How to create a candy cane nail design

This nail art is inspired by candy canes, a holiday favorite! We’re transferring the sweet (and sparkly) stripes onto nails for a festive and chic design.

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Step 1: Gather supplies

I used the following materials for this tutorial:

• Zoya Sarah
• Sally Hansen White On
• Zoya Kara
• Small paintbrush
• Tape (not pictured)

Step 2: Apply a base coat

Begin with a white base coat and let dry.

Step 3: Apply tape to designate stripes

Using small strips of tape, diagonally section off two thick lines on each nail for the dark red color.

Step 4: Paint stripes

With tape securely pressed down on all parts, paint two coats of the dark red on top of the nails.

Step 5: Remove tape

Let paint dry fully and gently peel off the tape. You can stop if you like the nails like this — continue on if you’d like to add more decoration.

Step 6: Add additional striping

With the small paintbrush, paint a thin pink line above each red line.

Step 7: Apply a top coat

When everything is done, finish with a top coat and enjoy your holiday!

More nail tutorials

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How to create an ombre nail design
How to do a chevron pattern with nail polish