Instagram Nail Hacks That Will Drastically Improve Your Next Mani

There's something about having perfectly manicured nails that makes us feel so put together.

If it were up to us, we'd be getting weekly (or even bi-weekly) manis, but that's just not realistic—sometimes we have to break out the nail polish and do them ourselves.

If you want that professional salon look without a ton of hassle, check out these six short and sweet Insta tutorials that will teach you to be a manicurist in your own right.

(via Shutterstock)

 

1. Blinged-Out Mani Hack

So you've got the base color and top coat on, but you want a little something extra to make your nails dazzle. Cue the rhinestones. Although rhinestones are an amazing addition to any manicure, they're so difficult to apply—tweezers are not the solution! Grab some dental wax or clay and you'll be picking up and placing those jewels like a pro.

DIY rhinestone picker..i have used dental wax if u dont have that u can use clay or dip ur orange stick in molten candle wax n use it for picking up rhinestone.. #DIY#diy#diyrhinestonepicker#rhinestone#rhinestonepicker#youtuber#youtubechannel#indianyoutuber#nails#nailart#nailstuds#nailstones#nailporn#nailart#diys#notd#potd#instanails#insta#instamood#miniclips#shortclips#nailclips#nailvids#nailtutorial#nailhacks#dentalwax#orangestick#scra2ch#dentist#kbye

A video posted by shreya (@shreyashirke) on Jul 3, 2016 at 5:14am PDT

 

2. Striping Tape Hack

If you want to add some color block flair to your basic mani, try using striping tape. Place the tape where you want it on your nail and then paint either side of it in two different shades. If you like the look of the tape, you can snip off the ends and leave it. Easy peasy. 

Tutorial for previous mani! I used my #nailvinyls from @teismom for this mani ???? and striping tape is a whole lot easier to use when you put it on a dispenser!!! #nailhacks #nailsartvideos #nailsartvids #nailartvideos #nailartvids #nailvideo #nailtutorial #nailarttutorial #nailvideo #fckyeahnailart #nailsoftheday #essie

A video posted by Mary M. (@lifelovelacquer) on Nov 16, 2014 at 5:39pm PST

 

3. Gel Pen Nail Art Hack

We're not all artists over here, okay? Painting intricate designs with a tiny nail brush is not an easy task, so why not pull out a gel pen and give your drawing skills another go? You'll have much more control using a gel pen.

Kind of silly tutorial… you can use a gel pen to draw on your nails. I used acrylic paint for the background and added a top coat. On top of the topcoat you can paint with the gel pen and even erase with no problem at all. Let dry and add a last top coat. #nail #nails #nailart #nailstagram #nailsdesign #nailtutorial #nailvideo #nailartist #nailartideas #nailhack #nailhacks #simplynotlogical #simplynailogical #zentange #zendoodle #mandala #rainbow

A video posted by anayro (@anayro21) on Jun 10, 2016 at 8:18pm PDT

 

4. Color Pop Hack

Have you ever picked out a nail polish, applied it and then discovered it was way darker than you anticipated? Thanks to this hack you can brighten that shade in one easy step. Simply coat your nails with white polish first and then apply the color. It will pop!

Quick little nail polish tip comin atcha!!! Do you ever buy a polish and in the bottle you LOVE the color but then when you apply it it's more sheer than you hoped? Grab a bottle of white polish and apply a thin coat underneath your desired polish color!! Problem solved ????

A video posted by ⓔⓡⓘⓒⓐ ⓕⓛⓨⓝⓝ (@ericaflynnfitness) on Dec 3, 2015 at 6:23pm PST

 

5. Cooking Spray Hack

Doing your nails at home almost always means you'll smudge them before they're even dry. To prevent this, apply your normal top coat and then a few minutes later spray on a thin layer of vegetable oil. Leave that layer on for a few more minutes and then wipe the excess off. The result? Dry and smudge-free nails. ????????

Here's how I get my nails to dry quick and they don't smudge. I try not to paint thick layers. 1. Apply a quick dry top coat. I use NYC in a minute Grand Central Station. It's under $2 at Walmart. 2. About 8 minutes later, spray with vegetable oil cooking spray. 3.Gently rub in nails and cuticles. Wipe off excess from fingers using paper towel. Allow it to be on your nails about ten minutes. Usually, I'm taking pictures after this. #nails #nail #nailtips #nailhacks #nailart #nailpolish #nailpolishes #fashion #beauty #style #manicure #nailvids #nailvideos #nailshowto #diynails #nailaccount #nailaccounts #unas #unhas #nailartaddict #nailpolishaddict #naturalnails #nailvideo #howtonailvideo

A video posted by Miss Smith (@thriftyjewelrycraftnnails) on Jun 13, 2015 at 2:15pm PDT

 

6. Easy and Clean Ombre Hack

It's always been our dream to create a beautiful (mess-free) ombre nail at home, and now it's finally possible thanks to this tutorial tip. Paint your nails white, grab a bottle of OPI's Glitter Off Base (or Elmer's Glue works as a substitute) and paint the outside of your nail beds. Then paint a small sponge with three colors that you would like to ombre and dab the sponge directly on your nails. You can then peel the OPI Glitter Off Base off your skin and you'll have a clean ombre mani. B-e-a-utiful!

How to help keep nails clean tutorial! If you dont have OPI's glitter off base coat, you can use elmers glue! I'm sure a lot of you know this technique already but I thought a few might like to know that OPI glitter off does the trick too! Part One of this tutorial #nailsartvideos #nailsartvids #nailartvideos #nailarttutorial #nailartvid #tutorial #nailvideo #naturalnails #opi #glitteroff #tipsandtricks #nailhacks

A video posted by Mary M. (@lifelovelacquer) on Nov 5, 2014 at 6:16pm PST

 

We bet you're feeling confident in your mani skills now, but what about your hair skills? Take a peek at THESE seven hair tutorials that will take your locks from drab to fab in less than a minute.