How to Tie-Dye Your Nails Without a Bowl
LINDSEY ROBINSON SANCHEZ
LIFE
Nail tie-dyeing, also called nail marbling, is a technique that creates swirls of color on each nail, similar to fabric tie-dye. In traditional water tie-dye, the nail is dipped in a small bowl of water with swirled polish on its surface. The results can be gorgeous, but it can also be difficult to capture the design perfectly on the nail. For tie-dye nails minus the bowl -- and the water, and the mess -- you can apply the polish and swirl directly on the nail. Depending on your colors, the results can be as subtle or psychedelic as you choose.
Remove any old polish residue by wiping each nail with a cotton ball dipped in nail polish remover.
Apply a thick coat of polish in the base color for your tie-dye design. Coat your brush with polish, then drag the brush vertically along the center of your nail from base to tip. Repeat on the right and left of your center stripe to completely coat the nail. Do not wait for the polish to dry -- you want the colors to be pliable so you can swirl them together. Work quickly on only one nail at a time so the polish doesn't have time to dry.
Apply two to five drops of two or more colors to the nail. Use the end of the polish brush to dot the color onto the nail.
Pull a toothpick or a thin, clean nail art brush through the polish dots to swirl the colors together. Do not swirl the colors together too much, as this will cause the colors to blend together and become muddy.
Hold the nail downward and press the top edge and side edges of the nail with your thumb. Some of the excess polish will come off on your thumb without damaging your design. Since tie-dye requires thick coats and dots of color, it can take a long time to dry. Removing some of the excess will help shorten the drying time.
Repeat the design on as many nails as you choose. Allow to dry completely. Be patient, the swirls are worth it.
Clean up any leftover polish smudge around the nails by rubbing the skin gently with a pointed cotton swab or your (clean) nail art brush dipped in polish remover. Seal your work with a thin layer of clear topcoat on each nail.
- Some tutorials use a needle as a swirling tool, but take caution with this method since a sharp needle can scratch the surface of the nail.
- Acetone-based polish is more likely to irritate sensitive or damaged skin than non-acetone polish.
- Use colors in similar shades or tones for a subtle tie-dye. Contrasting, bright colors will create an eye-catching, vibrant effect.
- A thick, white base coat will swirl well with any color polish and won't alter or muddy the colors.
Related Articles
