Caviar nails are elegant, fun and relatively simple to accomplish........but are they a good idea?? Keep reading to find out!!!

You can find my overall summary of caviar nails in Step 3!

Step 1: Supplies

You need four items to get caviar nails of your own:

1. Microbeads - I found mine at Michael's - in the glitter isle. I should have known this would be interesting since they were next to the bane of my existence. Does anyone else think glitter should and must be BANNED? I'm with ya all the way!
2. Clear coat nail polish or nail hardener.
3. A shallow bowl. Not a plate...I repeat...not a plate.
4. Bare fingernails. Somewhat manicured is nice.

Step 2: Apply Microbeads

If you have ever put glue on a piece of paper and sprinkled glitter over it you should have all the necessary training required to apply microbeads to your nails.

Start by painting two or three nails with clear coat or nail hardener. While holding your fingers over a shallow bowl sprinkle microbeads on the polish while it is still wet or tacky. Voila! The beads stick.

Unless you are sloppy with the nail polish there shouldn't be much clean up of beads but if necessary move stray beads with a toothpick or dry fingernail.

Repeat until all fingernails are covered with microbeads.

Step 3: Apply Top Coat

Now that your nails look perfect you are basically going to make them look....not perfect. It would be nice if you could stop right here but unfortunately you will be eating beads even sooner if you do.

Okay, okay, you are really good with glitter but are you good at not getting microbeads to bleed their color all over your cuticles? That's what happens (see picture) when you apply the top coat. They also start to change color. They don't loose their color but there must be some kind of reaction with the chemicals in the polish that changes the color of the microbeads.

Be very light with the top coat. You will have to sop up excess with a tissue or cotton swab without moving the beads.

SUMMARY:
If you attempt caviar nails (and I don't really recommend it) I highly suggest using clear microbeads and choosing a colored nail polish that you like. You won't get the monochromatic color scheme that I really wanted but at least you won't get color bleeding all over your cuticles.

This is a great idea for a very special ONE DAY (or half-day) occasion but there is a very good reason you don't see people running around with caviar nails every day. The beads start flaking off almost immediately. First the tips then the rest!

DO NOT attempt this for a first date kind of thing where you may or may not be going somewhere to eat, say, chicken wings, that you may or may not have to lick your fingers after. You will definitely get a mouth full of beads. Not something you want glittering between your two front teeth when you smile!

I can definitely say I won't be doing this again even though it looks so good in pictures!