5 Ways to Rock Short Neon Nails

From neon makeup to neon hair, it seems more and more people are opting to brighten up their beauty look as of late. The most recent fluorescent swap? Trading in your French manicure for a brighter, neon alternative. And with summer in full swing, we’d say there’s no better time than the present to try out neon nail colors for yourself. Ready to add a pop of color to your beauty look? Keep reading for five ways to rock short neon nails, tips for applying neon nail polish, and a neon makeup look to match.

5 WAYS TO ROCK SHORT NEON NAILS

Wondering the best way to pull off such a statement look? Below, find five short neon nail looks to try.

NEON NAIL DESIGN #1: KEEP IT SIMPLE

With such a bright polish on your nails, sometimes less is more. You can make a bold statement with a few coats of neon nail polish all on its own! Pick your favorite neon hue (we’re loving neon yellow and green nails at the moment) and paint away!

NEON NAIL DESIGN #2: ADD SOME SPARKLE

While you can certainly make a statement by keeping things simple when it comes to neon nails, we understand you may want to kick things up a notch. If that’s the case, consider adding some sparkle into the mix! You can do so by applying a small gem at the base of each nail or by painting your accent nail with a sparkly polish.

NEON NAIL DESIGN #3: BALANCE THE LOOK

If you’re testing the waters when it comes to the short neon nail trend, consider balancing out the look. Paint your pointer, thumb, and pinky fingernails in your neon nail color of choice, then paint your remaining nails with a nude, white, or black polish. This combination of neon and neutral is the perfect way to give the trend a try without steering too far out of your comfort zone!

NEON NAIL DESIGN #4: TRY SOME OMBRÉ

Ombré isn’t just a hair highlighting technique! For this look, feel free to use two neon shades or a combination of neutral and neon. We love the look of a white nail that transitions into a bright, neon pink! First, paint your nails with your white shade. Then, grab a makeup sponge and paint a line of white and a line of neon pink polish next to each other. Dab the sponge onto your nail, gently rolling to build up the color and create your ombré effect. Once you’ve achieved your desired look, clean up your nails with a cotton swab and some nail polish remover. Repeat this process on each of your nails, then top with a clear coat!

NEON NAIL DESIGN #5: MULTIPLE NEON NAIL COLORS

Who said you had to settle on one neon shade? Rather than sticking with one, try five! Seriously—with the neon nail trend at its height, there’s no better time to give yourself a neon rainbow mani. Paint each nail a different neon shade to get the look.

3 TIPS FOR APPLYING NEON NAIL POLISH

Now that you have a few short neon nail ideas to try, let’s go over some tips to keep in mind when painting your nails with a neon hue.

TIP #1: START WITH YOUR DOMINANT HAND

When painting your nails, always polish your dominant hand first. You’re more likely to make mistakes when painting with your non-dominant hand, and following this order will mean that you'll still have your dominant hand free to clean up those mistakes.

TIP #2: KEEP COTTON SWABS NEARBY

We mentioned this with our ombré neon nail look, but it’s a great rule of thumb for all nail looks. Keeping cotton swabs and nail polish remover nearby when painting your nails is an easy way to remove any polish that gets on your fingers during painting. For extra precision, a small paintbrush dipped into makeup remover can work wonders, too! 

TIP #3: APPLY A WHITE BASE COAT

Neon nail polish tends to be sheer, so before you get to applying your brightest shade, coat your nails in white first. This will help your neon nail color(s) really pop without having to apply a million layers.

HOW TO DO NEON MAKEUP TO MATCH YOUR NEON NAILS

Want to amp up the neon? Complement your neon nails with one of the neon makeup ideas below.

NEON MAKEUP IDEA #1: COLORFUL EYELINER

First up? Eyeliner! For this look, you’ll want to keep your eye shadow neutral to allow your colorful liner to be the star of your makeup look. Take a bright pencil eyeliner shade, like the L’Oréal Pairs Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof, Up to 24HR Pencil Eyeliner in True Teal, and line your lower lash line. Finish with a few coats of mascara and you’re good to go!

NEON MAKEUP IDEA #2: POPPING LIPS

Want your pout to be the focus of your look? Be sure to reach for a long-lasting, vibrant lip color. For a neon pink pout, we love the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Les Macarons Scented Liquid Lipstick in Framboise Frenzy.

NEON MAKEUP IDEA #3: HOLOGRAPHIC CHEEKS

While we wouldn’t recommend neon blush, you can still complement your neon nails with your face makeup! All you need is a bit of holographic highlighter. Use the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Galaxy Stick on your cheekbones and cupid’s bow to give your complexion an iridescent glow.

Want another holographic makeup idea to try? Head over to our article, Out of This World: How to Pull Off the Holographic Makeup Trend.