How to Get a Real Feather Manicure at Home (So Pretty!)
bought these feathers a few weeks ago and I knew they'd make a gorgeous mani.. It'll cost you waaaay less than what you'd pay in the salon!
A base color. I chose Essie's Glamour Purse.
Two top coats. You'll need one that's very thick (I'm using a bottle of Essence Better Than Gel Nailsthat's a few months old) and one that dries quickly (like Seche Vite).
And, of course, some feathers! The thinner and lighter the better.
Before you start, prepare all of the feathers you plan to use by cutting off the ends. This is the only part you'll need to use. Pick out feathers that match the size of your nails so that you don't have too much overhang at the cuticles, which can be a pain to trim.
Paint on your base color, let it dry, then add a coat of your thick clear top coat.
While the clear coat is still tacky, carefully place the feather on to your nail. Try to only cover the part of your nail that has color on. Lick the index finger on your other hand and use that to very gently press the feather down in to the sticky nail polish. Don't worry about the unwanted feather hanging off the end of your nail just yet.
When that's completely dry, apply a few coats of your fast drying top coat. Carry it on past the end of your nail to make the feather hard and easy to cut and file. I used three coats of Seche Vite to give it a thick glaze!
Once that's dry, use scissors or cuticle clippers to trim off most of the excess feather hanging off the end of your nail.
You can remove what's left with a nail file which also leaves you with a nice smooth edge. This will stop it from annoyingly catching on your clothes and remove the temptation to pick the feathers off!
I like to clean up around my cuticles with pure acetone and a small paintbrush, especially after piling on all that top coat!