How to Do Airbrush Fingernail Painting

Airbrushed nails add a colorful pop of color to your style.

Airbrushed nails are all the rage, with a range of designs and styles reflecting the seasons, personal taste and the latest trends. Salons charge a pretty penny to polish up your nails, but learning to airbrush yourself is not very difficult and can save you money in the long run. If you get your nails done on a regular basis, you will quickly recover the initial cost of your start-up supplies.

Things You'll Need

• Airbrush pen and compressor
• Nail polish base coat
• Nail polish background color
• Nail paint colors
• Nail stencils
• Nail polish top coat
• Nail polish remover

Instructions

1. Apply base coat to clean nails, allowing it to dry thoroughly. Use base that evens out ridges and imperfections in your nails, creating a flawless appearance.

2. Apply two coats of your background color to your nails, allowing them to dry completely before airbrushing.

3. Attach your airbrush pen to the air compressor and fill the color cup with nail paint in the desired color.

4. Place the nail stencil over your nails and paint using the airbrush pen. Keep a slow and constant motion for even paint application. Never stop moving your hand while painting.

5. Remove the nail stencil and allow the airbrushed design to dry thoroughly before proceeding.

6. Apply two coats of clear nail polish top coat on top of your airbrushed design. The top coat adds shine and helps to protect your nails.

7. Clean over-spray using nail polish remover and allow your nails to thoroughly dry before resuming normal activities.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply an additional layer of top coat every other day to ensure long-wearing airbrushed manicures.

References

• BrittaHill: Airbrush Demonstration
• Westworld: Airbrushing 101
• Wow Trade: Using Nail Stencils