Beauty
Discover your inner nail artist.
If you scroll through, TikTok is a wonderland filled with videos that demystify and explore the world of beauty. Makeup aficionados and experts alike have flocked to the app to share their hacks, skills, tips, and tricks, making us all — at the very least — better-informed consumers. Recently, it’s TikTok nail hacks have been taking over the feeds.
The #nailhacks hashtag currently has a staggering 425.6 million views. The content within these videos run the gamut, ranging from how-did-I-not-know-this-before tips to hacks that’ll have you buying cornstarch for your next DIY manicure (I’m not lying). Some include pointers for achieving a perfect French mani, a design that’s had a recent resurgence from the Y2K era. In other words: You can learn all sorts of tricks that’ll level up your nail game.
There are so many gems, but there is also a mind-boggling amount to sift through to find the best ones. That’s why Bustle has done the hard work for you. The following is a curated selection of tips and hacks that are nothing short of genius. While some makeup tricks are actually pretty difficult when you sit down to try them, these TikTok nail hacks are easy to replicate. Plus, all of them (save for one) require nothing that you don’t already have at home.
Cancel your manicure and sit down with your nail polish, Vaseline, Q-tips, and toothpicks as your DIY skills becomes salon-level good.
1
For Removing Acrylics
Acrylics are tricky. Sure, they can last super long, but that also makes them difficult to remove. Going to a salon is always an option, but sometimes you want to save the time and money by taking them off at home. Enter this acrylic nail removal hack from TikTok user @Bysugarclaws. First, whip together a bowl of warm water, soap, and argan oil. Then soak your fingers until the nails just glide off. Game changing.
2
For Mess-Free Nail Painting
If you’ve ever tried to give yourself a mani then you know the struggle: Painting with your non-dominant hand practically requires surgeon-level steadiness to keep your polish on your nail beds rather than your fingers. Well, TikTok’s @Parabellbeauty1 has a solution and all you need is nail polish, Vaseline, and a Q-tip.
Apply Vaseline on your finger around your nail and anywhere else the nail polish has a propensity to spread to. Then paint your nails, using the Q-tip to wipe off the jelly at the end. And voila! Perfectly polished fingertips.
3
For Easy Polka Dots
The idea of doing anything more than a basic coat of nail polish can seem daunting, especially when you’re eyeing intricate nail art designs. But, by using just a bobby pin and nail polish, TikTok user @Craftynails1 has found a way to create a chic and easy polka dot look.
Just paint your nail with your base color of choice, dip the ends of the bobby pin in a secondary nail shade, and dot — and you’ve transformed a simple manicure into pop art.
4
For Swirly Nail Art
TikTok user @Rosediy13 has another nail art hack that brings pro-level results by using basic techniques. Have two nail polish colors and a toothpick at your disposal. Paint each half of your nail a different color. Then, use the toothpick to create the swirling shapes of your choosing for a funky, colorful mani.
5
For A Tool-Free French Tip
Everyone from Gigi Hadid to Hailey Bieber has been rocking French manicures, so there’s a lot of demand for the classic nail art look. While it’s simple, creating that thin curved line at the tip is easier said than done.
This TikTok user has shared an easy way to achieve the design at home: By dabbing nail polish on the inside of your finger and pressing the tip of your nail into it, you’ll wind up with the perfect French tip.
6
For A Chrome Finish
This hack might sound out there, but the results are too good to ignore. All you need is the super-chrome foil of a gum wrapper. Peel the wrapper’s two thin layers apart and stick it onto your nail with the colorful foil side up. Press onto your nail so it sticks, shape your mani by removing the excess, and cover it with a top coat. Now you have a glistening manicure.
7
For Colorful French Tips
This French manicure hack is great for doing an elevated take on the classic nail design. Unlike the other TikTok tricks, this one does require one piece of special equipment: a silicone nail stamper, which you can get for around $10.
Once you have one in your possession, put a generous amount of nail polish onto it and dip your nail in — go shallow for smaller tips and deeper for more moon shaped tips. And that’s it!
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