Halloween is arrived, which means you have permission to dress in various shades of orange, white, and black for the next two months (hey, I don’t write the rules, I just joyously enforce them). And the simplest way to get into the Halloween spirit? Candy-corn nail art—or, basically, anything candy-corn-themed.
I know that Halloween-themed nail art can quickly become childish, but trust me when I tell that these candy-corn manicure tips from vlogger Hannah Weir are 100 percent cute, easy, and cool enough to wear beyond October 31. All you need are a few nail paints (described below) and around 10 minutes to complete the process.
Cutout Candy-Corn Nails
- 1. Paint your nails with two coats of an opaque black lacquer, allowing each coat to dry completely before moving on to the next step (believe me, skipping the dry period will ruin your nails).
2. Take some tape (Scotch tape works well, but nail stencils can also be used) and crisscross it over your nail until only a triangular form is visible.
3. Things are going to get a little messy, so Weir whips out her Kiesque Liquid Palisade—aka liquid “tape,” which she paints all around her nail to keep her skin from becoming coated with nail polish (you can peel off the gel-like barrier when your nails are dry, thus the appeal).
4. After the tape has dried, use a clean disposable cosmetic sponge and put a layer of white nail polish on it before dabbing it over your fingernail to create a white base. Then, on the other side of the sponge, paint a white stripe, an orange stripe, and a yellow stripe, slightly overlapping each stripe.
5. Press and rock the sponge over your nail to truly stamp on the colours, resulting in a fading ombré effect on your nail. Remove the liquid and actual tape, tidy up the edges with a nail brush dipped in nail polish remover, and top off your candy-corn nails with a layer of clear top coat.
Ombré Candy-Corn Nails
1. Apply two layers of opaque white nail paint to your nails and let them dry completely for at least 15 minutes (really—don’t cheat!) before continuing on. To make cleanup easier, line the skin surrounding your nails with liquid tape.
2. To achieve the ombré effect, paint a yellow, orange, and white stripe of polish across the flat side of a disposable cosmetic sponge, then stamp and roll it back and forth against your nail bed, pressing the colour onto your nails.
3. After the polish has dried, take off the liquid tape (or, if you skipped the tape, clean off any messed-up polish with remover), and seal it all in with a clear top coat.
Classic Candy-Corn Nails
1. Apply two coats of opaque white nail paint to your nails (you don’t want sheer white streaks), then let them dry for 15 minutes. Keep the layers thin rather than thick, and you may always add a third coat if necessary.
2. Apply orange nail paint to the central part (you might need two coats, depending on how sheer your polish is, but make sure to let each coat dry in between). Remove the tape, let the orange polish dry fully, and then paint the tips of your nails yellow.
3. Remove any excess nail polish with remover before applying a clear top coat.
