat of clear polish over the top to hold them in place.

Candy striped nail polish can seem like quite a complicated style to pull off. With a few simple tricks you can easily get perfectly straight striped nail polish though.

Choose two colours that look great together, or even clashing colours for a unique look. Apply the first colour in two coats to make sure that it stands out and wait for it to dry completely. You can then use nail tape, or even normal tape cut into thin strips, to create thin stripes across the nail. Apply your second colour over the top and then peel off the tape for perfect stripes.

Polka dots are a great retro look that is so easy to pull off you may find yourself always with one or two polka dot nails!

All you need to do is choose two contrasting colours and paint the lighter colour on in two coats. Then get a bobby pin and dip it into the darker colour, dabbing it onto the nail for quick and easy polka dots.

You can write messages or draw your own graffiti onto your nails for a really funky look.

You can buy nail art pens that allow you to draw nail varnish more precisely, but if you don’t have one to hand, you can simply use a sharpie for the same effect. Sharpie will wipe off easily with nail varnish remover when you want to take it off.

Matte nail varnish is available, but if you have a colour of gloss that you love, all you need to do is add a little cornstarch and mix it thoroughly to create a matte look that will last.

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