Manicure & Nail Art Thread

[Rebel_Minx]

We have threads for all sorts of art so I thought it'd be fun to have one for nail art too! Do you prefer standard nail polish or gel polish? Do you paint them yourself, or do you like having them done? Any favorite brands, colors, or techniques?

Let's see those manis!

Here’s one of mine from earlier in the year to get us started. I used Favorite Sister and Gift Receipt by Holo Taco. It was my first time using a dotting tool for lettering. I’m still a beginner, but I have really enjoyed picking this hobby up on the side. Having pretty nails adds a pep to my step! ^^

I painted my nails for my birthday, I used a Hot Topic brand. The color matched my dress perfectly. But... they were so bad because I have permanent shakes that only get worse when I am focusing on something. It makes it hard to do makeup and paint my nails, or even do art (except stippling art). Makeup though, I can make a mess and clean it up with a makeup wipe and magically looks flawless. I still can't do a cut crease though.

But I absolutely love getting my nails done! Since I moved, I need to find a new nail tech in my area! And also a good place that has nail services but also great pedicures. I enjoy being pampered.

I prefer gel over regular paint though. It tends to last longer for me as a chronic nail biter! But Halo Taco nail polish is so amazing, I love watching videos of their colors being used on nails on Tik Tok!

[Lyrichord]

I can't help but feeling like the ugly duckling here since I've very rarely done my nails lol

I only done it like at most thrice on my life? Back to school I was always engaging on sports that would often crack my nails randomly while playing (I used to let them grow back then but thankfully never escalated to a serious injury) or I tended to take sports/hobbies classes that asked nails to not be long.

So it became a habit I guess to keep them short.

Then when there was a big social event and my sisters we're very insistent I got manicure done I swear I think I was cursed because ALL the few times I did my nails each person that attended me made the experience a HELL, always hurt, always bleeding, always sting... I don't remember having once time that I enjoyed it and so that reinforced the idea that doing my nails = pain

Though I must admit some designs you shared here are very cute! Are short painted nails something too? I may try in the future but by myself, I'm very scared of adding another terrible experience to my list

I'm so sorry the professional manicure experience was so painful for you - that sounds truly awful! I've only ever painted my own. I've never been to a salon, and I never plan to. Nobody gets to take a file anywhere near my fingers! Are you able to get some normal nail polish that's not gel, and try painting them yourself?

I keep my nails trimmed as short as they can be, but I still have plenty of space to rock a fun color and add a top coat with something like silver flakes or shimmers in it! Or I'll paint my nails in different colors and have fun that way. So whether or not short painted nails are a "thing" - I enjoy it!

If you do try, please let us know, and I hope it's a much better experience! No pressure though. Natural nails are just fine too (and you don't have to breathe in the fumes). ♥︎

[Lyrichord]

I finally got some time to share some of my more recent manis! Top to bottom: various green polishes, Holo Taco x Safiya's Berry Me in Holo, and then my personal mix of Shady Navy + Modest Moss with Fallen Flake Taco (also all Holo Taco). Feeling the fall love!

Big Pic

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[Ice]

@(you need an account to see links) eek my nails aren't ready to be painted (and I still haven't had a mani in foreverrrrrr) but ya girl only knows how to shop on black friday! 🤣



I splurged and finally got long lasting base coat, a back up bottle of glossy taco, one coat black, late checkout/violet nightmares for more purple addiction, and twilight shimmer topper.

[Lyrichord]

@(you need an account to see links) eek my nails aren't ready to be painted (and I still haven't had a mani in foreverrrrrr) but ya girl only knows how to shop on black friday! 🤣



I splurged and finally got long lasting base coat, a back up bottle of glossy taco, one coat black, late checkout/violet nightmares for more purple addiction, and twilight shimmer topper.

Congrats!! Twilight shimmer is beautiful. ♥︎ It'll be amazing just on top of OCB, and the options continue out from there! You've got some nice dark purple shades there too. In one of her data streams, Cristine said that glossy taco is always the real best seller. No surprise!

I have a blue skittle mani at the moment that I still need to take a pic of! I got a few shades on Black Friday - Sunset Simulation, Purple with Envy, Lowkey Blushing, Midnight Owl, and some of her new nail polish thinner. And then she goes off and releases an epic rejects collection! SO it's time for another, smaller order! 😅 I'm not sure if I'll like the sunset simulation, but Encryption Key is one of my favorite orange/pink shades, so with the right topper I might like it after all! I used my reward points for the orange shimmer.

My new order is going to be at least the stunning new rose gold flake + green frosted metal. And a backup glossy taco myself.

[Lyrichord]

My most recent mani, inspired by(you need an account to see links) and (you need an account to see links)! My thumb is the same as my pinky.

From left to right: Too Good to Be Blue + Scattered Holo Taco, Wireless Mode, Twice in a Blue Moon, and Shady Navy + Freezer Burn.



I think I'll do a purple color next, and then - an attempt at candy cane nails or something else Christmas inspired!

[Maki]

This is the most recent set I did on myself! Don't ask how my right hand looks LOL



Nail art's been something I got into this year so I'm really happy this thread exists ^_^
I really like practicing on press-ons, and I just ordered builder gel to try to experiment more with longevity. Gel-x is something that's been piquing my interest but I'm not sure how safe it is in terms of developing an allergy to gel.

[Lyrichord]

Who else is rocking a holiday nail polish? These are some of my most recent ones! Up next: alternating green and red frosted metals! ❤️💚 I still might try a candy cane look later.

First, a red "plaid" (striped) look! This was my first time ever trying to do stripes on my nail, and as Cristine from Holo Taco would say, this is my "other hand" aka non-dominant!! I'm shocked!! I stared at it all week until the started to come off. Left On Red, Red Flake Taco, then for the stripes, Naughty List and Safiya's black polish. I tried to do plaid on my one of my left hand nails, but I wasn't able to get the line as thin as I would






Then came the snowman inspired design - the pics don't do the glitter justice. I finally got wiser and added a creme base, Bored Meeting, underneath Frost Light. So shiny!!





Now let's see yours!

[Ice]

@(you need an account to see links) very late but I loooove your nails, they're so elegant and refined looking! Just enough going on without being overwhelming. Have you had the chance to try out the builder gel yet? I kind of wanted to get into doing more involved home manicures (like dip powder or builder gel) but tbh the amount of prep work you have to do on your nails/cuticles to get the best application was always too daunting for me so I gave up. xD

@(you need an account to see links) ahhh so pretty! Great color choices for the holidays and for your non dominant hand that's amazing! I pretty much never try to do anything other than flat color on my non dominant hand lolll the stakes are too high and the motor control too low 😂

[kittyray]

oooh, I'm getting a manicure tomorrow, makes me want to get some sort of nail art! The place local to me since moving applies dip powder differently, and I didn't really like how it turned out. It pretty much all chipped off and my nails underneath were not in the greatest shape after. So I'll probably switch back to gels, I think.