Easy Dotticure Nail Art | Tutorial

It has been a while since I’ve shared a nail tutorial with you all, but when I received these Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polishes a few months ago, I was inspired to create something! And then I got pregnant…and never edited the photos! But I’ve finally pulled them out of the archives and edited together a really easy dotticure nail tutorial that anyone can do. Seriously, I am no nail tech or artist — as you’ll see in a minute — so I love doing easy manicures that dress up my nails without getting too technical. 🙂

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Easy Dotticure Nail Art Tutorial

Supplies Needed

1. (optional) A Nail Strengthener – I use OPI Original Nail Envy Nail Strengthener
2. A Base Coat – I was testing out the UNT Peel Off Base Coat
3. Main Nail Color – I used Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in 911 Aqua Chakra
4. First Color for Dots – I used Sally Hansen Miracle Gel 121 Lilac Insomniac
5. Second Color for Dots, a Few Shades Lighter than First – I used Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in 811 Make Me Mauve
6. Tools – dotting tool (or pencil, hair pin, etc), tiny lip brush or orangewood stick for cleanup around nails
7. Nail Polish Remover – I would recommend pure acetone for easier and quicker cleanup
8. Top Coat – I used Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat

Sally Hansen did send me the colors from their Miracle Gel formula, which I already knew that I loved. I’ve done another nail tutorial in the past using this line — it’s a great formula, especially if you’re a busy woman! As a blogger by night and mommy to a toddler with another one on the way by day…my nails go through a lot! Any type of manicure usually chips within the first 24 hours on me, but with the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel formula I can get a good 3-4 days before the chipping starts. SUCH a lifesaver for me!

The Tutorial

(OPTIONAL STEP): Apply a Nail Strengthener

Because my nails are always breaking and I am the worst at remembering to apply cuticle oil to my nails, I typically try to remember to apply a nice layer of nail strengthener below my manicure when I take the time to actually do my nails. The kind I’ve been using for years is OPI’s Original Nail Envy Nail Strengthener. I know, if you watch SimplyNailLogical on Youtube that these aren’t the best…but as I said, since I have not been able to get into the habit of applying cuticle oil — or even hand cream — on a regular basis…I still revert to this!

Step 1: Apply a Base Coat

Now when I did this tutorial I had just purchased a new base coat to try that was a peel off base coat (also a recommendation from SimplyNailLogical). It’s the UNT’s Nail Laquer Peel Off Base Coat. I would not recommend this if you want your manicure to last for more than 24 hours — but if you are a nail or beauty blogger and want to do color swatches of a collection…this stuff works really well!

Step 2: Apply 1 Thin Coat of Main Color

Apply the first coat! This is pretty straight forward, lol, but as I said I am using the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in 911 Aqua Chakra. I always keep my first coat pretty thin and focus more on getting all the areas of my nails then making the coat look good and smooth. That’s what the second coat is for. 🙂 Please keep in mind I am not a nail blogger…so I apologize in advance for my sloppy nail painting skills! 😛

Step 3: Apply Second, thicker, Coat of Main Color

This is the coat that I try to make sure it all looks very smooth, pigmented, and beautiful! With the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel formula two coats is all you need — if you’re talented and skilled at painting (unlike me) you may just need the one coat!

Step 4: Clean up with Acetone Around Nails

If you’re not a nail painting expert like me, this might be the best tip you’ll ever hear! I always use an old lip liner or small eyeshadow brush — dipped into acetone — to clean up any stray nail polish that got onto my skin and cuticles. 100% acetone gets it off easier, but I was using this acetone that I got from the Dollar Tree…that I don’t really recommend. It takes way too much time and work to remove my polish with this stuff, lol, but at least I am able to share that with you all so you can avoid this stuff. It’s cheap, sure, but just spend another $1 to get better stuff. 🙂

Step 5: Start Dotting!

Now is where the dotting fun begins! I got this dotting tool off of Amazon a long time ago, but you could just use a hair pin, a random pencil…really anything with a round point to it. I wanted to be a little fancy with my dotticure and on one nail use two colors. I was thinking it would look really ombre…but it ended up just looking two-tone 😛 Oh well, I tried! But the dots still look fun!

Step 6: Apply a Top Coat

Never forget to apply top coat over your manicure! After all the time and effort you put into it…you want it to last! But, make sure you let your manicure FULL DRY before applying a really generous, thick layer of the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat. Unlike me. 😛 The thicker the layer — and the quicker you do it — the less likely you are to smudge the dots. But waiting a good 30 minutes to an hour to let it all full dry will also help, too. 🙂

Finished Results!

And there you have it! A super easy, quick manicure that anyone can do! I know the colors aren’t very “fall themed”, but if you just choose different colors, you’ll be set! Like a hunter green with orange and red dots <3 Oh yes! Now I want to try that combo!

I hope you enjoyed my quick little nail tutorial! I know I don’t do these often — mostly because I am not that good at doing nail art — but if you’d like to see more super-simple nail tutorials in the future, definitely let me know in the comments below!

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