How to Do Glitter Cuticles
Trim and shape your nails., Clean your cuticles., Apply a basecoat., Paint your nails., Choose your glitter polish., Use a nail art brush to apply your glitter polish., Dip your brush into your glitter polish., Make your glitter last longer., Apply...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Trim and shape your nails.
This is an important step in any manicure, and especially with this glitter cuticles manicure.
Because the color on your nails will likely be neutral, it’s particularly important that they are well shaped.
If your nails are long, use nail clippers to trim them to the same length.
Then, use a file to smooth the edges.You can file straight across from a more square tip, or soften the edges for a more rounded tip. -
Step 2: Clean your cuticles.
Unlike in normal manicures, do not push your cuticles back.
Instead, you'll focus on cleaning them off.
You’ll want to give the glitter a clean surface to stick to.
Dip a cotton swab into a bit of rubbing alcohol and rub it along each cuticle.
This will remove any oil and grime on your cuticles.
Unlike glitter on your nails, glitter on your cuticles will not last more than a couple of days.
However, cleaning your cuticles before applying any polish will help it last as long as possible., It’s easy to skip this step in your manicure, but it’s important that you don’t! A basecoat gives your nail a good, sticky surface for your colored polish to stick to.
It helps to ensure your manicure lasts without chipping or flaking.
It also prevents darker hues from staining your nails, and can smooth over imperfections to create an excellent canvas., You can use any color you want for this.
If you want to mimic the glitter cuticles spotted on the high fashion runways, however, opt for a soft neutral.
A nude or very soft pink polish looks excellent.Gray, tan, black, and white polish all work well too.
The key is to let the glitter cuticles steal the show, rather than a bold polish. , For this effect, you want to choose a finely-milled glitter polish, rather than a polish that has large, chunky pieces of glitter.
Because you aren't painting a large surface, you don't want large specks.
A finely-milled glitter will work perfectly on your cuticles, creating a shimmery effect.When it comes to choosing color, it's a matter of personal preference! , To get the precise application of glitter that this manicure demands, you’ll need to use a very thin brush made for nail art.
You can purchase these at many pharmacies and all beauty supply stores.
They'll be much easier to work with than the brush that comes in the polish., Carefully run your brush along your cuticle, on the skin around your nail.
You want to create a thin line of polish, so that the effect is sleek and understated.
Simply follow along the outline of your nail., You can alter this manicure slightly and apply it to your actual nail, outlining it where it meets the skin.
This is slightly different than the original glitter cuticle manicure, but it will last longer than glitter applied directly to your skin!, Protect your polish by finishing your manicure with a topcoat.
A topcoat will help to keep your polish from chipping by providing a protective barrier against wear and tear.
Additionally, a glossy topcoat will give your nails a bit of extra shine.If the glitter polish has been applied to the skin, do not cover it with a top coat.
This will result in the glitter flaking off much sooner than you want.
Let your nails (and cuticles) dry completely and you’re all ready to show them off! If you're crunched for time, use a quick drying top coat.
These typically dry in about a minute, and they're great for anyone on the go. , If you painted your glitter onto your actual nails, you can help maintain this manicure by reapplying the top coat every two or three days.Because of normal wear and tear, the top coat will start to chip and flake away.
By reapplying it regularly, you're ensuring that the glitter is sealed and protected.
Additionally, this will add some shine back to your nails and make your manicure look fresh. , Expect the glitter to start flaking in one to two days if you painted it directly on to your skin.
While this is an adorable look, it won't last you for weeks like your favorite shellac manicure.
If you intend on wearing your glitter cuticles for several days, you'll need to be prepared for touchups.
Whenever a bit chips off, reapply a bit of glitter polish in that spot. , Don't worry – this manicure won't damage your cuticles.
It will look best, and stick longer, on healthy nails and cuticles.
Make sure you are extremely gentle on your cuticles.
Do not pick at them or cut them.
Avoid drying them out by using acetone-free nail polish remover.
Give them a bit of extra TLC between manicures by using cuticle oil and sleeping with Vaseline on your cuticles.By keeping your cuticles healthy, your glitter cuticles will look better and last longer. -
Step 3: Apply a basecoat.
-
Step 4: Paint your nails.
