I have a nail art secret, one I’ve been keeping for years & I finally decided to share!

It started when I was in Form One and a friend of mine bought them for me in Hong Kong. Ever since then, I’ve been using them. So here’s my secret:

I sometimes use gel pens on my nails. Yes, gel pens. You know the super pretty pastel pens that we used to buy and write on black paper? Those pens! Some of my most ‘popular’ nail art work was done using those pens. Like these;

 Things you need:

• Base nail polish (I used black nail polish from Elianto)
• Gel Pens (from Czip Lee, Bangsar for Rm15)
• Clear nail polish (from Elianto)

This is as simple and as basic as it gets.

Step One: Paint your nails using your base colour. I usually use black, because the pastel colours stand out more in contrast. Once it’s dry, use a topcoat to make sure it’s hard. You will need to ensure your nails are fully dried, that way when drawing on them with pen, it won’t dent.

Step Two: Have fun drawing on your nails! The best part is, if you make a mistake, you can just wash it off 🙂

Step Three: Once you are satisfied with the art you’ve done on your nails, let it dry. Here’s the tedious, time consuming part. I suggest doing this when your either on the phone or watching tv or doing non-hand using activities. It usually takes 15-20 minutes to dry, but I usually leave it that way for half an hour.

Step Four: Use a clear nail polish or a top coat and paint over. This part gets tricky. I suggest doing it really fast, with proper coats to avoid any smudges. When you go over it several times, it tends to smudge.

Step Five: Leave it to dry and your done!

I love how there’s no mess, minimal fuss (time consuming but no fuss) and ends up looking like an incredibly unique manicure! All at the comfort of your own home, within a budget and you can do your nails according to your mood/ outfits.

If any of you try it, do let me know! I’d love to see the outcome 🙂