Give Yourself a Caviar Manicure

Ready to move beyond the old smooth polish look and into something a little more edgy? By dipping your nails into microbeads while the polish is still wet, you can create an interesting, bumpy texture. Despite the name, you do not have to use typical caviar colors, such as red, orange, or black. You can use any color you want; if you can't find microbeads in a certain color, simply use clear microbeads over your favorite nail polish color instead. Be warned, however, this manicure is short-lived, and it does not last longer than a few days.

Steps

Doing a Basic Caviar Manicure

1. Prepare your nails. Wipe off any old nail polish with nail polish remover, then buff and shape your nails, if needed. If you don't have a steady hand, consider coating the skin around your nails with petroleum jelly; this will make cleaning up any mistakes easier later on.
2. Apply a base coat. Unfortunately, caviar manicures are short-lived, and only last 2 to 3 days. Nonetheless, it is still important to apply a base coat. Not only will this help your manicure last a little bit longer, but it will also protect your nail from stains.
3. Apply one coat of nail polish, then wait for the polish to dry. You can use any color of nail polish you want, especially if you are using clear microbeads. If you are using colored microbeads, consider using a matching nail polish color; this will help conceal any potential gaps. Don't apply your second coat just yet, however; you will be painting and coating your nails with the microbeads one nail at a time.
   • For best results, consider a thinner formula with a flat finish rather than a shimmery one.
4. Apply a thick coat of nail polish to your first nail. Again, resist the urge to paint all of your nails at once. If you paint all of your nails now, the nail polish will dry too quickly, and the beads won't stick.
5. Sprinkle the microbeads over your nail. Alternatively, you can fill a small bowl or dish with the microbeads, then dip your nail into it. If the microbeads are not sticking, wait 10 seconds for the nail polish to get tacky, then try again.
6. Gently pat the surface of your nail with your finger tip. This will press the microbeads into the polish and help them stick. It will also help the microbeads lay smoother and flatter against your nail without piling up.
7. Sprinkle your nail with more microbeads, then pat it one more time, if needed. This helps fill in any potential gaps and give you a neater finish. If your nail was neatly filled the first time around, then you can skip this step.
8. Clean it up. Carefully run a manicure stick, an orange stick, or a toothpick around your nail cuticle. This will get rid of any stray beads that got onto the skin around your nail. and give you a neater finish.
   • If you used any petroleum jelly around your nail, you can wipe it off with a q-tip at this point. If you didn't, you can use a thin brush dipped in nail polish remover to wipe away any stray bits of nail polish.
9. Do the rest of your nails in a similar fashion. Paint your next nail with a thick coat of nail polish. Dip this nail into the microbeads, then pat it gently. Coat the nail with more microbeads, if needed, then pat it one last time. Keep repeating this step until you have finished all of your nails. Remember to work on just one nail at a time.
10. Wait about 10 minutes for the nail polish to dry. You don't need the nail polish to be completely dry for the next step; you just need it to be dry enough so that the microbeads don't budge.
11. Gently dab a top coat onto the very tips of your nails. Do not brush the clear coat on, as this might cause the color to wear off or the beads to loosen. It may also cause the beads to loosen and fall off. Also, avoid applying the top coat over the entire nail, as this might cause the color to run or wear off. It will also change the texture of the manicure.
12. Wait for the nail polish to fully dry. This could take up to an hour. Remember, just because nail polish is dry to the touch does not mean that it is dry underneath. Avoid speeding up the process by spraying your nails with a "quick dry" spray. These types of sprays are only intended for nail polish, and they can ruin the microbeads by causing the colors to dissolve or bleed.

Stepping it Up

1. Make it stand out by turning it into an accent nail. Rather than doing a caviar manicure on all of your nails, do it on just one nail—preferably on your ring finger. You can paint the rest of your nails a matching color or a contrasting one.
   • Alternatively, you can do a caviar manicure on all of your nails, but use beads in a contrasting color on your ring fingernail.
2. Mix it up with a multicolored caviar manicure. Instead of using just one color of microbeads on your nails, consider using a mix of several different colors. Mix 2 to 3 differently-colored microbeads in a small bottle, then apply them to your nails following the method above. To prevent clashing, choose microbeads that are a similar color, such as cool colors or warm colors.
3. Try a French caviar manicure. Start out with a base coat, then apply a French tip. Use white polish if you want to be traditional, or a different color if you want to be dramatic. Cover your entire nail with a clear top coat, let it dry, then paint just the French tip with more clear top coat. Apply the microbeads onto the tip of your nail as described in the method above. When you are done, seal the very edge of your nail with a final layer of top coat.
   • Because of their chunky size, consider doing a thicker French tip than usual.
4. Try a caviar shape. Do your base coat, nail polish coat, and top coat as usual, then let everything dry. Next, paint a shape using a nail art pen or a striper brush. Sprinkle the microbeads onto the wet polish, then gently pat them flat. Use a manicure stick, an orange stick, or a toothpick to shift any stray microbeads into place. As always, work on one nail at a time.
   • For a more precise application: wet the tip of an orange stick, then use it to pick up microbeads one by one as you press them into the wet polish.
   • Start with simple shapes, such as hearts, bows, or stripes.
5. Use clear beads on top of a colored manicure. Start with a base coat, then apply your manicure however you want (ie: stripes, marbled, ombre, etc.). Seal with a thin layer of top coat, and wait for everything to dry. Apply a second, thick layer of top coat, then cover your nails with clear microbeads as described in the method above. The original design of your manicure will show through.

Tips

• You can buy microbeads from the scrapbooking or stamping section of an arts and crafts store. You can also find them online.
• Some well-stocked beauty supply stores sell caviar manicure kits that contain microbeads.
• If you are sprinkling the microbeads over your nails, consider working over a cup, tray, or sheet of paper. This will make cleaning up a lot easier.
• When you are done, pour the rest of the microbeads back onto their container. Use a funnel or a rolled up sheet of paper to help you, if needed.
• To remove the manicure: soak a cotton ball in nail polish remover, then hold it over your nail for 20 seconds. Wipe it off, then move onto the next nail.
• Do not use nail glue to attach the microbeads. It will not hold the beads well, and you will end up with patches.
• Things like hair and shower loofah can easily get caught on the beads.
• If you are doing any nail art, choose a slow-drying nail polish or top coat instead of a quick-drying one. This will give you more time to work with your microbeads.

Warnings

• This manicure does not last a long time, so it is best for events, like concerts and parties. It only lasts 2 to 3 days.
• Be careful not to get any microbeads down the drain. Microbeads can be harmful to marine life.

Things You'll Need

• Base coat polish
• Nail polish
• Top coat
• Microbeads
• Small cup or bowl (optional)
• Petroleum jelly (optional)
• Nail polish remover (optional)
• Thin brush or q-tip (optional)
• Manicure stick, orange stick, or toothpick (optional)

Sources and Citations

See also

• Paint Owl Nails
• Apply Nail Tattoos
• Do Lace Nails
• Do Geode Nail Art
• Do Dandelion Nails
• Do Puzzle Nail Art
• Make Newspaper Nails
• Do Ladybug Nails
• Do a Self Pedicure
• Do a French Manicure

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