One of the easiest and most common yet surprisingly stunning and versatile nail art designs has to be — dots. Whether you are a manicure noob or pro, this is a design you must have definitely tried at least once, amirite? It looks good on all nail shapes and colours, and that’s what makes it so popular.

Did you know that creating a dotted nail art design is really simple and can easily be recreated at home? Aaaaaand it doesn’t even need fancy manicure tools; you can make it with objects lying around your house. Yes, really! Here are five such dotting tool alternatives that will help take your DIY manicure game several notches higher….

 

01. Bobby pins

Bobby pins

If you want to create medium-sized dots that give off a retro feel, then bobby pins are perfect for this. Simply open the bobby pin to make it as straight as possible and dip the pin’s rounded tip in a nail polish colour of your choice and gently press it onto your nail to create the dots.

 

02. Toothpick

Toothpick

Another great dotting tool alternative is toothpicks. For fine and minuscule dots, use the pointed tip of the toothpick. But if you want to create larger, more prominent dots, the other end works really well. Alternatively, you could even use both ends to create dots of various sizes.

 

03. Pencil

Pencil

If you want to create medium-sized perfectly round dots, then a blunt pencil works like a charm. Ensure that you take a little extra paint on the tip for bigger and rounder dots, and reduce the amount of paint for smaller dots. If you do not have a pencil at hand, you can create a similar effect with a dried-out ballpoint pen.

 

04. Paint brushes

Paint brushes

If you have a few paintbrushes lying around the house, then grab them to recreate big, round and clean dots on your nails. If you are an absolute newbie to nail art, using a brush could be a little difficult for you, but with a bit of practice, paintbrushes offer excellent precision that’ll make you fall in love with.

 

05. Cotton bud

Cotton bud

Image courtesy: @theklog on Pinterest

To create medium-sized, slightly textured dots, you can use a cotton bud. Simply dip the cotton swab in the nail paint and gently press it onto your nails for a super simple yet quick nail art design. From retro polka dots to more minimal designs, the good ol’ cotton bud can do it all.