A Do It Yourself Floral Manicure Using Real Dried Flowers

If you’re tired of the same old manicure and are looking for a creative way to do your nails, look no further than using real dried flowers.  Dried blooms come in a variety of colors and sizes to match your personality.  They can be worn winter, spring, summer or fall and can bring a sense of beauty and vitality to your look.  Your nails will definitely catch some attention with their unique look and will leave people wondering how you did them. 

Follow the steps outlined below to do your own floral manicure.

1.       Gather your supplies.  Before you begin, you will need to gather a few basic items.  These include: 

·         Tweezers

·         Toothpick

·         Nail polish in a hue that coordinates with color of blossoms

·         Heavy duty top coat

·         Glitter nail polish (optional)

·         Dried Flowers

The dried blossoms can be purchased through a number of different online retailers.  Look for blooms that are small enough to fit on your fingernail and come in a variety of bright colors to match your personality.

photo source: Pinterest

2.       Arrange your blossoms.  Decide which blooms you will use and lay them upside down on your work surface in the order you will place them.  If your nails are short or you have small nail beds, you may only be able to fit one blossom on each nail.  If your nails are long, you may want to include a couple of flowers and overlap them to create a unique design.

3.       Apply base coat.  Using the nail color of your choice, apply two thin coats to your nails.  Make sure you allow the polish to dry completely between coats and before you move onto the next step.

4.       Apply glitter polish (optional).  If you want to add a bit of sparkle to your nails, apply a coat of glitter polish to your nails after the base coat has dried.

5.       Press dried flower onto nail.  While your nail is still wet from the glitter polish, pick up the upside down dried flower by dabbing your wet nail into it.  This method works much easier than trying to pick up the flower and applying it to your nail without tearing its delicate petals.

6.       Use toothpick to set flower into place.  If you need to adjust the placement of your flower, use a toothpick to gently nudge it into position.  You may find that some of the petals stick up.  If this is the case, gently push each petal down with the toothpick until they stick to the polish.  If the polish has dried, you may need to apply a small amount underneath the petal to make it stick.  As the polish dries, it will get gummier and will be able to hold the petals better.  The blooms can also be manipulated better once they absorb the moisture from the polish.

7.       Apply top coat.  After you have applied the blooms to your nails, allow the polish to dry.  If you would like, you can apply another coat of glitter polish at this time to add a bit of sparkle to the top of the petals.  After the glitter polish dries, apply a layer of heavy duty top coat over the entire nail, including the blossom.  If you want your nails to appear a bit more dimensional, apply a second thick layer of top coat. 

Experiment with different colors of nail polish and blossoms for a variety of looks.  For an understated and simplistic look, try applying a dried flower to a single nail on each hand.  This is considered an accent nail and can give your manicure a bit more interest.  For something bright and colorful, select a different color of blossom for each nail on your hand. 

Disclosure: Article courtesy of Pro Flowers