I Tried the "Skittles" Nail Trend, and I'm Obsessed With the Mismatched Look

POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel
POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel

I've always been one of those people who has the hardest time making small decisions. (Granted, I am a Gemini.) I can make big or important decisions in a second but have to look at the menu for 17 minutes just to end up ordering the same food I've had 25 times before.

This is why when it comes to nail polish colors, I'm more inclined to stick to what I know and love: a french manicure or either Essie's Wicked or Bubble Bath polish colors. I know — boring, right? But recently, I wanted to do something different and try the "Skittles" manicure trend, which involves painting a different color on each nail. So I went ahead and booked an appointment at Paintbox in New York City. Check out the full process and my takeaways ahead.

Step 1: Prep For Your Manicure
POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel

Step 1: Prep For Your Manicure

My nail artist started filing my nails to give them a square shape. She didn't need to clip my nails, as they were short already. After getting the right shape, she soaked my cuticles in oil and pushed them back. Then she grabbed a cotton ball dipped in nail polish remover and removed any remaining oil or debris from my nails.

Step 2: Pick Your Colors
POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel

Step 2: Pick Your Colors

When it was time to pick all the colors I wanted, I got a little stressed. As someone who can't make up their mind in 10 seconds, I felt like I was under pressure. (Let's face it, no one wants to be that person who tries every nail polish on the shelf.) The best thing about the "Skittles" trend, though, is that you don't have to stay within the same color family (like you might with "paint chip" nails). All I knew was that I wanted to use a mixture of warm and cool pastel tones, so we picked a violet, baby blue, soft green, yellow, and darker blue-gray from Essie, Smith & Cult, and BeBio.

Step 3: Apply the Color
POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel

Step 3: Apply the Color

My nail artist applied the nail colors very meticulously. She was done with the pinky and middle fingers after two coats, but other colors were very light, so they needed three coats in total.

Step 4: Finish With a Topcoat
POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel

Step 4: Finish With a Topcoat

The topcoat is one of the most important parts of a manicure, because it smooths over any ridges. After the top layer was applied, my nails looked even brighter and cleaner.

Step 5: Enjoy Your Colorful Nails
POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel

Step 5: Enjoy Your Colorful Nails

To be completely honest, I wasn't really sure if I was going to enjoy the rainbow-ish look. Even though I liked these pastel colors separately, I didn't really know if my nails would look like an Easter egg bag after the manicure. But I ended up loving this "Skittles" nail look! This manicure gave me an opportunity to try all these different colors and express my creative side in a way.

Also, I love the attention my nails are getting from various people. Maybe this is the trend my indecisive nature has been waiting for, and I have a feeling I'll be wearing my "Skittles" manicure for a bit.