DIY Gold Leaf Manicure

A new use for gold leaf! (As if I needed one.) I’ve had this idea in my head for a while, unsure if it would work. But I figured St. Patrick’s Day could be the perfect time to test it out! Just grab some green polish & some gold leaf and you’ve got yourself a pinch-proof mani. I debated calling it the “Pot o’ Gold Manicure,” but let’s be real — I would wear this year round, St. Patrick’s Day or not.

Materials

• green nail polish
• clear nail polish
• gold leaf
• clean, dry craft paintbrush
• nail file

Make Time: 30 Minutes plus drying time

Start by painting your nails solid with the green polish (I used Essie Mojito Madness). Let the polish dry thoroughly.

Decide on the fingers you’d like to dress up with gold leaf. Starting with one finger, paint a very thin, light layer of clear polish. Be sure to cover all of the edges of your nail. Blow on it a bit to get to slightly dry. When it’s just a bit tacky, apply a small section of gold leaf, just large enough to cover the entire nail.

Pat the leaf down with the paintbrush, ensuring that it gets into the crevices of your nail and cuticle. Let the leaf sit for a minute or two.

Using the dry paintbrush, gently start to buff away the excess leaf around the edges of the nail. If you rip some leaf, just repeat the process and patch with a little clear polish and some extra gold leaf. Use a nail file to file away the excess on the top of the nail.

Once all the extra gold leaf is cleaned away, finish with a coat of clear polish to seal it on the nail.

Bingo! Golden tips. I’m real excited to rock this out on St. Patrick’s Day (and probably every day after that). Have fun! xoxo