Aquarium nail design (50 photos)

Aquarium nail design, as a way of self-expression, can be done independently. This is a relatively new technique in nail design, which has thoroughly taken a leading position on the Olympus of fashion. The popularity of this trend is growing exponentially.

What is the secret of his popularity?

This is what we have to find out today.

Peculiarities

The cost of such a design in showrooms is catastrophically high. But that doesn't stop the fashion lionesses. Why?

Everything can be explained by the advantageous features it has:

Versatility and volume. The design “under glass” looks very unusual and extremely beautiful. The inner layer can be created from a variety of decorative elements, including volumetric ones.
Versatility. When the situation changes dramatically, for example, you are an office worker and the organization’s dress code does not accept such a design, you can cover your nails with any solid color that does not contradict it. Then feel free to delete it without damaging the original image.
Deadlines. If your manicure is properly cared for, it will last you about 3 months. Neither the top layer nor the picture inside undergoes wear and does not fade. True, there is one condition, since the nail grows, then as it grows, it is necessary to make a correction - to complement or modify the picture.
Practicality. Visually the volume seems quite large. However, the entire internal decor is securely fixed, the surface of the plate remains flat. Therefore, you can do any homework. The quality and appearance of the manicure does not suffer.
Self-sufficiency. This manicure is so unusual and original that it attracts outside glances many times more often than expensive jewelry on the hand. You can refuse them, remaining constantly in the spotlight.

We invite you to watch the video:

This is why aquarium design has gained such total popularity.

French aquarium manicure

As you know, French manicure has proven itself very successfully in the company of many techniques, and aquarium design is also no exception. At the same time, fashionistas can afford not only the classic design option with a snow-white tip, but also many other spectacular ideas. In aquafrench, a smile can easily be used as a base for decorative jewelry, have an unusual shape, be made in color and consist exclusively of sparkles, flowers and other decorative elements. Any of the selected examples looks impressive and attracts attention.

What happens

There are many ways to perform aqua manicure. You can highlight either a few accent nails or all five on each hand. For those who are truly bored by everyday life, you can make an unusual jacket in the form of imitation animal fur or something else - it all depends on your imagination and taste preferences.

Techniques that are at the peak of popularity:

painting;
modeling;
acrylic drawings;
glitter compositions;
combinations of stones, pearls and broths, dried flowers.

Technique for extended nails

Before decorating, file the extended nails and give them the desired shape. The technique is similar to creating an aquarium on natural marigolds. Cover the nail surface with sculptural gel, dry it, shape the nail, decorate it, place large elements in the depths of the composition or place it on the surface. Secure the design with a thick layer of gel polish or acrylic. To create a multi-dimensional composition, add decor in several stages, each time covering your nails with gel.

Which nails is it suitable for?

Aquamanicure is convenient for long and short nails. Most often performed simultaneously with extensions. The design only seems convex, but in fact it is uniform and does not cling to any third-party surfaces.

The interior design is covered with a layer of acrylic, which is why it creates the impression of being under glass.

Extensions

On such nails it is very convenient to create designs in the form of sculpting and drawing. The longer they are, the more space there is for the realization of artistic imagination.

Alternatively, you can use tips if you make it yourself. On a removable plate, abstract motifs will be more neat and well-drawn.

Short

For short periods, aquamanicure will act somewhat differently. An already short nail will appear smaller, and the visual volume will hide the length. Therefore, the build-up still needs to be done, at least small.

When choosing an aquarium design, you need to approach the style very carefully. Carnival or too pretentious will be judged by outsiders as a sign of bad taste. Besides, you yourself will soon get tired of it.

Using broths and sequins

These types of decor should be chosen taking into account the shape and size. The most convenient way to fasten and the most practical to carry is that the bouillons are as flat as possible.

Sequins can be considered universal - they complement any composition on the nails.

Sequins and bouillons must fully correspond to the theme of the composition - otherwise the manicure will look vulgar.

Step-by-step algorithm for nail art at home

You can implement the idea yourself only if you have all the necessary materials and tools:

Ultraviolet lamp;
gel base;
gel for foundation;
primer;
color gel;
top gel;
colored paints;
brushes, dots;
decorative material.

