How to Do Pressed Flower Nail Art

Choose your flowers., Prepare the flowers for pressing., Press the flowers., Clean and shape your nails., Consider applying petroleum jelly to your cuticle area., Apply a base coat., Apply a thin coat of you desired base color., Apply another coat...

16 Steps 4 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Choose your flowers.

    Pick some colorful wild flowers in lots of bright colors—the darker, the better.

    If you plan on having a non-white background on your manicure, you can get some white flowers as well.

    The flowers should be small enough to fit on your nail.You can buy dried flowers from the store instead.You can also buy pressed flower nail kits from the store.
  2. Step 2: Prepare the flowers for pressing.

    Rinse the flowers, if needed, then pat them dry.

    Carefully snip the blooms off of the stems.You won't have to do this if you bought the flowers with a nail kit, but you will need to trim down store-bought flowers. , Spread the flowers out on a sheet of wax paper.

    Cover them with another sheet of wax paper, then place a heavy book or two on top.

    Leave them alone for about a week and a half.If you bought dried flowers or pressed flower kits, you do not need to press them since they are already flat and dried. , Wipe away any old nail polish with nail polish remover.

    Trim and file your nails down to a shape that you like, then push back your cuticles.

    Wipe down your nails with rubbing alcohol. , You don't have to do this, but it will make cleaning up your manicure easier in the end.

    You can also use liquid latex or white school glue instead.

    If you decide to use one of those, let them dry first before moving on., Start by applying the base coat to just the tips of your nails first.

    Then, apply more base coat over your entire nail.

    This will not only protect your nail against stains, but also help the manicure last longer.You can do this manicure on every nail, or on an accent nail, such as the ring finger., White will work the best, but you can try other neutral colors as well, such as beige or pink.

    If you want to leave your nails looking natural, use a clear top coat instead.

    Allow this coat to dry before moving on.You can apply this coat to all of you nails at once since it needs to dry first. , If you are leaving your nails natural, use top coat.

    Paint just one nail at this time.

    You need the polish to be wet in order for the flowers to stick., Find the flower you want to apply to you nail, then pick it up with a pair of tweezers.

    Be very careful while doing this.

    Dried flowers are delicate and easily broken.You can also dip a dotter tool in clear polish, and use that to pick up your flower instead., Gently place the flower on top of the polish first.

    Nudge it into place with the tip of your tweezers, if necessary.

    Don't worry if part of the flower sticks out over the edge of your nail., Use the tip of your tweezers, a dotting tool, or an orange stick to lightly press on the petals.

    Keep doing this until the flower is firmly adhered to your nail., As the polish dries, you can continue applying more polish and flowers to the rest of your nails.

    Again, don't worry about any stems, petals, or leaves that are sticking out over the edges of your nails.

    You will take care of those after everything dries., Once the polish is dry, take a look at you manicure.

    If you see anything sticking out over the edge of your nails, use a small pair of manicure scissors to snip it away., Allow each coat dry first before applying the next one.

    Let your manicure dry completely before moving on., If you applied petroleum jelly, glue, or liquid latex to your cuticle area, wipe those away now.

    Use a thin brush dipped in nail polish remover to wipe away any excess nail polish that got onto your skin.
  3. Step 3: Press the flowers.

  4. Step 4: Clean and shape your nails.

  5. Step 5: Consider applying petroleum jelly to your cuticle area.

  6. Step 6: Apply a base coat.

  7. Step 7: Apply a thin coat of you desired base color.

  8. Step 8: Apply another coat of your base color.

  9. Step 9: Pick up the flowers you can to use.

  10. Step 10: Press the flower to the wet nail polish.

  11. Step 11: Gently press the flower into the polish.

  12. Step 12: Let the polish dry.

  13. Step 13: Trim off the excess flower petals

  14. Step 14: if necessary.

  15. Step 15: Apply two coats of clear top coat.

  16. Step 16: Clean up your work.

Detailed Guide

Pick some colorful wild flowers in lots of bright colors—the darker, the better.

If you plan on having a non-white background on your manicure, you can get some white flowers as well.

The flowers should be small enough to fit on your nail.You can buy dried flowers from the store instead.You can also buy pressed flower nail kits from the store.

Rinse the flowers, if needed, then pat them dry.

Carefully snip the blooms off of the stems.You won't have to do this if you bought the flowers with a nail kit, but you will need to trim down store-bought flowers. , Spread the flowers out on a sheet of wax paper.

Cover them with another sheet of wax paper, then place a heavy book or two on top.

Leave them alone for about a week and a half.If you bought dried flowers or pressed flower kits, you do not need to press them since they are already flat and dried. , Wipe away any old nail polish with nail polish remover.

Trim and file your nails down to a shape that you like, then push back your cuticles.

Wipe down your nails with rubbing alcohol. , You don't have to do this, but it will make cleaning up your manicure easier in the end.

You can also use liquid latex or white school glue instead.

If you decide to use one of those, let them dry first before moving on., Start by applying the base coat to just the tips of your nails first.

Then, apply more base coat over your entire nail.

This will not only protect your nail against stains, but also help the manicure last longer.You can do this manicure on every nail, or on an accent nail, such as the ring finger., White will work the best, but you can try other neutral colors as well, such as beige or pink.

If you want to leave your nails looking natural, use a clear top coat instead.

Allow this coat to dry before moving on.You can apply this coat to all of you nails at once since it needs to dry first. , If you are leaving your nails natural, use top coat.

Paint just one nail at this time.

You need the polish to be wet in order for the flowers to stick., Find the flower you want to apply to you nail, then pick it up with a pair of tweezers.

Be very careful while doing this.

Dried flowers are delicate and easily broken.You can also dip a dotter tool in clear polish, and use that to pick up your flower instead., Gently place the flower on top of the polish first.

Nudge it into place with the tip of your tweezers, if necessary.

Don't worry if part of the flower sticks out over the edge of your nail., Use the tip of your tweezers, a dotting tool, or an orange stick to lightly press on the petals.

Keep doing this until the flower is firmly adhered to your nail., As the polish dries, you can continue applying more polish and flowers to the rest of your nails.

Again, don't worry about any stems, petals, or leaves that are sticking out over the edges of your nails.

You will take care of those after everything dries., Once the polish is dry, take a look at you manicure.

If you see anything sticking out over the edge of your nails, use a small pair of manicure scissors to snip it away., Allow each coat dry first before applying the next one.

Let your manicure dry completely before moving on., If you applied petroleum jelly, glue, or liquid latex to your cuticle area, wipe those away now.

Use a thin brush dipped in nail polish remover to wipe away any excess nail polish that got onto your skin.

About the Author

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Patricia Cooper

Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.

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