Fashion

Get Your Nails Ready For Shark Week

The ocean is terrifying. I don't know why everyone isn't on the same page about this. It's probably the most dread-inducing place you could end up — aside from outer space of course — filled with creepy creatures we don't even know exist just hanging out in the vast abyss waiting to eat us (I assume). That being said, I still freaking love Shark Week, just like the rest of you lunatics.

As Rob Lowe's Shark Week commercial so helpfully informed us all, the incredibly cool and a little bit horrifying Discovery Channel event is happening right now up through Saturday, August 16. And do you know what goes great with binge-watching a bunch of over-hyped fish doing their thing? Painting your nails while you eat some flotation device-shaped Dunkin Donuts. Nothing says "Please don't mistake me for a seal while I'm out surfing, Mr. Great White" like a set of freshly polished fingertips.

From the easiest-to-apply decals to some seriously aspirational nail art, here are nine mani looks to try in celebration. And, hey, you can also rock them whenever you want. Because I know you're already living every week like it's Shark Week.

1. Cartoon Shark Nail Decals

One part whimsy, one part horror movie. ($6 for 24 decals, Etsy.com)

2. Ominous Shark Nail Stickers

Sorry, little fish. ($22.96 per set, Zazzle.com)

3. Blue Water Marble Nails

If intricate designs aren't really your forte, fudge a Shark Week mani with some water marble nails. Fill a paper cup with cool water, then drip drops of different shades of blue in on top of each other to form concentric circles. Drag a toothpick through to create a swirly design, and plunge your nail in (one at a time) on top of the pattern. You'll get basically instant nail art that comes out completely dry.

4. Abstract Sharks

With a bunch of little circles, you can create one seriously fierce mani. Splash on some gray polish in a V-shape for the shark's head, then dot white, red, and black to create the teeth.

5. Great White Nails

Okay, okay. I know this looks tricky, but you can do it, I promise. Just paint all your nails a light turquoise blue, let it dry, then layer on gray, white, and red polish in pointy half circles for the sharks' gaping mouths. Use black and white nail-art pens to add the dots for eyes and triangles for pointy teeth.

6. Hammerhead Attack

Same as above, but add some bulgy eyes to the side of one shark's head. Why should great white's get all the attention? Probably because if they don't, they'll eat you.

7. Work of Nail Art

Simply translate your fine oil-painting skills onto a slightly smaller canvas to get this intricately sharky design. Piece of cake.

8. Swimming Shark

You might want to enlist a friend for help on your left hand.

9. Jagged Nails

This seems not at all horrible and like it will just get stuck on everything, right?

Images: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images News/Getty Images; kuleczka/Fotolia.com; Etsy; Zazzle