close-up of a simple, punk style nail look on short nails decorated with studs
Good day, sweeties! Do you prefer to keep your nails short and convenient? Let's face the truth, the most daring and cheeky nail designs look more beautiful and organic on shorter nails. You can pull off the most glam manicure, embellished with crystals, rocks, and glitter if your nails are short and cute. 

I hope you are feeling bold and daring today because you definitely need to try out this sassy nail manicure. I have never tried to decorate my nails with little studs, but Born Pretty allowed me to try out these frisky Black Nail Studs*. I couldn't miss the chance to play around with these decorations and show you the result.

Where to Begin?


Gather your supplies: To re-create this manicure at home, you'll need nail clippers, a nail file, a cuticle pusher (or orangewood stick), a buffer (optional), cotton balls, nail polish remover, a base coat, your chosen nail polish color(s), and a top coat.  

Cleanse your nails: Remove any old polish with nail polish remover and cotton balls. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove dirt and oil. 

Shape your nails: Use nail clippers to trim your nails to your desired length. Then, file them gently in one direction to achieve your preferred shape (square, round, oval, etc.). 

Push back your cuticles: Gently push back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick. Be careful not to damage your cuticles. 

Buff (optional): Buffing your nails can help create a smooth surface for the polish to adhere to better. 

Apply base coat: A base coat helps protect your nails from staining and allows the polish to adhere better. Let it dry completely before proceeding.

close-up of a simple, punk style nail look on short nails decorated with studs

Born Pretty Nail Studs came in a little plastic bag and you are going to receive approximately 3g/0.10 oz of decorations. I haven't counted these little dots, hearts, and triangles, but can assure you that this amount of nail decorations will serve you a long time, especially if you are a fan of minimal nail designs. As a huge makeup enthusiast, I pretend to use these studs to create some crazy eye makeup looks, so I hope to have to save these babies for makeup purposes as well. 

What are Nail Studs?


Nail studs are decorative embellishments used in nail art to add texture, sparkle, or dimension to your nail designs. They come in various shapes, sizes, and materials such as metal, rhinestones, pearls, or beads.  Nail studs are made of super-thin and light metal, which you can even bend a little if needed. They look very simple and beautiful on the nails: tiny, shiny, and stylish. 

The back part of the studs is concave, which allows the shape of the decoration to lay more securely on the nail. Nail studs look voluminous, but not too bulky.

close-up of a simple, punk style nail look on short nails decorated with studs

How to Apply Nail Studs to the Nail?


How do you apply these voluminous nail decorations? It is very simple and fast. First, you need to apply nail polish, that will beautifully match with the color of your nail studs. Black studs won't be very noticeable on black nail polish, that's why you need to find a favorable color. 

After you have finished with your nail polish start applying one layer of top coat and, while it is still sticky, carefully press apply decorations on your nails, creating a desirable design. Regular eyebrow tweezers can help you with this task. To make your nail studs last longer, seal them with your top coat and let your nails dry. You can also use special nail glue to make your decoration last even longer.

Final Thoughts...


In a nutshell, I loved wearing this punk rock manicure even more than I thought I would. What I like the most about these nail decorations, is that you can have so much fun, creating interesting designs for your nails and even your eyes! My minimalist nails lasted longer than a week and took the design off, just because I wanted to try something new, not because I started losing my studs.

Lots of love,
Liz