With wedding season right around the corner, what better way to say “I do” to your date than with these DIY tuxedo nails? Even Zooey Deschanel got in on the fun when she put her tips in formal wear for the 2011 Golden Globes.

What You’ll Need:

• White nail polish
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen in black
• Clear top coat

The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of white polish and let dry completely.
2. Using the black nail pen, paint the tips of the nails (like a French manicure).
3. To create the bow tie, use the black nail pen to draw two sideways triangles (with the points facing toward one another) just below the cuticle.
4. Apply a small dot between the triangles to finish the bow tie.
5. Place three dots below the bow tie for the buttons.
6. Finish with a clear top coat.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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Minimizing paint splatter is high priority when painting a house or room, but when it comes to this DIY paint splatter manicure, the messier the better. Show off your creativity using the steps below.

What You’ll Need:

• White nail polish
• Two contrasting nail polish colors (I used Milani’s “Fresh Teal” and Sally Hansen’s “Fuchsia Power”)
• Paper plates
• Scissors
• Plastic drinking straw
• Clear top coat
• Cotton swabs
• Nail polish remover

The How-To:

1. Paint on two coats of white nail polish and let dry completely.
2. Choose the colored polish you would like to “splatter” on your nails first. Drop a small amount onto a paper plate, as shown above.
3. Cut a straw in half and dip one end into the polish, making sure to coat the entire hole of the straw.
4. Take a deep breath and blow into the straw. Don’t be alarmed if the polish gets on your skin – it happens.
5. Repeat steps 2 – 4 with the second colored polish.
6. Apply a clear top coat.
7. Clean off the excess polish around your nails and on your skin with cotton swabs and nail polish remover.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Have a manicure tip? Share in the comments below, or tweet us at @ruelala.

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Channel your inner Monet and Van Gogh with the artistic water marble manicure. This latest nail craze has me wearing fingerless gloves (even on those freezing New England days) just to show off my creative work. Become your own artist with the steps below.

What You’ll Need:

• 2 – 4 bottles of your favorite nail polish (I used essie’s Bahama Mama, Lady Like, and Merino Cool)
• Small cup/bowl of room-temperature water
• Tape (optional)
• Toothpicks
• Nail polish remover
• Cotton swabs
• Inspiration (see here)

The How-To:

1. Place three drops of nail polish #1 in the cup of water and wait for the polish to spread. (Tip: open all the nail polish bottles before starting – this makes the process much easier.)
2. Immediately following, place a drop of polish #2 in the center of polish #1 and allow polish to spread, creating a bull’s-eye pattern.
3. Do the same for polish #3 and repeat, rotating the nail colors until satisfied.
4. Here’s where you can get creative. Take a toothpick and drag the polish from the center of the pattern outward until you have a fun design.
5. If you like, tape your nails to prevent getting polish on your skin. Dip nails facedown into the water.
6. Finally, remove the tape and clean off excess polish with nail polish remover and cotton swabs.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Have a manicure tip? Share in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala.

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