I love the nautical theme and this extends from my wardrobe into other areas. Nautical nails designs are a timeless and stylish way to bring the essence of the sea to your fingertips. This classic theme takes inspiration from maritime elements like anchors, stripes, and ocean hues. If you are looking for nail inspo, you can also check out my Swarovski nail designs which are both elegant and dazzling.
Nautical Nails Designs
I’ve pulled together some of my all-time favourite nautical nails designs which offer a fresh and chic look. They are perfect for everyday nails as well as special occasions and holidays.
In addition to some nautical nails ideas and inspiration, I thought it would also be useful to touch upon the techniques and tips to help you achieve the perfect seafaring manicure.
Classic Blue and White Stripes
You’ll find that this is one of the most iconic nautical nail designs. This look features classic blue and white stripes. This simple yet striking pattern aligns with a traditional sailor uniform.
How to Achieve This Look At Home:
I’d suggest starting by applying a clear base coat to protect your nails. This will also help you achieve a smooth application.
Next, you’ll need to paint your nails with a white polish as the base colour. Ensure the polish is opaque and even.
Once your white polish is fully dry, you should use nail tape to create evenly spaced horizontal lines across your nails. Paint over these lines with a navy blue colour. This will give you the blue and white stripes that are so akin to nautical themes.
I’d suggest carefully removing the tape before your nail varnish is dry as this will give you crisp edges to your stripes.
Then paint over with a glossy top coat to seal the design and add a bit of shine to your fabulous nautical nails.
By the way. If you are enjoying this post, why not take a look at my tips on how to go back to natural hair colour after highlights. It’s a great read!
Anchors Aweigh
You could choose to add an anchor motif to your nail design. I’d suggest doing this on just one finger on each hand, but if you want to you could do more fingers.
How to Achieve This Look At Home:
Start by applying a navy blue polish to all your nails except the accent nail. The nail to which you are going to add the anchor to, should be painted a different contrasting colour of your choice.
Use a thin nail art brush or a nail stamping kit, you’ll need to draw or stamp a small anchor on the accent nail. I’d suggest using black or dark blue nail polish as this will stand out against your accent nail colour.
Finish the accent nails (and all the other nails) with a glossy or matte top coat – depending on which you prefer the look of.
Pro Tip: If freehand drawing is challenging, consider using water decals or nail stickers featuring anchor designs for a precise look.
Ocean Waves and Seafoam
This is one of my favourite designs. You can capture the beauty of the sea and ocean by creating wave-inspired nail art.
How to Achieve This Look At Home:
You’ll need to paint your nails with a light blue or turquoise polish to mimic the colour of gorgeous, shallow ocean waters.
This is where you need a steady hand to paint gentle wave patterns on your nails with white polish, using a thin brush. You can go across your nails or start at the tips of your nails and do down. I’d suggest using curved lines to represent ocean waves.
Add small dots or splashes near the waves. This is your seafoam and it looks fabulous.
Finish by painting over a shiny top coat to enhance the watery effect of your nautical nails.
Pro Tip: Why not add some shimmer or glitter polish to your design? This will add extra drama and also mimic the sparkling sunlight on the water.
Nautical Neutrals
You could combine nautical shapes and patterns with more neutral colours for a playful and charming design. This pattern is versatile and can be tailored with several colour and design combinations – depending on how you want your finished nails to look.
How to Achieve This Look At Home:
Choose a base colour that complements your design, such as white or a soft pastel shade.
Using a dotting tool or the end of a hair clip or bobby pin, create polka dots on your nails with a contrasting colour.
On one or two accent nails, add nautical stripe designs using the technique outlined above.
On the other nails, why not add a coat of matching glitter polish?
Finish off your set of gorgeous nails with a top coat to protect the design and add shine.
Tip: Experiment with different sizes of polka dots and star placements for a unique look.
Palm Tree Paradise
For a tropical twist on nautical nails, incorporate palm tree, starfish or a combination of the both. This style evokes a beachy vibe, perfect for summer.
How to Achieve This Look At Home:
Apply a beige or light blue polish to represent the beach or sky as a base coat onto your nails.
Using a thin nail art brush, you could paint a small palm tree silhouette on one of your nails. Using nail charms or nail art decorations you could decorate the rest of your nails. You’ll find that black nail polish works well for a silhouette effect.
Add small details like birds or sun using contrasting colours. You can also use the nautical stripe technique we spoke about before to add another contrast to more of your nails.
You’ll want to seal your design before adding any charms but after you add any embellishments which lay flat to your nail.
Nautical Nail Wraps and Decals
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to achieve nautical nail art, you could use nail wraps or water decals instead. You might find these are easier to apply than freehand painting your designs. You can achieve a much sought-after look by using wraps or decals.
How to Use:
I would suggest starting by thoroughly cleaning and buffing your nails to ensure a smooth surface.
Take note of the instructions that come with your wraps or decays. Generally, you’ll find that this involves placing the decal on your nail and sealing it with a top coat.
You can add embellishments like charms or decorations to give that ultra-polished finish. Mix and match different designs on each nail for a personalized look.
It’s a good idea to do your research and buy good quality wraps or decals to achieve a professional finish.
Using Nail Accessories
To bring a 3-D look to your nautical nail design you might want to use nail accessories like:
– Nail Tape: This is really the starting place for the nautical look. Nail tape helps create precise navy stripes and white stripes.
– Anchor Studs: These are a brilliant way to add a 3D effect to an accent nail.
– Water Decals: Great for detailed designs like starfish, palm trees, ocean waves, and sandy beach themes.
By using any of these high-quality accessories, you achieve a much sought-after salon look at home.
Head To The Salon
Nautical nail art designs are a timeless nail trend that always looks great – year-round. If you are unsure about applying these techniques you can always head to your local nail salon and ask them to help you achieve your dream nails.
If you are doing these at home, I’d suggest using high-quality gel polish and always applying a base coat to prevent staining. Don’t forget to seal your nail designs with a topcoat and they’ll last much longer.
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