Chances are summer 2024 is going to be remembered as the one you mostly spent at home.
But even though all of the fun events you were looking forward to are no longer in the cards, there are still little ways to make staying put more exciting. However, if you manage to kill every plant you buy and are hopeless at baking sourdough bread, why not make this summer the one where you master the art of the DIY manicure?
If you’re already a self-proclaimed pro at painting your nails solid colors, you’re probably ready to graduate to nail art. And there’s no better place to find manicure inspiration than Instagram. The only problem? While the animal print or star nail art designs you’ve seen all over your favorite celebrity and nail artists’ feeds seem simple enough to do, your finished manicure may end up being more abstract. As in, it’s a bunch of undistinguishable blobs bleeding into one another.
One exception is daisy nail art, which has been trending on Instagram throughout spring and into summer. And these flowers haven’t just been blooming on people’s nails. The ’90s print is also one of this season’s major fashion trends, as seen on celebrities like Taylor Swift and Kate Middleton.
The best part about this summer manicure trend is that you don’t need fancy nail art tools to do it. Yes, it’s actually an easy manicure to DIY at home, whether you’re an experienced nail artist or have only been doing your own nails while salons were closed during the COVID-19 lockdown.
So just how easy are we talking? InStyle turned to nail artist Hang Nguyen to get step-by-step instructions on how to do one of her cute daisy nail designs.
All you need is sky blue, white, and black nail polish, a topcoat, and a bobby pin or dotting tool.
How to do Daisy Nail Art:
1. Start with a base coat. Then paint half the nail bed from top to bottom with light blue nail polish. Apply two coats. Clean up if it’s not straight, but it doesn’t have to be perfect since the flowers will be covering it.
2. Repeat the first step on the nail beside it.
3. Use a bobby pin or dotting tool to dot five white dots in the shape of a flower.
4. Repeat the other two flowers down the middle of the nail.
5. Use a bobby pin or dotting tool and black nail polish to dot the a circle in the middle of all three flowers.
6. On the thumb, repeat the floral dots but with light blue petals.
7. Paint the other two nails with two coats of light blue polish.
8. Apply a topcoat once all the nails are dry.
