Bright Side
Bright Side

17 Seriously Inventive Nail Hacks You’ll Wish You’d Known About Sooner


The ideal look is all about paying attention to the smallest details. That's why it's so important to always have a neat and immaculate manicure.

Bright Side collected 17 awesome tricks that will help you create or refresh the beauty on your fingertips.


If your manicure peeled off a bit, but you don't have time to do a new one, you can refresh it with spangles. Just apply them on the nail tips, and the problem will be solved. You can also use the spangles to hide the regrown part of the nail.

Spangles of different shapes and sizes will make your manicure more interesting. By the way, it's better to apply large pieces using a needle or toothpick rather than a brush. In this case, your nails will look neater.


These droplets look especially impressive on matte nail polish, because it emphasizes their volume and 'fluidity.'

You may notice that the drops look more natural when they are different sizes. This creates a dew effect on your nails. Check out the instructions here.


To create an unusual manicure, use newspaper. Yes, just an ordinary newspaper! In addition, you'll need nail polish, cotton pads, and liquid to help you transfer the letters onto your nails (alcohol, vodka, or cologne). Click here for more details. 

Using this technique, you can transfer both the letters and other printed elements onto your nails. Don't be afraid to experiment with colors and fonts! Give free rein to your imagination!

Scotch tape

To make the perfect French manicure or geometric designs, use paper tape. It usually sticks well to the nail, and, moreover, it can be easily removed.

A plaster

Use a perforated plaster as a stencil to create neat spots equally distanced from each other.


Another improvised method is a piece of mesh or wisp. Place it on the nail, and apply the polish over it.

PVA glue

Skin defender is a special liquid that creates a protective film on the cuticle and the skin around the nail, protecting it from the polish. Without any doubt, this is a very useful thing. However, you can use ordinary PVA glue instead of this because it has the same effect!

A sponge

To gradient your nails, just use an ordinary sponge.

Usually, manicure salons offer a horizontal gradient. Be different, and make a vertical one! It will look unusual and impressive.

Invisible hair clips

To get the ideal spots, dip a hair clip's end into the polish and drip it on the nail.

Eye shadow

If you want to do your eye makeup and manicure in the same color, or you just have extra eye shadow, add it into transparent polish.

An eye shadow brush

If you use eye shadow for a manicure and want the spangles to be applied unevenly, apply them with a brush or applicator.


If you're ever in a situation when all you have is a base coat and some lipstick, you can make an amazing DIY nail polish. Just put some lipstick on your fingers with an eye brush, and apply the base coat on top. Voila!


This easy trick will help you get a matte manicure. Boil water in a pan, apply the polish on your nails, and then hold them over the steam for a few minutes.


If you want to make a combination of glossy and matte areas on your nails, you need to use potato starch. First, apply the nail polish. Then mix a few drops of transparent polish with starch on wax paper until smooth. Finally, quickly apply the mixture on the part of the nail that you want to be matte.

Plastic wrap

Create a pattern on dense plastic wrap using nail polish and let it dry. Separate the resulting pattern, apply it on the nail, and fix it well with transparent polish.

By the way, you don't have to use several colors to create a pattern. You can draw a rectangle or circle on the wrap and cut the desired shape out of it - a heart, a star, strips, or whatever you want. There are no limits to your creativity!

A tea bag

You can repair your broken nail with just a tea bag. Cut out a rectangle from it. Polish the nail, apply a bit of superglue on it and attach the rectangle to the nail. Once it's dry, apply a thin layer of the glue over it. Polish the nail one more time, and apply several layers of transparent polish to finish.

Here's a bonus! How to easily remove nail polish

Place two sponges in a jar and pour the nail polish remover in. Shake it, and then dip your finger into the jar. This way takes just a few seconds to remove nail polish!

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