Fourth of July Nail Art: Three Very Different (but Easy-to-Do!) Manicures

If we could offer one tip for the Fourth of July weekend, it’s that red white or blue nails (or a cool combo of all three colors) are the way to go. So after you’ve finished hand-smashing potatoes for your award-winning salad, pop into the nearest salon (or get out your kit for some DIY fun) and apply a design that will work with your beach and BBQ attire. Here are our faves for Independence Day.

Jackie Fields

Jackie Fields, Beauty Editor: Katy Perry said: “Baby you’re a firework.” And she was right. So, this weekend I’m making sure all my friends say, “oh, oh, oh” not just to the lit up sky, but to my sparkly mani. I started with TenOverTen’s Washington, which is hands down the best white nail polish ever created. I believe the name of the color was inspired by the N.Y.C. street, it couldn’t be more fitting for this patriotic weekend. After three coats, I opted to top my middle fingers off with Trust Fund Beauty’s Killer Heels. It’s a multi-color sparkle that I applied not to the entire nail, but diagonally from the bottom left corner across to the top right, then from the bottom right corner across to the top left, so that some white would still be very stylishly visible on those nails. When used as an overlay on top of my low-key ivory, this glittery coat created a look that was super-fun, but age still age-appropriate.

RELATED VIDEO: See which Stars’ Nail Art is On Point.

Brittany Talarico

Brittany Talarico, Style News Editor: If you live in the N.Y.C. area, you’ve probably heard about (or even been to) Paintbox. It’s a boutique manicure studio that offers a wide range of nail colors and designs in regular lacquer as well as gel. (They also serve you complimentary cocktails while you get your nails done, so it’s definitely a must-visit salon.) So yes, I decided to go there for my festive Fourth of July-themed tips. Not only did I change my nail shape — I was encouraged to go round this time instead of my usual square — but I also tried a new nail art trend and went for a negative space mani leaving a stripe of my natural nail bed “natural.” Using Gelish (a gel-polish hybrid), I had “My One Blue Love”, a light blue, painted on most of my nails, then used its darker cobalt “Mali-Blu Me Away” for a sky and sea-inspired look that will be a hit at every beach bash I hit this weekend. The proof? I’ve already been stopped by a group of admiring gals on the subway, which I take as a total compliment.

Alex Apatoff

Alex Apatoff, Senior Style Editor: It’s important to know that I only ever go neutral on my fingernails — I’m too lazy to fix chips and also kind of a chicken. But nail artist Ami Vega was making the rounds with Salon Perfect (which is sold at Walmart) to provide patriotic manis to editors, so I decided I could change up my routine for one weekend, with the caveat that I had to be able to do it myself. Two coats of the brand’s “Indigo” on all my nails, topped with “Spirit Fingers” on my ring fingers later, and I had a party-perfect nail look that can be done in under 15 minutes. You don’t even need a toothpick to distribute the stars — just a patient hand with the brush to dab them on where you want them. Perfect for Instagramming with a big slice of watermelon this weekend! (Unrelated, but I told you those roses look just like the picture!)

Will you be rocking red, white and blue on your hands and feet this weekend? Tell us in the comments below!