The mermaid is at least as popular as a motif and theme as the unicorn. And of course nail design is no exception. Mermaids are mystical and fairytale-like and their connection to the sea makes us dream of summer and the beach. There are different options for motifs and techniques to create a mermaid-inspired nail design. And whether you're just looking for ideas for your next visit to the nail technician or want to try it yourself at home, the inspiration and tips we have for you are sure to help. Transform your fingernails into a real eye-catcher by choosing mermaid nails.
Design mermaid nails with the right colors
Many shades and nuances are suitable for designing mermaid nails. In principle, the design should simply remind you of the sea or fish. Accordingly, a certain shimmer, like that found on fish scales, is very helpful. A chameleon effect is not only possible, but even desirable. However, that doesn't mean that monochrome variants are not allowed. Choose colors such as blue, green and orange and their nuances,gray tones, pink or other pastel shades. Gold, silver and mother-of-pearl are also definitely worth mentioning, as they also imitate the look of scales or radiate a certain elegance that is typical of mermaids. Beautiful ombre effects are very welcome and make the already attractive design even more interesting and romantic.
If you would like to design your fingernails yourself and be inspired by the Disney film “The Little Mermaid”, the respective heroes or color themes from the film are of course also suitable. Then the colors yellow and blue (for Fabius), red (for Ariel or Sebastian) and green and purple (also for Ariel) should not be missing. Whether with or without glitter is entirely your decision.
Of course, you can also play with other colors and create more extravagant nail designs. So if you like bright neon colors, experiment with them when designing mermaid nails. After all, rules don’t always have to be followed. If you're using fancier colors, simply use some of the motifs, patterns and decorations belowthe mermaid effectstill achievable.
Patterns and motifs with a mermaid effect
The most important pattern for mermaid nails is of course the scale pattern. You may know it from furnishings, where it can be found in the form of tiled showers and tiled backsplashes, but also adorns the floor. The scale pattern is also very trendy for the nails and can either decorate all fingernails or only be used here and there as an accent.
But that is far from enough. Other motifs that are reminiscent of the sea are also suitable for mermaid nails. These include shells, starfish, corals, pearls, seahorses and the like. A mermaid can also be depicted on a nail. You can also imitate mussels with the help of coarseGlitter nail polish in mother of pearl.On the nails it will look as if there are shimmering pieces of shell on them.
Effects for mermaid nails
We have already mentioned above that shimmer or glitter should not be missing. Metallic or glitter nail polish are very suitable for this. But there are also other interesting products on offer that you can use if you want to do mermaid nails yourself. On the one hand, there is mermaid pigment with a glitter effect that is used for gel nails.
Or how about imitating sand on your nails? This also works with nail polish in a matching color, but this variant still lacks that certain something. Pigment powders are a wonderful idea here too. In a light beige they look like real sand and if you don't use a topcoat, the effect is even better.
Additional decorations for nail design
You can create glitter effects not only with glitter nail polish, but alsowith rhinestones. So it's a great option for designing mermaid nails. But pearls, which, as you know, occur naturally in the sea, also prove to be a very suitable decoration for the fingernails when they are designed with a mermaid effect. Pearls are not only available in different sizes, but also colors, so you will have no problem finding the right model for your personal nail design.
Other suitable decorations are those that correspond to the motifs mentioned above. There are various 3D decorations that are simply stuck onto the nail. However, since these can be quite bulky, they are more recommended for gel nails, as they are fixed better there. They will probably come off much too quickly on plain paint. But ultimately it also depends on your everyday activities and how much strain you put on your fingernails.
Small glitter pigments in the form of hexagons or other shapes are not really typically mermaid, but are still very suitable for achieving the mermaid effect, provided you use a suitable color. You are welcome to combine several colors or shades on one nail instead of just using a single color. Try it once. You will be amazed by the result! With the help of tweezers or needle-nose pliers, you can place the individual elements more precisely on the nail bed.
Do-it-yourself techniques
If you dare, you can of course paint all of the above-mentioned patterns and motifs onto your nails by hand. But those who are in a hurry or simply have no talent for painting such small pictures can count themselves lucky these days, because there are many helpers with which even beginners can create beautiful nail designs. On the one hand, there are of course the stickers, which are simply stuck onto the finished and dried nail polish. This is possibly the fastest and easiest technique not only for mermaid nails, but also for many other nail designs
There are also stamps for nails, for which there are special stencils with motifs and with which you can transfer the desired motif from the stencil to the nail. Since mermaid nails are very popular at the moment, it will certainly not be difficult for you to find a suitable template to start your personal design as quickly as possible. If you regularly design your own fingernails, you should definitely consider investing in a stampNail art accessoriesto expand.
Then there are also the stencils that are glued to the nail and then removed again at the end. It is important that the nail polish is well dried beforehand. Otherwise you would peel it off with the stencil afterwards. Such stencils are also suitable if you want the scale pattern to be nice and even, which is very difficult to do freehand. After you have stuck the stencil on, apply the desired polish and immediately remove it again before the nail polish has dried, otherwise it will create threads.
