How to get flawless looking nail art with water slide nail decals

Nail art can be hard. Have you ever tried to paint something on your nails with your non-dominant hand? Luckily, water slide nail decals are here to help. Here’s a few tips and tricks to make them go on easier and last longer.

I love using over sized nail art decals because the big bold designs make such an impact. The large designs are easy to see. I’ve had so many people stop me just to ask to see my nails. If you want to get noticed and make a statement, nail art is such a great way to express yourself. First let’s clear up what water slide nail decals are. You might be familiar with nail stickers which are literally very small stickers you stick right onto your nail. The downside to nail stickers is that they tend to be cheaply made on thick paper and it ends up looking very obvious that you’re wearing stickers on your nails. Water slide nail decals, on the other hand, are typically thinner and are usually transparent. Like the name implies, they are activated by water. You need to soak the decal in water for a few seconds before applying it onto your nail. Transparent nail decals also let you play with layering and nail polish colors in a way opaque nail stickers don’t allow.

Now how do you get perfect edges with water slide nail decals? It’s easy!

You can see in this picture that I’ve applied a large palm leaf water slide nail decal from my Hawaiian Flowers nail decal set over some neon orange nail polish. It’s pretty big so the first step is to take a small pair of scissors or sharp nail trimmers and carefully trim off as much of the excess as possible. No need to get it perfect at this step because we’ve got another way to smooth down the nail art decal’s edge.

Your secret weapon is non-acetone nail polish remover. Dip a paintbrush into the liquid and dab it along the edge of the nail decal. The edge will start to melt and you’ll be able to easily remove the part of the decal you don’t want to keep. Non-acetone nail polish remover takes a while to dissolve nail polish so it’s pretty safe to use on the decal without worrying about ruining your nail polish. Put a layer of clear coat between your nail polish and your nail art decal if you’re really worried. Also make sure to pat your nail dry with a clean paper towel after you’re done.

Once you’re happy with how your new nail art looks, seal it up with two coats of clear coat. This is necessary to prevent the water slide nail art decal from melting with repeated hand washing. Make sure that the decal is covered completely with clear coat too. That includes the tip of your nails. Re-apply clear coat every other day or so to extend the wear time your nail decals. Under normal use, I can typically make my nail art last at least a week.

I hope this helps you create great nail art at home!