Creative Ideas for Decorating Toenails and Fingernails
There's nothing like a quick pick-me-up than a fresh pedicure or manicure. After the job is done, it makes me feel good and for some reason my brain comes up with more creative ideas for decorating toenails and fingernails.
The most important first steps of any manicure or pedicure is to start with clean nails and a base-coat. These will give you a good foundation to build on. Here's how to begin after you've removed any old nail polish, clipped, and filed your nails.
Product tip: If you've never filed your nails with a glass nail file
, you're missing out on the easiest method of filing your nails. Glass nail files glide smoothly over the edges of the nails; files them much faster than a metal or emery board; and naturally creates a smooth nail edge. I've given them away as gifts many times with such positive reviews, that I keep a few extras tucked away for impromptu gift giving.
- Soak your feet for 20 minutes in warm, soapy water. After your feet have soaked for 20 minutes, and while they are still wet:
- Clean under the toenails with nail file.
- Push back the quick of the nails with an orange stick.
- With a toenail brush, gently scrub the top of the nails. This will help remove embeded grime and dead skin cells.
- Smooth away calloused skin on the bottoms and sides of the feet, especially the heal and big toe areas. Many women swear by the
PedEgg Original Foot File
- Rinse feet well with clean warm water.
- Dry feet well, not forgetting to dry between the toes.
- Apply basecoat to nails.
The final step which is as important as the first, is to brush the nails with two layers of topcoat after you've polished and decorated your nails. A top coat not only provides a protective finish, it also adds shine.
Always allow each coat to dry before moving on to the next coat. A simple test to tell if the polish is dry enough is to barely touch two nails together. If they stick to each other, they are still too wet. But, if they don't, the nails are dry enough.
Creative Ideas for Decorating Toenails
and Fingernails
“Love You” toenails for Valentines Day: (1) Paint all toenails with white nail polish. (2) Paint a small red heart in the center of each large toenail.
Going Christmas: Paint a small tree on one, or both, of your large toenails against a black background. Put tiny dots of different nail polish colors for ornaments. Top with a silver star.
Celebrating the 4th of July: Paint red, white, and blue stripes on your toenails. Add streaks of different colors to represent a fireworks explosion.
Crackle Nails: For an easy crackle design, simply purchase a crackle design nail polish. Apply the polish, and the technology inside the bottle does the rest!
Happy Spring! Bring in spring with a painted daisy on your toes. Paint nails green, (also good for St. Patrick’s Day), paint on a few white petals with a fine nail brush, and dot the center with tiny yellow dots with a nail dotting/marbeling tool, or place a rhinestone in the center.
Musical Notes: If you are into music, paint a simple musical note on your large toe using a very fine tipped brush.
Smiley Face Toe Nails: If you are into smiley faces, paint a few on your toenails.
Add Bling to a French Manicure: Dot along the separating color line with tiny rhinestones. This looks very  feminine when tiny rhinestones are used. If larger rhinestones are used, only line the large toe of each foot. This technique is also beautiful against a frosted pink colored nail. Apply two layers of topcoat. If you want a matching set, decorate your fingernails the same!
How to Place Rhinestones to your Nails
When your favorite nail polish dries, add a drop of clear polish to the bottom of a rhinestone or to your nail, and gently put your rhinestone in place. To pickup and place rhinestones on your nails: Dip an orange stick in water and then the rhinestone, or use a tool called the Pickerr Upperr. With your wet orange stick or your Pickerr Upperr, grab and place each rhinestone on the nail. Tweezers can be used for larger stones. Don't forget to add your topcoats to "cement" the nails in place.
Wedding Toenails: A few weeks before your wedding, enjoy a weekly pedicure at your favorite spa to soften your feet and get those toe cuticles in shape. Beautiful toes start with beautiful skin.
Delicate Wedding Toenails:
If wearing a white dress, ask your manicurist to paint a delicate white pattern on your nails and attach two or three small pearls to each large toenail if you'll be wearing sandals or open toe shoes. Avoid wearing pearls on your toenails if wearing closed-toe shoes; this could be very uncomfortable.
If you have a flower child in your wedding, consider having her nails painted to match yours. It could be your little special secret - all little girls love secrets.
Instant Nail Polish: If you find it difficult to brush on nail polish, instant nail polish may be your answer.
This “polish” comes in strips shaped like nails and is laid across the nail for instant color. No need to wait until the polish is dry. I find it wears and chips like regular nail polish and it is relatively easy to apply. The French Manicure style is a popular choice.
Artificial fingernails: If you're not one to decorate your nails yourself, and really don't want to spend the time and/or money for a professional manicure, there are numerous colorfully decorated artificial nails on the market.
Artificial Toenails: If your nails are not what you want them to look like, try wearing artificial toenails. It’s a quick and easy way to beautify your feet for open toe shoes and sandals.
Polymer Clay Nails for when you are bored: Create extra long nails with polymer clay. Taped cooled "nails" over your existing nails with double sided tape. Use your imagination…try curly nails; 3 inch long nails… you get the idea. Like all crazy ideas, this one is not designed to work well. It's for polymer clay junkies that are bored.
However, you can purchase polymer clay fingernail art that is designed to be glued on the nails, and other accessories tool such as ipods, laptops, phones ... You cut the FIMO canes as thin as you want and glue them on!
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