Quick Answer

You can create charming heart nail designs with just a dotting tool, a thin brush, and a glitter like Hearts from Jessica Danielle Nails. This tutorial walks you through a simple method that works for beginners.

Why Hearts Glitter Makes It Easier

Using a dedicated glitter like Hearts eliminates the need to paint tiny heart shapes freehand. The glitter pieces are shaped like hearts, so you can apply them over a base color for instant, uniform hearts. This is especially helpful if you're still building your brush control.

Hearts comes in three titled options: F Love, Lots Of Love, and A Night In Paris. Each title offers a different color palette, so you can match the hearts to your design without mixing custom glitters.

What You'll Need Beyond Glitter

Besides the Hearts glitter, you'll need a base coat, a color polish of your choice, a top coat, a dotting tool (or a toothpick), and a small container or piece of paper to pour a bit of glitter onto. A thin nail art brush helps if you want to outline hearts with polish later, but it's optional for the glitter method.

Step-by-Step Heart Nail Tutorial

  1. Step 1: Prepare Your Nails: Apply a base coat to clean, dry nails. Wait until it's completely dry to the touch. This prevents staining and helps the design last longer. Skipping the base coat can cause the glitter to stick unevenly.
  2. Step 2: Apply Your Base Color: Paint one or two coats of your chosen color polish. Let each coat dry fully. A light or neutral base makes the hearts pop, but a dark base works too if the glitter is opaque enough. Test the glitter opacity over your base color on a practice nail first.
  3. Step 3: Pour Out a Small Amount of Hearts Glitter: Shake the Hearts glitter bottle gently, then pour a small pile onto a clean surface or into a small dish. You only need a pinch per nail. Don't pour too much—glitter can be hard to put back into the bottle.
  4. Step 4: Apply Glitter to Wet Polish: Using a dotting tool or a damp brush, pick up a few heart-shaped glitter pieces and place them onto the nail while the polish is still slightly tacky. Position them in a pattern—like a single heart on each nail or a scattered design. Work quickly; if the polish dries, the glitter won't stick well.
  5. Step 5: Seal with Top Coat: Once the glitter is placed and the polish is dry, apply a generous layer of top coat. This smooths the surface and locks the hearts in place. Let it dry completely. A thick top coat prevents the glitter from snagging on clothes or hair.

Product Used in This Tutorial

  • Hearts: Hearts is a nail art glitter offered in three titled options: F Love, Lots Of Love, and A Night In Paris, each sold separately. You can choose the color story that fits your design, whether you want pastel pinks, bold reds, or a romantic Parisian theme.

    Hearts

    Hearts