Valentine Nails

Hi Tory,

I really resisted the idea of doing something for Valentine's Day, mainly because I'm not a hearts and flowers kind of person. Why do you need one day a year to say "I Love You"? I do intrinsically like hearts as a shape tho (I know... I know...) and I've wanted to do nail framing for a while now, so... I combined them.

I'm convinced that bruce wayne would let alfred do this on his toenails of an evening

I like how the hearts feel more graphic - I deliberately didn't make them too neat or perfect, or the frames too thin. I wanted something that looked a little bit like a Batman graphic novel or a Saul Bass poster. I'm convinced that Bruce Wayne would let Alfred do this on his toenails of an evening, but that's just me. ;)

costs
£2.99

When it came time to find a brush to do the artwork with, I wanted something that was thin and pointy enough and with a manageable handle. It just so happened that I had an eyeliner that I really didn't like and was about to throw out, so I just washed it off and that's now in my nail art arsenal.

The main thing to stick with is doing everything slowly and in sequence - I found it helpful to do all the left sides in one go and so on, for example. You can fix any mistakes a lot quicker that way too! And, if you really weren't into hearts, you could just have big thick frames or switch the colour combination. Happy Chocolate Day! ;)

Steps

• Paint nails with two coats of a dark or hot pink polish and let dry thoroughly
• Using a small, thin brush (I used the brush from an old eyeliner that I'd washed) paint a "frame" around the nail using a black polish
• A good tip for the frame is to paint all the left sides, then the right ones, then the tops, then the bottoms, letting each dry between coats to keep everything as uniform as possible
• Mark a small black dot where the points will begin
• Using the brush and small strokes, form the bottom edge of the heart first in a sharp angle, then curve the top edge in to meet the black dot marker to make the curved top
• Finish with a clear top coat to protect it!

Products Used

• MUA Nail Polish in Shade 3
• 2True Glossywear in Shade 39
• Spare brush
• Optional clear top coat
• Prices based on what I paid for the whole look from scratch, and correct at the time of posting

Hugs and kisses,
xxx