Fresh nail art designs that you can do at home – part 1

Nail art is something everybody can do at home. And it doesn’t have to be super complicated to be effective. We love the dreamy designs by Seika of Line Spa & Polish in Vancouver and are so excited to share our collaboration with you. She has created some simple but swoon-worthy nail art designs exclusively for us using some of our most loved colours. Read on for all the Line Spa & Polish x Sienna nail art inspiration!

Before we begin

It’s best to have everything you need close to hand before you start, just as if you would if you were giving yourself a straight-up mani. You can read all about our DIY manicure tips here. As ever, for all these designs we recommend starting with a protective base coat to give you a smooth surface to paint on and finishing with a top coat to seal the deal and keep all your fabulous nail art locked in. Also, who loves a high-gloss finish? Everyone, that’s who. One final tip: We know this sounds obvious, but the key to all these designs is to make sure each layer dries before you apply the next. Alright! Let’s do this thing!

1. Blue line ombre

Colours: Dream, Breeze, Wategos

Are you dreaming of blues? Us too. This sweet nail art design is as straightforward as it looks.

• Start with Wategos (clear blue water crème) and paint a line down the centre of each nail, as per the picture.
• Paint over the top two thirds in Dream (periwinkle crème).
• Finally, apply Breeze (mid-tone aqua crème). on the top third.

Your nails look so fresh! You clever thing, you.

2. Minimalist dots

Colours: Calm, Winter, Bonsoir, Merlot

Did somebody say ‘transeasonal’? This design is deceptively straightforward. We won’t tell anyone how easy it is if you don’t.

• Apply a base of Calm (warm clay crème) to every nail.
• Paint a line of Winter (bright white crème) on the left side of your thumb and ring fingernail, as per the picture.
• Use the brush (or a bobby pin!) to drop a small dot of Bonsoir and Merlot (deep navy crème with a cerulean shimmer and deep red wine merlot crème) on the same two nails.

Hot tip: make sure the dots are dry before painting the top coat or it may ‘drag’ the colour. The dots are thicker than the coats of polish so they take a touch longer.

Yes, it’s really that easy. This is such a flexible look. Mix it up and choose your favourite contrasting colour for the two dots.

3. Pastel Leopard

Colours: Lily, Mimosa, Fleur, Wategos

Leopards have been known to purr when they are happy. You will too when you see how your nails look. This is such a fun, warm weather look.

• Paint your middle finger with Mimosa (pale yellow crème).
• On the other four nails, use the brush (or bobby pin) to pain three-four dots in Lily (lavender crème).
• Next, use the same technique to create one-two dots of Wategos (clear water blue crème).
• Finish up with two dots of Fleur (blushing bride pink crème).

Hot tip: when painting dots with your brush make sure to have a tiny amount of polish on the brush as it will pool on the nail. It’s easier to add more than take it off!

4. Brush strokes

Colours: Florence, Liberty, Calm

Painterly strokes are having such a moment in nail art at the moment and the technique is totally achievable at home. Get your paintbrushes at the ready! (No, really).

• Apply a base coat
• Paint a coat of Calm (warm clay crème) on your thumb and ring finger.
• Apply small brushstrokes of Florence (magenta plum crème) for a painterly effect on the other three fingers. You can use a paintbrush here, if you prefer.
• Apply another small brushstroke of Calm.
• Finally, add a smear of Liberty (Woodrose grey crystal) for the finishing touch.

Voila! You have achieved nail art glory.

Tip: Make sure to use just a tiny amount of polish when you paint the brush stroke accents.

5. Balloon French

Colours: Hope, Artisan, Courage

This design brings together our sheer white crème, Hope, with two of our favourites from our collection of Autumn/Winter hues: Artisan (deep mustard crème) and Courage (warm terracotta crème).

• Paint a curved line on every nail to create the balloon shape and fill in with Hope.
• Use your nail brush to create a curved line over the top quarter of the nail on your middle and ring fingers in Courage. Then fill it in.
• On the other side of the nail, repeat the process with Artisan, overlapping the part of the nail painted with Courage.

If you’re not confident drawing freehand, try using French tip stickers to help guide your brush. We have even heard of people using round stationery stickers to get the curve just right. Either way, the whole look is just so chic. We love it.

Line Spa & Polish and sustainable beauty

Line Spa & Polish is a beauty biz after our own sustainable, eco-loving hearts. They are a 100% vegan, sustainable nail service and stock only the highest quality products that adhere to their philosophy: ‘wellness and environment should not be compromised for beauty’. We are, of course, thrilled they use Sienna! Alongside a no cruelty, no toxins approach to the products Line Spa & Polish use, the salon has been 90% plastic-free since they opened, and are constantly innovating to further minimise their impact.  Did we mention that their founder, Seika, is a next-level nail tech?

Let us know if you try any of these designs! We’re busting to hear how you go. If you enjoyed learning about how to create nail art at home, keep your eye out for Part Two of our collaboration with Line Spa and Polish with more designs coming soon.

Keep up with all things sustainable nail care @siennabyronbay and @linespanadpolish on Instagram