Creating your perfect tropical nails

When the sun comes out and the temperatures rise, it's time to switch up your nail game and embrace the vibrant and tropical nail art designs that are perfect for summer. Whether you're headed to a beach vacation or just want to add a pop of color to your everyday look, tropical nail art is a fun and stylish way to express your summer vibes. With these 10 simple steps, you can achieve the perfect tropical nail art in no time. From palm trees to hibiscus flowers, this guide will take you through each step to ensure you have flawless and eye-catching nails all summer long. So grab your favorite gel nail polishes and get ready to unleash your creativity with the perfect tropical nails.

Pick your design inspiration before getting started!

Perform a Russian manicure

Before creating your tropical nail art, it's important to properly prep your nails properly and perform a Russian manicure (want to know What is a Russian manicure? ) to ensure a long-lasting and flawless look. Starting with a clean canvas sets you up for success.

After your manicure, shape your nails to your desired length and style. Square, round, or almond-shaped nails all work well for tropical nails.

Lastly, give your nails a quick wash with mild soap and warm water to remove any dirt or oils. Dry them thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

Choose your base polish color

Now that your nails are prepped and ready to go, it's time to choose the perfect base color for your nails. The base color creates the foundation for your design, so it's important to choose a shade that will complement the tropical theme and make your nail art pop.

For classic tropical nails, you can't go wrong with bright and vibrant colors like coral, turquoise, or neon pink gel nail polish. These shades will instantly give your nails a fun and energetic vibe that is perfect for summer.

You can also start with a tropical print or pattern as your base. This can be achieved by using a stamping plate to create a unique and intricate design. The key is to choose a base color that speaks to your personal style and matches the overall look you want.

Gather your nail supplies

Now that you have the perfect base color for your nails, it's time to gather all the necessary supplies to put the design together. Here's a list of some items you may need depending on what you have chosen:

1. Tropical gel nail polish colors: To create a vibrant and stunning look these polish colors will help;  neon green, yellow, orange, and blue gel colors are all bright and work great when achieving this look. 

2. Nail art brushes: If you don't already have some then investing in a set of nail art brushes with different brush sizes, lengths and uses will come in handy for creating the details and designs for your nails.

3. Dotting tools: These tools will help you create beautiful dots, which are commonly used in tropical nail art to mimic patterns found in nature.

4. Nail stamping plates: If you're a beginner or simply want to save time, consider investing in a nail stamping kit. This kit will allow you to easily transfer tropical prints onto your nails.

6. Nail decals or nail stickers: These are perfect for adding extra flair to your tropical nail art. Look for decals or stickers that feature tropical flowers, fruits, or palm trees.

Start with a palm tree design!

Now that you have all your nail supplies ready, it's time to dive into the fun part. Start by creating a palm tree. The palm tree is an iconic symbol of tropical paradise.

To start, apply a base coat of your chosen tropical color. This will serve as the background for your palm tree design. Adding in an ombre that mimics a beautiful sunset is a great background to start with. If you are unfamiliar with how to perform ombre nails then a standard solid polish color is great.

Next, take your nail art brush and dip it into a dark green (or whatever color will work best with your background) nail polish. Carefully draw a vertical line down the center of your nail to represent the trunk of the palm tree. Remember to use thin, precise strokes for a more realistic effect.

After that, use the same brush and a lighter shade of green nail polish to create small, wispy strokes extending from the trunk. These will serve as the palm fronds. Continue adding more fronds and remember to vary the lengths and angles to make the design look more natural.

You can add some flower nail art

Tropical flowers are known for their bold and vibrant colors, making them the perfect addition to your summer-inspired nail art.

To start, choose a few bright colors that represent tropical flowers such as hibiscus, plumeria, or orchids. Using a dotting tool and nail brushes, create small dots and strokes on your nails to mimic the petals of these beautiful flowers. Remember to vary the sizes and shapes of the petals to give your nail art a more realistic and eye-catching look.

Incorporating tropical fruits

To further enhance your tropical nail art and give it a fresh and juicy twist, why not incorporate some tropical fruits into the design? Tropical fruits not only add a pop of vibrant colors but also evoke a sense of summer and tropical paradise.

Start by selecting some fruits like pineapples, coconuts, watermelons, or anything you want. You can either hand paint these or look through our huge collections of nail decals or nail stickers to find what you are looking for. Decals are a great way to incorporate different art into your manicure without having to hand paint.

Adding some glitter accents 

To add glitter to your nails, you have a few options. You can either use a glitter nail polish or loose glitter. If you choose to use loose glitter, you'll need to apply a clear top coat before and after applying the glitter to ensure it stays in place.

Start by selecting a glitter color that complements your ombre colors if you used one. You can go for gold, silver, or even multicolored glitter for a more vibrant look. Apply the glitter to the tips of your nails, creating a gradient effect from the base to the tips.

Gently press the glitter onto the nails using a small brush, ensuring an even distribution. Once the glitter is in place, seal it all with a high-quality top coat to make your nail art last longer and add a beautiful glossy finish.

Finishing up

Always seal your design with a gel polish top coat to finish. It will provide you with longevity and make sure that your manicure stays beautiful the entire time. 

You don't have to choose all of the designs that we listed to make your perfect tropical nails. If you put thought into the design up front and choose from one or multiple types of nail art in this guide you will Definetely be ready for that beach vacation!