Palm-tree stencils and rainbow-colored bonanzas have had their day—but that day is over. Now a more upscale nail-art strategy is taking hold: "Geometric color blocks or a single modern element are more glam than intricate looks," says Eleanor Langston, founder of Paintbox, a New York City manicure spot offering this less-is-more approach. Don't live in NYC? These Paintbox designs—plus a Women's Health exclusive creation—are DIY-perfect. Read on for step-by-step instructions, plus even more great color combos to try!
Finish Lines
Hit the road...with great nails! The racing stripe design above was inspired by WH's annual RUN 10 FEED 10 charity 10-K, which starts this month.
1. Brush on a base coat, then two coats of a reddish-pink shade. (TryEssie Nail Polish in Style Hunter, $8.50,essie.com.)
2. "Striper" polishes come with thin brushes to create stripes. Use the brush to draw a white line diagonally across the right corner of your right-hand nails, and the left corner of your left-hand nails. Then repeat with black above the white. (Try Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Striper in White and Black, $4 each, at drugstores.)
3. Let dry, then apply topcoat.
More Color Combos!
1. Dusty Blue With Navy And Plum Stripes. Try Dior Vernis in Junon, $25, dior.com; Maybelline New York Color Show Nail Lacquer in Midnight Blue, $4, at drugstores; Estee Lauder Pure Color Matte Nail Lacquer in Arm Candy, $21, esteelauder.com
2. Black With Metallic Rose-Gold And Silver Stripes. Try CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Black Diamond, $5.49, at drugstores; Butter London Nail Lacquer in Champers, $15, butterlondon.com; SpaRitual Nail Lacquer in Looking Glass, $12, sparitual.com
Foiled Again
A constellation of metallic foil transports nails to glimmering glory.
1. Using tweezers, break a sheet of silver nail foil (buy it at dollarnailart.com) into small bits.
2. Brush on a base coat, then two coats of a pale-yellow polish. (TrySinfulColors Professionals Nail Polish in Unicorn, $2, atdrugstores.) Let dry.
3. Do this full process one nail at a time: Sweep a thin layer of non-quick-drying topcoat on the top left and bottom right corners of your right hand (do the opposite for your left). Use the tweezers to pick up a few bits of foil and tap them onto the wet polish.
4. Once all nails are foiled, apply topcoat.
More Color Combos!
1. Beige Polish With Gold Foil. Try M.A.C Studio Nail Lacquer in Skin, $12, maccosmetics.com
2. Deep Aqua Polish With Copper Foil. Try OPI Nail Lacquer in Ski Teal We Drop, $9.50, beautybrands.com
Chic Cutout
This geometric gem showcases negative space—a concept in which a portion of the nail is left bare—for a cool new take on color blocking.
1. Apply a base coat and let dry for a minute.
2. Cut a piece of painter's tape into a long, skinny triangle and press it down on a slant across the center of each nail bed. "Painter's tape is available at hardware stores, and it peels easily off of surfaces," says manicurist Julie Kandalec, Paintbox creative director.
3. Paint above the tape with a bright candy-pink shade (try Clinique A Different Nail Enamel in Hi Sweetie, $12.50, clinique.com) and below it with a vivid red (try 3.1 Phillip Lim for Nars Nail Polish in Hell-Bent, $20, at Nordstrom). Repeat—that's your second coat.
4. Allow polish to set for a minute, then remove tape. Brush on topcoat diagonally to prevent colors from running.
More Color Combos!
1. Forest Green and Sapphire. Try Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Nirvana, $18, sephora.com; Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Rolling in the Deep, $18, at Nordstrom
2. Orchid and Bordeaux. Try Formula X New Classics in Harmonics, $10.50, at Sephora; Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish in Wine Stock, $10, at drugstores