It is necessary to strictly follow the sequence of actions and the required time in the drying lamp. Only in this situation will the result please you.

The algorithm of actions is described in detail in the video - watching it with your own eyes is more clearly perceived and remembered.

So, how are 3D motifs made on the nail plate? Let's watch the video.

Length and shape of the nail plate for fashionable aqua nail design

To create a fashionable aquarium manicure, any nail shape will do. But among the fashionable forms the following are distinguished:

almond-shaped;
oval;
pointed.

These forms fit most nail plates and look impressive when extended or when using tips. For natural nails, it is optimal to choose an oval or square shape.

Aqua manicure design with gel

Tools you need to prepare:

colorless gel;
household UV lamp;
primer;
materials for work: sparkles, rhinestones, dried flowers and whatever your heart desires;
nail polish remover;
lint-free wipes;
files for filing.

Sequencing:

Step 1. Give the nails the desired shape.
Step 2. Degrease the surfaces of the plates.
Step 3. Apply the first layer (primer), dry for 2 minutes.
Step 3. Apply the 2nd layer, but now with gel (not thick).
Step 4. Before it freezes, quickly lay out the planned composition. For the inexperienced, you can limit yourself to simple sparkles. As your skill level increases, your motives can become more complex.
Step 5. Place the nails in the lamp and dry for the same 2 minutes.
Step 6. Apply another layer of gel. It should completely cover the decorative elements. To check this, look at the surface from the side by raising your hand. We also dry everything for 2 minutes.
Step 7. All that remains is to remove the sticky layer with a lint-free cloth moistened in liquid.
Step 8. Cover everything with colorless varnish. We moisturize the cuticle with oil or nourishing cream.

It is recommended to use this method for those who have at least the slightest idea how to work with gel. Or those who constantly go to salons and know by heart what the master does, why and how.

Advised by professionals

It’s a pity if the time and money spent on a manicure does not live up to expectations and the result disappears before the promised time.
Therefore, it is worth getting acquainted with the instructions given by the masters: “Aquarium nail design and how to do it correctly.” A mandatory and daily activity is hand care with moisturizing and protective creams. To ensure a strong adhesion of decorative elements to the gel, you should not apply cream beforehand. If fabric lint gets on the gel-coated surface, the gloss will prematurely become covered with cracks and detachments will appear, so choose lint-free napkins. The colors are also carefully chosen: without harsh colors, but not faded either. The color of decorative elements should be combined with the clothes that are supposed to be worn. They also choose a nail design to go with their clothes, which should not be “screaming” and provocative; it is better to stick to a classic or casual style.

Short nails are not suitable for three-dimensional designs and decoration of the entire nail plate. The exception is 1-2 nails. If the details protrude too much above the surface, you will have to apply a lot of gel, which will make your nails thick, sloppy and awkward.

Aggressive chemistry of household products and sudden temperature changes negatively affect gel-coated surfaces. Therefore, you should do your homework with rubber gloves and use only warm water.

The same aquamanicure, only with varnish

The tools are the same as in the previous description, only instead of gel we take varnish. The algorithm of actions is the same. You cannot dry the varnish in a lamp, so we wait until it dries naturally.

There is no difference between these two methods, except time. The first one is done much faster, drying is carried out better. After the latter, the coating is very durable and difficult to damage.

In the second, drying the varnish takes a lot of time. After completing the last step, the finish cannot be said to be strong. It takes several hours for it to dry completely.

Combined with French

You can decorate your nails using the aquarium technique in any way you like, and in each individual case you can get pretty gorgeous results. Including French style.

For clarity, let’s look at a few successful projects:

An original idea for summer, made using fimo on a fruit theme.
The nude background with rhinestones and sparkles looks laconic. This design can be a worthy addition to any bow.
A voluminous motif using dried flowers with glitter will not leave romantic natures indifferent.
Look how beautiful and elegant a floral-themed jacket looks, decorated with almond-shaped bouillons.
Translucent with printed printing can liven up the most boring image.
Another variation of the French coat using colored sand looks very original and feminine.
Small shells and sparkles, neatly drawn with a brush - an ideal marine theme, appropriate for a summer holiday.
An original traditional jacket, decorated with a floral accent, will completely complete your evening outfit.
Sequins and helium detailing in a delicate color palette will add femininity and sophistication to the image.

