How To Give Yourself A '70s-Inspired Manicure At Home
Ethan Hayes
Published Mar 30, 2026
Getting this look at home is easy, as long as you have the right tools at home. What you'll need is a neutral color for a base, something like Essie's "Ballet Slippers" will totally do the trick. Then, you'll want to grab some bright colors that you absolutely love. Some people like to do a bunch of different colors, while others want to keep it in the same family, like blues and purples, or reds and pinks. You'll also need a thin, design brush for your swirls. You can grab some thin, detail nail polish brushes on Amazon.
First, apply your neutral base. Sometimes, you'll do two coats to make sure that it's visible. Then, when it's dry, you want to use one of the thin, detail brushes to create an S-like design on your nail. You want to start with one color, and then begin to add your other colors next to it (right or left, manicurist's choice!)
The more colors you add, the more your nails will get that psychedelic, '70s look. The last step is, of course, to finish with a clear top coat. Because using a lot of colors on top of each other can make the paint a litter thick, using a quick drying topcoat, like this Sally Hansen one on Amazon, is a great idea so you are less likely to smudge that perfect mani.