Okay, so summer’s hitting, or maybe I just wished it was, and I got this idea in my head to try out some fun nail art. You know, something bright and beachy. I saw some pictures online and thought, “Yeah, I can probably do something like that.” Famous last words, right?
Getting Started
First things first, I had to dig out all my nail stuff. Found my little box with polishes, the base coat, top coat, those skinny brushes I barely use, and some dotting tools. Gathered everything on the kitchen table, put down some paper towels because I always make a mess.
Here’s what I grabbed:
- A bright blue polish (for the ocean or sky vibe)
- A sandy beige color
- Green for palm leaves
- Brown for the tree trunks
- Maybe some yellow or orange for a sunset look? Decided against it, too complicated.
- Base coat and a quick-dry top coat
- Thin nail art brush
- Dotting tool (just in case)
Then the usual prep work. Took off the old chipped polish, filed my nails so they weren’t all different lengths, pushed back the cuticles a bit. Washed my hands really well and made sure my nails were totally dry. Slapped on a layer of base coat. Gotta protect the nails, you know. Waited for that to dry completely.
The Actual Painting Part
I decided on the blue for most nails and the sandy beige for an accent nail, maybe the ring finger. Seemed simple enough. Put on two coats of the blue and beige, letting each coat dry in between. Waiting is the hardest part, honestly. I almost smudged them like three times reaching for my water.
Now for the “art.” I wanted little palm trees. On the accent nail, over the beige. Dipped the skinny brush into the brown polish. Tried to make a thin trunk. Okay, first one was a bit shaky, thicker than I wanted. Oh well. Added a couple more wobbly lines branching out for the palm fronds.
Then came the green. Used the same skinny brush. Tried to make leafy shapes at the end of the brown lines. This was tricky. My hand wasn’t super steady. Some looked okay, others looked more like… green splatters? Yeah, definitely not professional quality. Had to wipe one off completely with remover on a Q-tip and redo it. That beige base coat got a little messed up, but I just painted over it.
I thought about adding coconuts with the dotting tool but decided to quit while I was ahead. Less is more, especially when you’re doing it yourself and patience is running thin. My left hand painting my right hand went okay-ish, but doing the dominant hand? Forget about it. The palm tree on my left thumb looks particularly suspect. Let’s call it abstract.
Finishing Up
After letting the little trees dry for what felt like forever (probably 15-20 minutes just to be safe), I carefully applied the quick-dry top coat over everything. This always makes it look a bit better, shinier, and hopefully hides some minor imperfections. Cleaned up the edges where I got polish on my skin using a small brush dipped in acetone. That part always feels satisfying.
So, the final look? It’s definitely homemade. From a distance, they look kinda fun and tropical. Up close, you can see the wobbly lines and the not-quite-perfect leaves. But hey, I did it myself! It was a way to kill an hour or two. Not sure I’d do it again soon, maybe stick to solid colors next time. But it was an experience, that’s for sure. Good enough for me.
