Nail art is undeniably fun. But let’s be honest not many of us can be bothered to learn intricate designs and then spend hours attempting them on the hand that we don’t write with. Ok, nailed those perfect silver stripes? Now try them on the other hand. Yeah, didn’t think so.
So what’s the best way to get glitzy party nails in about a quarter of the time that it would take you to paint on a few poker dots? That would be nail wraps. These little polish stickers are so easy to use and offer endless designs with impressively neat results. With the added bonus of no damage to your natural nails. NCLA have nailed it (pun completely intended) when it comes to quirky designs offering everything from a star-spangled galaxy to a collection entirely dedicated to Beyoncé. As you would expect, Sephora have gone one step further with their 3D Graphic Nails, arty studs already attached.
Surprisingly though, my personal favourite is Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips from none other than drugstore brand, Sally Hansen. The strips are made from real nail lacquer so they stretch out to wrap nails beautifully, adhering to the nail bed completely just like a liquid colour. There are 16 nail stickers, all appropriately sized. Just choose the closest size to your nail and fit it down, rubbing away any air bubbles as you go. Use the orange stick that’s included in the pack to press down around the edges and over the end of the nail. Finally, use an emery board in a downwards motion to file away the excess. The snake skin design is perfect for nail art virgins. It’s a subtle blend of beiges and browns that look almost neutral from a distance.
A word of advice though, these wraps should be applied immediately after you’ve removed them from their packaging as they’ll dry out pretty quickly and become brittle, making them impossible to use.
Your DIY artistic mani will take you all of ten minutes to apply and last for at least 4 days completely chip-free. Just as you would regular polish, you can refresh every few days with a slick of glossy topcoat. Once your nail design has run its course, the wraps are easily removed with the usual cotton pad and nail polish remover.
Click through the gallery to discover some of my favourite designs.