-
Step 5: Choose your glitter polish.
-
Step 6: Use a nail art brush to apply your glitter polish.
-
Step 7: Dip your brush into your glitter polish.
-
Step 8: Make your glitter last longer.
-
Step 9: Apply your topcoat.
-
Step 10: Reapply the top coat.
-
Step 11: Add more glitter as needed.
-
Step 12: Keep your cuticles healthy.
Detailed Guide
This is an important step in any manicure, and especially with this glitter cuticles manicure.
Because the color on your nails will likely be neutral, it’s particularly important that they are well shaped.
If your nails are long, use nail clippers to trim them to the same length.
Then, use a file to smooth the edges.You can file straight across from a more square tip, or soften the edges for a more rounded tip.
Unlike in normal manicures, do not push your cuticles back.
Instead, you'll focus on cleaning them off.
You’ll want to give the glitter a clean surface to stick to.
Dip a cotton swab into a bit of rubbing alcohol and rub it along each cuticle.
This will remove any oil and grime on your cuticles.
Unlike glitter on your nails, glitter on your cuticles will not last more than a couple of days.
However, cleaning your cuticles before applying any polish will help it last as long as possible., It’s easy to skip this step in your manicure, but it’s important that you don’t! A basecoat gives your nail a good, sticky surface for your colored polish to stick to.
It helps to ensure your manicure lasts without chipping or flaking.
It also prevents darker hues from staining your nails, and can smooth over imperfections to create an excellent canvas., You can use any color you want for this.
If you want to mimic the glitter cuticles spotted on the high fashion runways, however, opt for a soft neutral.
A nude or very soft pink polish looks excellent.Gray, tan, black, and white polish all work well too.
The key is to let the glitter cuticles steal the show, rather than a bold polish. , For this effect, you want to choose a finely-milled glitter polish, rather than a polish that has large, chunky pieces of glitter.
Because you aren't painting a large surface, you don't want large specks.
A finely-milled glitter will work perfectly on your cuticles, creating a shimmery effect.When it comes to choosing color, it's a matter of personal preference! , To get the precise application of glitter that this manicure demands, you’ll need to use a very thin brush made for nail art.
You can purchase these at many pharmacies and all beauty supply stores.
They'll be much easier to work with than the brush that comes in the polish., Carefully run your brush along your cuticle, on the skin around your nail.
You want to create a thin line of polish, so that the effect is sleek and understated.
Simply follow along the outline of your nail., You can alter this manicure slightly and apply it to your actual nail, outlining it where it meets the skin.
This is slightly different than the original glitter cuticle manicure, but it will last longer than glitter applied directly to your skin!, Protect your polish by finishing your manicure with a topcoat.
A topcoat will help to keep your polish from chipping by providing a protective barrier against wear and tear.
Additionally, a glossy topcoat will give your nails a bit of extra shine.If the glitter polish has been applied to the skin, do not cover it with a top coat.
This will result in the glitter flaking off much sooner than you want.
Let your nails (and cuticles) dry completely and you’re all ready to show them off! If you're crunched for time, use a quick drying top coat.
These typically dry in about a minute, and they're great for anyone on the go. , If you painted your glitter onto your actual nails, you can help maintain this manicure by reapplying the top coat every two or three days.Because of normal wear and tear, the top coat will start to chip and flake away.
By reapplying it regularly, you're ensuring that the glitter is sealed and protected.
Additionally, this will add some shine back to your nails and make your manicure look fresh. , Expect the glitter to start flaking in one to two days if you painted it directly on to your skin.
While this is an adorable look, it won't last you for weeks like your favorite shellac manicure.
If you intend on wearing your glitter cuticles for several days, you'll need to be prepared for touchups.
Whenever a bit chips off, reapply a bit of glitter polish in that spot. , Don't worry – this manicure won't damage your cuticles.
It will look best, and stick longer, on healthy nails and cuticles.
Make sure you are extremely gentle on your cuticles.
Do not pick at them or cut them.
Avoid drying them out by using acetone-free nail polish remover.
Give them a bit of extra TLC between manicures by using cuticle oil and sleeping with Vaseline on your cuticles.By keeping your cuticles healthy, your glitter cuticles will look better and last longer.
About the Author
James Castillo
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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