Wave Tutorial!

Hey guys! Earlier this week I posted some nails I'd done with a wave pattern, promising I'd reveal how to do it later...well, now is later, so let's get this tutorial going, yeah?

You'll need:

Tape (regular tape works...I have a feeling duct tape or packing tape would ruin your mani in general)
Craft scissors (for the wave pattern, the wave-patterned scissors, obviously)
Nail polish (do I really need to say this one?)

First, paint your base color and let it dry. I loveloveloved the design that I had on already, so I just decided to keep that and do the wave pattern over it. Then, using your craft scissors, cut small pieces of tape (a little more than an inch long) in half with your craft scissors.

Then stick it on your nail! You can do one nail at a time, like I'm showing in this tutorial, or you can do them all at once. Whatever you prefer works! For this design, I wanted my wave pattern centered, but obviously you can put the tape wherever you want on your nail.

Once your tape is SECURELY stuck to your nail (make sure there aren't any air bubbles around the edge of the tape, or your lines won't be as crisp!), paint a coat of your second nail polish over it.

Usually with tape manicures, you're going to want to rip the tape of RIGHT AWAY after you paint over it - this guarantees you'll have a clear line. However, if your nail polish is a little sheer, wait for the first coat to [almost] dry, then do one more thick coat of your polish over it. Rip it off after that - do it fast! Peeling the tape off slowly leaves time for polish to slide around or peel off or...just a bunch of things that you don't want to happen.

See? Clear, crisp wave line! Finish the rest of your nails the same way, then once you're sure that the last layer of nail polish is dry, add topcoat to seal in your super easy (but super cool-looking) new design!

Isn't it cute? I think it looks so happy! Of course, you could do the same manicure with depressing colors and I'm sure it wouldn't be quite as happy...why you'd do depressing nails, though, I don't really know. More pictures below for anyone who's obsessed with this mani and just wants to stare at it all day!

Nice and simple! Let me know if you try this technique yourself, and be sure to post pictures on the If Nails Make You Happy Facebook page!

Stay happy :)