Spring is here and it’s time to freshen up our wardrobes. Who’s to say your nails shouldn’t follow suit? The changing season is a great excuse to experiment with nail designs.

You’ll need: toothpicks or a thin paintbrush to create the designs, nail polish and a clear top coat — if you don’t have all the nail polish colors necessary for certain designs, no worries. As an alternative, acrylic paint works great for any nail art designs. Not only is it cheaper than nail polish, but it also dries much faster, making it easier to work with when creating intricate designs. Just make sure your base is always nail polish as acrylic paints don’t work as an all-over paint.

Japanese Cherry Blossom French Tips

If you’re already a fan of the classic French tip, this is the look for you. This look is super easy to create. Start off by painting the tips of your nails white. For clean lines, try covering the base of your nails with tape, leaving only the tips exposed. Using a toothpick or a thin paint brush dipped in brown paint, create branches along the sides of your nails, extending them as far out as you like. Next, use the pink paint to create the flowers along the branches. Finish the design off by adding a white dot in the middle of some of the flowers. The messier the better. To complete the look, add a top coat to extend your nail design’s life.

Daisy Nails

Using a base color of your choice, paint your nails. Consider a pastel color. Think lavender or light pink — fitting colors for a fresh spring look. Once dry, begin your daisies by creating a small yellow dot using either a small paintbrush or a toothpick. Then, dip into your white polish or acrylic paint and create the petals. You can position the daisies on your nails wherever you like.

Chic Half Moons

If you are over the florals for spring, this might be what you’ve been searching for. Simply paint half-moons near your cuticles using any color of your choice. Use a vibrant neon color for a fun spin, or stay light by opting for a natural tone. Finish off the look with a clear top coat.

Color Block Nails

A simple design sure to have people eyeing your nails, color block nails are a fun way to change up your standard polish. Using a thin paint brush and black polish, draw thin grid lines across your nails. Try and make a four-by-four grid, keeping the squares relatively large. The grids on some of your nails can be off-center, creating a more unique look for each nail. After you’ve completed the grid, fill in one of the squares on each nail with any color you like. Each nail can have a square filled with a different color, or you can use two colors and fill in every other nail with the opposite color. Finish off the look with a top coat.

Move over eyes, nails are the new window into the soul. If you’re not an expert at painting your own nails, then grab some friends and paint your nails with these fresh spring designs.

Email Marisa Lopez at [email protected].