Get ready to party with this buoyant balloon manicure

Few objects are as festive as balloons. Whether filled with regular air or buoyancy-giving helium, their appearance is a clear indication that something festive is occurring. While you may not drive around town with them tied to your antenna the way your parents tied them to your stroller when you were a kid, they still elicit the same type of joy.

Adding some of these cheerful little pops of color to a manicure is a great way to signal your enthusiasm for your next party. Combining gel polish and line tape makes it easy. Just paint a few elongated circles and attach some sticky strings, and you’ll be party-ready in no time.

Materials
- White gel polish (Elite99 1433)
- UV or LED lamp (Lumcrissy, not shown)
- Clear gel polish (Gelish Foundation)
- Yellow gel polish (FairyGlo 6713)
- Short round brush
- Red gel polish (Makartt Crystal Rose Red)
- Blue gel polish (FairyGlo 6705)
- Alcohol
- Cotton pads
- Black and white line tape
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- No-wipe gel top coat (Cheri)

Instructions
1. Apply two coats of white gel polish to the nails, curing the gel in between coats with the UV or LED lamp.

2. Apply a thin base coat of clear gel polish, and cure it with the lamp.

3. Paint three balloons on the nail with yellow gel using the short round brush, and then cure the wet gel with the lamp.

4. Repeat step three by painting red balloons, and then cure the gel with the lamp.

5. Paint blue balloons on the nail, and cure the wet gel once more.

6. Remove the tacky gel with an alcohol-soaked cotton pad.

7. Add the ribbons to each balloon by snipping short pieces of black and white line tape with the scissors. Use the tweezers to position the tape at the bottom of each balloon.

8. Seal the tape in place by applying a top coat of no-wipe gel polish. Cure the polish with the lamp.

Stay pretty!