How to do Stiletto Nails
We live in a time where we don't need to go to a nail technician to get manicure quality artificial nails! Wearing stiletto nails can easily distinguish you from the crowd. Their claw-like appearance has made them one of the popular demands among female celebrities. Stiletto nails can look anything from beautiful to fierce and provides a bold and confident look. The more reason they have become trendy and a much sought after for nail enthusiasts. Choosing stiletto nails can be a fantastic idea. However, people tend to shy away from stiletto nails because of the erroneous belief that it is difficult to do.
Stiletto nails can indeed be a bit difficult to do and cause a lot of headaches, especially if you are a newbie to the nail art. Nonetheless, with a little coaching and few important tips, you will learn how to do stiletto nails with ease.
Today, lots of women confuse the stiletto nails with other available brands in the market, such as the almonds and the ballerina. However, stiletto nails are easy to differentiate from the other nails. Stilettos are pointy and got its name from another fashion brand which is the stiletto heels. This article will walk you through how to do Stiletto nails with ease.
What are stiletto nails?
The best way to define stiletto nails is by their appearance. They are nails that have been filled to a pointy and thin finish. The first thing that comes to mind when you look at a stiletto is claws. They are other similar looking nails like the almond (rounded or pointy with wide sides) and ballerinas (flattened at the top) which are not stiletto. One fine thing about the stiletto is that they do not require a lot of polish to stand out. They look fierce and command attention.
How to do a stiletto
If you have long natural nails, then, you’re good to go. On the other hand, if your nails are short, consider allowing your nails a little time to grow by a few millimeters before getting started. With that point out of the way, get the following materials when shopping for your stiletto. Unsure of the best place to shop for your stiletto and accessories? Try Clutch Nails.
- A set of good nail files
- A Nail glue
- A sharp nail clipper
- A cuticle pusher
- A transparent topcoat
- Nail polish colors of your choice
- Extra design elements like rhinestones or decals (if you want to go artistic)
A good stiletto looks finished without extra design elements. However, the best part of wearing a stiletto is that you can give it any type of look you want using extra embellishments or nail polish.
Trim your nails
Be sure to line out all the materials you need on the table. The first step is to begin by trimming your nails. Remember to leave a few millimeters of nails. False nails sit better on your finger when you have some inches of natural nails than when you have it all cropped out. If you have nail polish on, make sure you remove them and get rid of oil, body cream, lotion, etc. from your hands by washing them with soap and water and cleaning them dry with a paper towel.
Push back your cuticles
Once your hands are neat and nicely trimmed, the next thing to do is to gently push back your cuticles to make room for your fake nails. Never push back dry cuticles. It can lead to injury. One technique you can use to make them softer and easier to work on is simply soaking your hands in warm water for at least 5 minutes.
Note that it is not safe to cut the cuticles as a lot of people do. It can expose you to fungal infections. Besides, it can make the cuticles look weak and ugly when they grow back. This is still a subject of debate among fashion enthusiasts.
Use a base coat to protect your natural nails
Ever noticed some ladies with ugly looking natural nails that are discolored and chipped? The nail glue and some kind of nail polish are some of the causes of that ugly look. Nonetheless, we do not undermine the effect of fungal infections on the nails—especially when the falsies are not properly fixed or maintained.
The chemicals used to manufacture nail glue can be harmful and cause damage to your natural nails. It is important to protect your natural nails with a top coat before proceeding with fixing your fake nails. Also, don’t be in a rush, allow the applied topcoat to dry before you proceed.
Fix your fake nails firmly with the nail glue
If you’re at this point, congratulations! You’ve come a long way. To fix your fake nails, also known as acrylic nails and press on nails, you don’t need so much glue. A drop of glue smeared out on the fake nail is enough as too much glue can damage your nails or make it more difficult to remove.
Press the fake nails against your real nails and allow them to stay for up to ten seconds for good bonding. Make sure there are no air bubbles because these can create the perfect environment for fungal growth. Do this for all ten fingers and allow them to properly bond.
Nail glues can last three to five days before they can come off easily. So, if you’re planning on wearing a stiletto to a fashion show that will last only a few hours, consider using a dual-side tape to affix your nails.
Get your fake nails into the right shape
It is important to ensure that your fake nails are well bonded before you proceed to trim them into shape. Nail shapes vary and the options are endless. There's almond nails, square nails, coffin nailsround and the list goes on. The stiletto shape is by far one of the most common shapes. Stilettos can come in varying lengths but you can reduce them to a length that is more comfortable. Using the nail clipper, trim your nails bit by bit.
Don’t be in a rush to get the nail shape at once to avoid cutting the nails too short or trimming them into ugly narrow shapes. If you still find it difficult to get the perfect shape, it is advisable to dot the center of the nail as a guide before trimming the nails.
Take your nail file and get to work
At this point, you’ve got your nails fixed and carved out a comfortable nail shape but they are yet to achieve perfection. You need to do some good filing to get them smooth and pointy. Be sure to maintain the pointy tip while filing the nails. Nonetheless, it is important to keep in mind that stiletto nails can cause injuries if they are too pointy—you are not going for a sword fight.
Apply nail polish and finish as you please
The choice of a nail polish and nail finishes can vary from one person to the other. Whether you like long nail beds or short, matte nail colors or shiny gel nails. It is totally up to your discretion to choose what colors and designs you feel are best for you. However, we will love to suggest a few options for you depending on the kind of look you wish to achieve.
If you wish to achieve a more serious and bold appeal, you can go for a black nail finish or darker colors. For those who want that classic sexy chic appearance, you can go for a shiny color like the red. You can also choose to go for a subtler look by sticking with colors like pink.
For those who prefer to keep the tone down and natural, they can go for the natural beige, which is a color that closely resembles the natural color of your nails. Using the beige color makes it easier for your nails to blend in without calling too much attention. Rhinestones, decals, and other fancy designs can be helpful when you’re aiming to create a unique look that easily stands out. Go ahead and be as creative as you feel is right for you.
Allow your nail polish to dry
Just one more step to go and it’s a wrap. Give the polish a few minutes to dry. Some nail polish might require a UV light to cure. Thus, it is important to check if it applies to the one you applied. Once your nail polish is completely dry, apply a topcoat.
Sadly, this is an important step that is often ignored. A generous topcoat will protect your polish from chipping and flaking. In fact, it enhances the integrity of your nail work. Be sure to choose a quick-dry topcoat. At this point, you can wear your stiletto nails with pride and cause a stare.
Conclusion
The only limitation you can have with the stiletto is your imagination. Like every other nail design, you can either choose to keep it simple or go all out rogue with unique designs. Hopefully, with this tutorial, you will never have to ask anyone how to do stiletto. Go ahead, try out stiletto nails at home and explore all those fantastic designs you’ve always wanted to do. If you are having a busy schedule or simply feel lazy to pay a visit to any beauty shop or salon, you can pre-order the best collection of press-on stiletto nails online from Clutch Nails and attach hassle-free.
Shop our Stiletto Styles
RIDE OR DIE
ACCENT NAILS: BLACK & WHITE CHECKERED
COLOR: YELLOW
FINISH: GLOSSY
LENGTH: LONG
SHAPE: STILETTO
Sources
Links 1: https://clutchnails.com/collections/stiletto