I had the chance recently to do a maniswap with TaliaLouise on Instagram. This Neon Love nail art design is from way back (and much copied) and it’s a great design. It was also what inspired me to go looking for a new, true neon blue polish.
Neon Love nail art mani swap by Keely’s Nails
Polishes and tools
AEngland Camelot
Cirque Carpe Diem
Orly Glowstick, Beach Cruiser, and Skinny Dip
American Apparel Neon Green
Color Club Under The Blacklight, Feathered Hair Out To There, Meet Me At The Rink, and ‘Til The Record Stops
Trimmed fine liner brush
Latex sponge
Tweezers
That looks like so many polishes! But it’s much more straightforward than the massive list looks, I promise!
TaliaLouiseNails Neon Love nail art
I’ll give you a step-by-step guide…
- After a base coat, paint your nails black. I used two coats of Camelot.
- Using a fine nail art brush sketch out the letters in white – I used Carpe Diem. They don’t need to be perfect, they’ll be completely covered up.
- Tear off a tiny piece of latex sponge using the tweezers. You want it quite rough and jagged looking. Use the sponge piece dipped in white polish to dab along the outlines you’ve drawn.
- Once the white is dry (it shouldn’t take long) use more sponge pieces to dab the letters using the saturated neon colours. I used neon yellow, pink, blue (all Orly) and green (American Apparel).
- Using the pale, pastel neons and the fine nail art brush, outline your letters again. If the lines don’t show up enough, try outlining in white first.
- Clean up any mistakes on the nail with black polish, and around the nail with a clean up brush dipped in acetone.
- Seal all your hard work in with top coat – I like Seche Vite.
TaliaLouiseNails Maniswap collage
Neon Love nail art
As you can see, I made a big mistake! Talia’s O from love is a heart!! Oops!
TaliaLouiseNails recreated my waterfall nails, which you can also recreate – it is a really easy design.
December 2, 2016
I like seeing all your nail inspiration. The waterfall nails are great, I just wish my nails would stop breaking so I could try this out.
December 2, 2016
You could do waterfall even on short nails – have a look at The Sammersaurus – she has short nails with beautiful art.
December 2, 2016
These nails would look fantastic at a rave. I love these nails and they would stand out against any outfit.
December 3, 2016
Oh totally! It would look so cool anywhere with UV lights
December 3, 2016
I love these!! They are so bright! Love those blue ones too!
December 3, 2016
Me too – couldn’t believe I missed the heart though
December 3, 2016
Ooh these are funky, I wish I had time to do my nails x
February 4, 2017
Thank you Jenni! I normally do mine when I’m sat in front of the TV – win-win!
December 3, 2016
Those look so amazing might try this own, don’t know what it will look like though because never done my own nil art
February 4, 2017
Id definitely recommend starting with something like dots – it was one of my designs. Work your way up to freehand!
December 4, 2016
Woah, these are so bright…….would be perfect for a festival though
February 4, 2017
Thank you Kara! Yes they would be fab for a festival
December 4, 2016
I love the Neon Nails, the look great for a night out especially if you can find some UV lights too!
February 4, 2017
I love seeing neons glow under UV light, such fun!
December 4, 2016
Loving how colourful these are, I am not good with doing my nails wish I had half the talent you have.
February 4, 2017
It’s all down to practice, you get better just by trying
December 5, 2016
Wow these are so colourful. Wish I could actually have nice nails but I work in a operating theatre so I’m not allowed 🙁
February 4, 2017
Oh no! I’m not sure I could cope with naked nails
December 5, 2016
I am absolutely in love with waterfall nails. So pretty!
February 4, 2017
I need to do another waterfall look, it’s been a while
December 9, 2016
These are so colourful. I’m always a bit anti-black nail varnish (purely because I wore it so much in my teenage emo stage), but I love how you’ve made it vibrant. x
February 4, 2017
You can definitely liven up black (or anything) with some neon!