These days, merely painting your nails red isn’t really enough anymore; there are some brilliantly artistic and creative designs out there to transform your nail painting into real nail art.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be quite as complicated as it may seem; you don’t really need to go out and buy fancy tools or products, you just need some motivation!

We’ve compiled some of the best nail art hacks so that you can join the trend with ease, regardless of your creativity or perceived skill.

French Mani Touch Up

If your French mani still doesn’t come out perfectly even the way you want it, there’s an easy way to hide you’re your mistakes without the frustration of having to start all over again.

Get yourself a glitter pen from any stationery or craft shop and draw a line where the white meets the pink.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Karine

Scotch Tape is Your Friend

You don’t need the steady hand of a tattoo artist to create the perfect zig-zags or stripes; all you need is scotch tape to guide you.

Make sure the base color is dried for at least an hour before taping and painting again.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Birchbox

Lace Nails

Using the same technique as for the snake skin nails, you can take an old piece of lace, wrap it around your nail, and dab the nail polish on with a makeup sponge. An easy but complicated-looking lace nail design!

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Pinterest Originals

Love is in the Air

Hearts on nails are adorable, whether you want them all over or simply on one accent nail.

All you need to execute the perfect heart is a handy toothpick. Use the toothpick to make two equal-sized dots next to each other, and then drag each of them down at a 45 degree angle to meet at the bottom. Easy as that!

Thin Stripy Nails

For very thin, striped nails, you can use a fan brush. Once your base color has dried, dip the tips of the fan brush’s bristles in a different color and brush over your nail horizontally.

Wait for it to dry, then carry on with the process using any other colors you wish.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – SimpleNailArtDesigns

Color Pairings

If you want to combine two colors with your fancy nail art, follow this pairing chart to make sure your colors won’t clash.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Pinterest Originals

Cotton String

This is a really fun and interesting idea for innovative nail art: paint your base coat and let it dry, then add a clear coat and drape and loop the cotton string so that it sticks to the still wet coat. Once it has dried, top it off with another clear coat so that the string will stay in place. You can finish it with the Christmas lights, but if it’s still too early in the year, just leave the squiggly line as is and play around with the base and string colors.

Splattered Nails

Use a slanted makeup brush to splatter a color (or combination of colors) on your nails for an incredible DIY Jackson Pollock-esque manicure. Simply dip the brush in polish and then in nail polish remover so that it’s thin enough to splatter.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – SheKnows

Splattered Nails Option 2

If you don’t want to ruin your makeup brush with nail polish or don’t have an extra one to spare, you can use a straw instead! Cut the straw in half (shorter means more control), dip the bottom in nail polish, and simply blow it onto your nails for the same effect.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – PrettyGossip

Shearing Scissors as a Tool

Remember those shearing scissors you loved to use in school? Well it’s time to dig them out again. Use these scissors to cut zig-zag shapes with your scotch tape so that you can use them for the perfect zig-zag or scalloped pattern.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – ChloesNails and Byaranka

Gorgeous Gingham

40 DIY Nail Art Hacks That Are Borderline Genius

Modified: Jan 27, 2023 by Elisabeth Kruger · This post may contain affiliate links · 31 Comments

These days, merely painting your nails red isn’t really enough anymore; there are some brilliantly artistic and creative designs out there to transform your nail painting into real nail art.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be quite as complicated as it may seem; you don’t really need to go out and buy fancy tools or products, you just need some motivation!

We’ve compiled some of the best nail art hacks so that you can join the trend with ease, regardless of your creativity or perceived skill.

Jump to:

• French Mani Touch Up
• Scotch Tape is Your Friend
• Lace Nails
• Love is in the Air
• Thin Stripy Nails
• Color Pairings
• Cotton String
• Splattered Nails
• Splattered Nails Option 2
• Shearing Scissors as a Tool
• Gorgeous Gingham
• When Life Gives You Lemons…
• My Feathered Friend
• Draw, don’t Paint
• DIY Stickers
• DIY Stencils
• For the Less Obvious
• Easy Small Polka Dots
• Easy Large Polka Dots
• Vibrant Neons
• Shaping Cheat
• Snake Skin Nails
• Makeup Sponge Ombre
• Turquoise Stone
• Half Moon Manicure
• French Manicure
• Velvet Luxury
• DIY Matte – Eye Shadow
• DIY Matte – Corn Starch
• Easy Peel-Off Glitter
•  
• Watercolor Art
• Water Marbling
• Vaseline Clean-Up
• Rubber Band French Manicure
• Rhinestone Application
• Newspaper Nails
• Quick-Dry Nails – Water
• Quick-Dry Nails – Spray
• Nail Polish Remover Jar
• Toothpaste Stain Removal

French Mani Touch Up

If your French mani still doesn’t come out perfectly even the way you want it, there’s an easy way to hide you’re your mistakes without the frustration of having to start all over again.

Get yourself a glitter pen from any stationery or craft shop and draw a line where the white meets the pink.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Karine

Scotch Tape is Your Friend

You don’t need the steady hand of a tattoo artist to create the perfect zig-zags or stripes; all you need is scotch tape to guide you.

Make sure the base color is dried for at least an hour before taping and painting again.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Birchbox

Lace Nails

Using the same technique as for the snake skin nails, you can take an old piece of lace, wrap it around your nail, and dab the nail polish on with a makeup sponge. An easy but complicated-looking lace nail design!

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Pinterest Originals

Love is in the Air

Hearts on nails are adorable, whether you want them all over or simply on one accent nail.

All you need to execute the perfect heart is a handy toothpick. Use the toothpick to make two equal-sized dots next to each other, and then drag each of them down at a 45 degree angle to meet at the bottom. Easy as that!

Thin Stripy Nails

For very thin, striped nails, you can use a fan brush. Once your base color has dried, dip the tips of the fan brush’s bristles in a different color and brush over your nail horizontally.

Wait for it to dry, then carry on with the process using any other colors you wish.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – SimpleNailArtDesigns

Color Pairings

If you want to combine two colors with your fancy nail art, follow this pairing chart to make sure your colors won’t clash.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – Pinterest Originals

Cotton String

This is a really fun and interesting idea for innovative nail art: paint your base coat and let it dry, then add a clear coat and drape and loop the cotton string so that it sticks to the still wet coat. Once it has dried, top it off with another clear coat so that the string will stay in place. You can finish it with the Christmas lights, but if it’s still too early in the year, just leave the squiggly line as is and play around with the base and string colors.

Similar Project:  Amazing Miracle Mask You Can Make at Home

Splattered Nails

Use a slanted makeup brush to splatter a color (or combination of colors) on your nails for an incredible DIY Jackson Pollock-esque manicure. Simply dip the brush in polish and then in nail polish remover so that it’s thin enough to splatter.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – SheKnows

Splattered Nails Option 2

If you don’t want to ruin your makeup brush with nail polish or don’t have an extra one to spare, you can use a straw instead! Cut the straw in half (shorter means more control), dip the bottom in nail polish, and simply blow it onto your nails for the same effect.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – PrettyGossip

Shearing Scissors as a Tool

Remember those shearing scissors you loved to use in school? Well it’s time to dig them out again. Use these scissors to cut zig-zag shapes with your scotch tape so that you can use them for the perfect zig-zag or scalloped pattern.

Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – ChloesNails and Byaranka

Gorgeous Gingham

Scotch tape isn’t only used as a guide for straight lines; you can actually stick it on your nails for an instant pattern. Paint the tape with nail polish, cut it into strips once dried, stick on nails, and there you go; nail art that won’t chip off quite so easily! Once you cut off the excess, finish with a top coat to seal it off.