Christmas
Tree Ala Polka Dots
Difficulty: 1 out of 5
What you’ll need:
Base coat
Top coat
Nail polish (several shades of green, white, bright red, and yellow)
Dotting tools
The steps:
1. Apply a base coat to protect your natural nails.
2. Apply white nail polish on your accent nail, the one where you would like to paint the Christmas tree. Polish your other nails with green nail polish. Allow a few minutes for the polishes to dry completely before painting the design.
3. Choose a green nail polish and dab three large dots on your accent nail that resembles a triangle. This will serve as guide for the Christmas tree. Add another dot of the same color and size inside the triangle.
4. Continue adding dots of different sizes and different shades of green polish to form the Christmas tree. Tip: Start with big dots and fill in awkward spaces with small dots.
5. Use a yellow nail polish and place a dot on top of the tree to resemble a star.
6. Add small red dots on random places, using a bright red polish to serve as Christmas tree decors.
7. Apply a top coat to seal your design.
Christmas Tree Cupcake
Difficulty: 2 out of 5
What you’ll need:
Base coat
Top coat
Nail polish (red, green, and yellow)
Acrylic paints
Striping nail art brush
Dotting tools
The steps:
1. Apply a base coat to protect your natural nails.
2. Paint the tips of your nails with red nail polish. Cover at least ¼ of the nail. Allow to completely dry before proceeding to the next step.
3. Draw three white vertical lines over the red polish. Use white acrylic paint and a striping nail art brush for this.
4. Paint a thick white horizontal line, approximately 2 mm, on top of the red tip. Make sure the line touches both sides of the nail.
5. With the green nail polish and a dotting tool, create three curves over the white horizontal line and place a dot on the center, near the cuticle area. The dot will serve as guide as you complete the cupcake.
6. Using the dot as guide, paint a green triangular shaped cupcake. Use a dabbing motion with a dotting tool to do this.
7. Place a yellow dot on top of the cupcake to mimic a star.
8. Add different sizes of white dots on the cupcake for detail.
9. Apply top coat to seal the design.
Reindeer
Difficulty: 2 out of 5
What you’ll need:
Base coat
Top coat
Nail polish (very light pink)
Acrylic paints
Detailing nail art brush
Dotting tools
The steps:
1. Apply a base coat to protect your natural nails.
2. Apply a very light pink nail polish on all your nails. Allow a few minutes for the polishes to dry completely before painting the design.
3. With light brown acrylic paint, draw a vertical line from approximately the center of your nail down to the free edge. This will serve as a guide as you paint the reindeer’s head.
4. Paint half an oblong for the head, making sure it touches the tip of the nail.
5. Add a small ear on each side of the head.
6. Add two antlers on top of the head by drawing 2 vertical lines and adding 2 alternating small diagonal lines on each one. Use a dark brown acrylic paint for this.
7. Paint a big black nose, touching the free edge of the nail.
8. Paint two small vertical white lines for the eyes.
9. Add two small black dots on the eyes for further detail.
10. Dab a small white dot on top of the nose for a shiny effect.
11. Add two pink dots on the cheeks for cuteness.
12. Apply top coat to seal the design.
Tip: Paint Rudolph by using red acrylic paint for the nose.
Santa Claus
Difficulty: 4 out of 5
What you’ll need:
Base coat
Top coat
Nail polish (basic red, light beige/nude, white shimmer)
Acrylic paints
Detailing and striping nail art brush
Dotting tools
The steps:
1. Apply a base coat to protect your natural nails.
2. Apply light beige or nude nail polish on your accent nail, the one where you would like to paint Santa Claus. Polish your other nails with basic red nail polish. Allow a few minutes for the polishes to dry completely before painting the design.
3. Draw an outline of Santa’s face using black acrylic paint on your accent nail.
4. Color the design using acrylic paints. Use white for the base of Santa’s hat, moustache, and beard. Use red for the rest of the hat and Santa’s nose. Make sure the black outline remains visible.
5. OPTIONAL: Add a layer of white shimmer nail polish on top of the white acrylic paint. This will add a little texture and a smoother finish to your design.
6. Dab two large white dots for the eyes.
7. Add two pink dots to give Santa rosy cheeks.
8. Add two smaller black dots on the eyes for further detail.
9. Paint a curve line under the moustache for a smile.
10. Add white stripes on the rest of your nails using a striping nail art brush, or wear them plain.
11. Apply a top coat to seal the design.
Santa’s Elves
Difficulty: 3 out of 5
What you’ll need:
Base coat
Top coat
Nail polish (light blue, glittered)
Acrylic paints
Detailing nail art brush
Dotting tools
The steps:
1. Apply a base coat to protect your natural nails.
2. Apply a light blue nail polish on all your nails and layer it with one coat of glittery polish. Allow to completely dry before painting the design.
3. Draw the outline of the elf using black acrylic paint.
4. Color the design using acrylic paints. Use a skin tone color for the face, red or green for the clothes and hat, and white for the pompoms. Make sure the black outline remains visible.
5. Dab two small black dots for the eyes.
6. Add two pink dots on the cheeks for cuteness.
7. Draw a smile to finish the face.
8. Add details to the clothes, white dots for buttons and white horizontal stripes for the sleeves.
9. Dab different sizes of white dots on the other nails for a snowy effect.
10. Apply top coat to seal the design.