The video will tell you how it all looks with your own eyes.

Decor

To create an unusual effect, masters use a whole arsenal of all kinds of nail decorations: these can be rhinestones, foil, real thin lace, as well as microscopic beads called bouillons. The design, created using real dried flowers, looks very advantageous. By the way, if you wish, you can reproduce the effect of a real aquarium on your nails: for this you will need sand and tiny shells. The master can also resort to drawing.

To create an unusual effect, masters use a whole arsenal of all kinds of nail decorations; these can be rhinestones, foil, real thin lace, as well as microscopic beads

Manicure done using aquarium technique is very easy to correct.

Ideas for Perfect Nail Art

A few simple, fresh ideas for stylish aqua decor.

Flowers

One of the trending trends is floral themes. The motifs turn out to be truly dazzlingly beautiful, voluminous, and delicate. This decor seems to breathe femininity.

But this is how they look on nails of medium length and elongated. This effect cannot be achieved on short nails.

Sequins and glitter

Sparkling decor is always a win-win option for an evening outfit. They can be used to decorate any length of plates. Glitter can be mixed with different shades.

This technique is especially relevant when performing the ombre smooth stretch technique. You can mix different tones, but the most universal choice is the pastel group.

Foil

An ideal material for creating an amber jacket. Manicure foil is freely sold in stores and is inexpensive. Together with it, acrylic powder can often be used in decoration; it forms the surface of the newly extended nail plate along with the base coat.

Foil, if it is in the form of a sheet, is cut into small pieces and laid out in the desired shape, motif, design.

Fimo

This is a polymer based clay. The most popular component in aqua manicure design. Most often, summer versions of ideas are made from it, which is why clay has such a multi-colored, rich and bright range.

Compositions are formed by thinly sliced elements. To ensure that the particles are securely fixed, not one, but several layers of transparent gel are applied on top of them.

And due to the fact that fimo is a very fine material, it can be used to play with reverse French manicure and French manicure in any way you like.

Broths with sequins

When choosing them for decoration, it is very important to take into account color, shape, especially size. Sequins are good for decorating with a marine theme.

The broths are fixed with several finishing layers of gel, since they are very voluminous. They can be easily combined with glitter.

A few recommendations from reputable experts

It takes a lot of time to create the technology we are considering. And everyone who sets this goal wants the result to last as long as possible.

Before you start learning and working, try to remember the following:

It is highly undesirable to use hand cream before the procedure. This will negatively affect the coupling.
When degreasing, use exclusively lint-free wipes. Lint is more likely than any other reason to lead to peeling or cracking.
If the paint is poorly pigmented, it will look dull and unnoticeable. Too rich and bright will negate tenderness and sophistication.
It is better to select the color of the material for work that is similar or contrasting to the palette of the evening dress. It is not recommended to choose the tone-on-tone option.
The number of crystals, stones and voluminous sparkles must be chosen carefully. Sometimes it happens that they are completely out of place in the overall picture. Under a transparent layer, kamifubuki will look more advantageous.
In order for the manicure and bow to merge into a single harmony (for a very important event in life), it is better to choose the design to match a specific outfit, jewelry or handbag. This way it won’t look too flashy in the overall picture of the bow.
To prevent the length of short nails from seeming even shorter, choose discreet and not too voluminous motifs. And then, you don’t need to design all the short plates the same way. Accentuate just a few fingers.
To make your manicure last longer, protect it from too aggressive environments and frequent temperature changes.

If you want to make a voluminous aqua decor, remember a few important nuances. Anything you plan to glue to the top gel layer will touch third-party surfaces.

To level this out, you will need to apply several layers. This will significantly thicken the nail plate. Too thick nails do not look very neat, to put it mildly.

Before “hanging” something on your nail, think (or better yet, imagine in your mind) how it will look later and whether these elements are appropriate. Be beautiful!