I always think you should have some fun with your personal style.  No need to take ourselves too seriously.  So every now and then I like to do a little extra with my nails, and holidays always seem like a great reason to play.

So today I had my nails done and did something a little patriotic with a simple graphic wink at fireworks.  I was admiring the finished product and thought the design would be pretty simple to duplicate yourself.  Having my nails done is one of the small luxuries I indulge in, but if you want to have some “do-it-yourself” fun with your own nails, this is an easy way to go!

After you have filed and cleaned your nails, here is what you will need to polish them:

Base coat – Use a ridge filler if needed.  Base coat will help make the polish last longer.

White French Tip Polish – You could also use a soft silver or even just clear.

A Piece of scrap paper

Red, Blue & Yellow Polish – I used a shimmery aqua blue, shimmery blue red, and yellow.  You could use gold or silver polish to replace the yellow if you can not find it.  I have also seen some nail designers use craft paint for designs.

A Dried Up Ball Point Pen – Be sure any excess/dried up ink is cleaned off the tip.

Top Coat

Step 1 :  Put a thin coat of base coat on your nails and allow to dry for a couple of minutes.  Having a fan nearby is handy for moving things along, or a hair dry on the cool setting.

Step 2 : Paint a thin coat of the white french tip nail polish on your entire nail.  The best way to paint your nails is in three even strokes; one down the center of your nail, and then one down either side.  Multiple strokes can make the polish not go on as smoothly.  Allow this coat to dry for a few minutes.

Step 3 : Paint a second coat of the white french tip nail polish.  Be sure to give this coat plenty of drying time.  Polish should be fairly well set before moving on.

Step 4 :  Use the brush from the red nail polish to put a small bit of red polish on the piece of scrap paper.  Touch the very tip of the ball point pen (just the ball itself) into the red polish and carefully dot the tip of the pen onto the outside corner of one of your finger nails.  You can use the paper to test the amount of polish that gets transferred before doing it on your nail.  One touch should do it, but you can carefully repeat one time if needed.  Place one dot on the outside corner of each nail.

Step 5 :   Repeat step 4 with the blue and yellow polishes, being careful to clean the tip of the pen before switching colors.  Allow several minutes for the three colors to dry before finishing.

Step 6 :  Go over each dry nail with a coat of top coat.  Be extra careful not to over brush with the top coat, and stick with the three brush stroke rule.  Over working it can soften and smudge the design below.

Step 7 :  Air/Fan/Hairdryer dry and enjoy!

Enjoy Your Patriotic Nails!