3 easy nail designs for short nails
I have always been impressed by those people who can sport extremely long nails on a regular basis. However, my lifestyle means that short nails are much more practical and less prone to breakage. But short nails don’t mean boring nails! I am sharing with you three easy to do nail designs for short nails.
Before you start
If you want your manicure to shine, you need to take good care of your nails. If you want short nails to look good, you will have to give your cuticles a little love and shape them properly.
Start by using a cuticle oil and gently push the cuticles back with an orange wood stick. This will make your nails look much more elegant and will help your manicure last longer.
Short or long, nails look best when shaped with a glass file. You don’t need to do anything complex – a sheared or oval shape looks great on short nails. Just make sure they are all the same length so the manicure looks even and no nails look out of place.
The three simple nail designs for short nails below should be applied over a base coat that suits your needs. This will help you avoid staining and make your manicure last longer.
So, with all the prep out of the way, it’s time to explore some manicure ideas for short nails!
A classic: French manicure
A French manicure is timeless and will make your fingers look longer, which is a nice bonus. It is also office-friendly for even the most corporate environments. It is a natural looking nail with the tips painted with white varnish.
Some people choose to paint the white varnish directly onto a clear base, while others use a bare nail polish all over the nail. Essie Ballet Slippers are very popular for this.
There are French manicure stickers that you can stick a little below the free edge of the nail, right where you want the white section to start. Makes creating crisp white so much easier! Or if you’re feeling adventurous, replace the white with a contrasting neon color, or even black.
Don’t forget a shiny top coat to take your French manicure to the next level!
Geometric print
If you are looking for something more vivid than French manicure, nail stamping is a good way to start your nail art. Stamping means transferring designs from metal stamping plates to nails using a stamping machine. And it’s a lot of fun!
For short nails, geometric stamping works best, as you may not have enough room for a cheesy drawing or other non-repeating designs. But experiment to see what you like best!
Some combinations that work very well on short nails are gold stamping on a blue background, silver stamping on black or red, and even a shiny silver or gold stamp on a nude nail polish base.
You will need a bit of equipment here, but nothing too expensive. Nail stamping kits usually include one or more stamping plates, a stamper, and a scraper (or you can use an old credit card). It may take some practice to learn how to perfectly lift the plate design and stamp it onto the nail, but the results are salon worthy.
Alternative tips
This type of design combines the ever-popular negative space trend with a colorful manicure. Choose two complementary colors, such as red and gold, black and silver, or even two different finishes of the same color. For example, you can alternate shiny tips with matte tips.
Leave the lower half of the nail exposed but for a clear base coat, and alternate painting the tips in each of the two chosen colors. Quick and easy, but still eye-catching and will make your nails look longer.
And don’t forget to protect your manicure with a long-lasting top coat. Quick-drying top coats are perfect for nail art as they minimize the risk of smudging all your hard work.