Beauty

How To Do Daisy Nails, Straight From Celeb Manicurist Kimmie Kyees

There’s a bobby pin hack involved.

by Hilary Shepherd

If you hadn’t heard (or seen on your Instagram and TikTok feeds), daisy nails are having a *major* moment right now. Stars like Hailey Bieber, Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, and Gigi Hadid have all dabbled in the floral fun, proving that daisy-themed tips are quickly becoming summer’s hottest — and sweetest — nail trend.

The look is as versatile as it is cute: Daisies have been springing up on multicolored and monochrome French tips, around the nail bed, as accent nails, and even as the tips themselves. In the case of Lizzo, who recently revealed a new psychedelic mani (courtesy of her nail artist Eri Ishizu) on her Instagram story, they can also be colorful and ‘60s-inspired. Of course, daisies can also be dotted along on an otherwise clear nail for a more classic and minimalist look, as was the case for Bieber’s nails (just one of the model’s many impressive manicures).

Fortunately, daisy nails are also super easy and DIY-friendly. The best part? You probably already have all the tools you’ll need on-hand. “To achieve a daisy look, you'll need a bobby pin, white polish, and yellow polish,” Bieber’s go-to nail artist Kimmie Kyees tells Bustle over email. Read on for Kyees’ simple, three-step guide to nailing (sorry, had to) summer’s cheeriest beauty trend.

1. Use This Bobby Pin Nail Art Hack

Grab a bobby pin and open it up, so that it becomes semi-straight, says Kyees. Because bobby pins have those little balls at the end, they make for solid, makeshift dotting tools. If you don’t have any lying around (much like hair ties, bobby pins seem to have an annoying tendency to grow legs and run away), Kyees suggests reaching for a toothpick as an alternative.

2. Start Painting Petals On Your Nails

Now, just dip and drag. “Dip one end [of the bobby pin] into the white polish and create a circle of dots,” Kyees says. Aim for six or seven dots, she adds, and be sure to slightly lift the pin and drag each white dot toward the center of the circle. As for the white polish, use a formula that’s as fully pigmented and opaque as possible.

3. Add The Center Of The Daisy

Dunk the other end of your pin into the yellow nail polish (Kyees’ personal fave is OPI’s Sunny Don’t Tell A Sol, below). Place a dot in the center of each white circle you created. “[Make sure] to finish all the white dots and add the yellow at the end,” Kyees warns. It’s best to leave a bit of drying time in-between: “This prevents the yellow polish from bleeding into the white.” But hey, if that happens, you could always pivot to an equally fun marble nail.