20 Easy Nail Art Ideas For A Simple Manicure

From glittered cuticles to tiny gold wires, minimalist nail art is guaranteed to take your nail game from zero to one hundred in less time than you can say ‘negative space manicure’. Why? Because it’s actually pretty easy to achieve.

‘In my nail art, I have always leaned toward minimalist techniques and designs,’ says Essie Global Lead Educator, Rita Remark. ‘I feel like you don’t need big design to make a big statement. Detailed, ornate nail design is beautiful, but it isn’t always versatile. For those polishing their nails at home, minimalist techniques and designs are totally accessible and easy to recreate.’ Which is good news for the nail art beginners out there.

Get The Minimalist Look

Not sure where to start? Go for easy to achieve polka dots. ‘The easiest minimal nail art technique to try at home is dotting. Not only are dotting tools easily found and made at-home, the technique is fool-proof and can be used to create a myriad of designs,’ advises Remark.

How To Nail It

1. For small dots, use a bobby pin or toothpick. For larger dots, use the back of a make-up brush or a the ball end of a sewing pin.
2. Use a square of tinfoil as a palette and drop a puddle of your desired dot nail colours on top.
3. Then, with your dotting tool of choice, dip it in the colour and lightly press into the desired area of the nail.

‘It doesn’t get easier!’, says Remark. ‘For a fun monochromatic polka dot look for spring, try the design I created for Rixo at London Fashion Week – it can be achieved using a bobby pin and the back of a make-up brush!’

Your next minimalist nail art design? Done and done.