How to Make Fake Nails Out of Tape

Last Updated: January 9, 2023

Making tape nails is a great, easy project for kids. And since you can easily apply nail polish on top of tape, it can even be a way for adults to give a long nail design a trial run before deciding on a longer-term look.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Making Fake Nails Out of Tape

1
Pick a clear, shiny tape. Ordinary, single-sided Scotch tape is the easiest to use on nails.^{[1]
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Research source} It can be completely clear or a little clouded, depending on what you like.
- Scotch tape is a transparent tape, called Sellotape or sticky tape in some areas.
2
Put a piece of tape over your nail. Tear off a strip of tape about two times longer than your whole fingernail. Put the tape on your finger so it covers the entire nail and extends past it, so the whole nail looks glossy. Press the sides of the tape down firmly, so the tape bends like a regular long nail would.
- If the tape is too wide, have an adult trim the tape with a pair of scissors.
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3
Cover the underside of the tape in nail polish. Brush the sticky underside of the tape with nail polish. This will make the nails last longer and stop them sticking to things – but make sure not to touch anything while you wait for the polish to dry.^{[2]
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4
Buff the nail at the tape end (optional). If you have a nail buffer, use sides 3 or 4 to rub the bottom of the nail gently. Do this over the lower edge of the tape, and it will wear the tape down, making the line less visible.^{[3]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Decorating the Fake Nails

1
Use nail polish if you have it. You can use nail polish just like you would for a normal nail.^{[4]
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Research source} There are countless designs you can create, and you don't need to bother with a base coat when you're using tape. Pick your favorite colors and start decorating.
- Always wait for one color to dry before you add another color on top of it.
- A clear polish after everything is dry will make it look glossy.
2
Try the splatter nail polish method. Since you already have tape, why not try a decoration method that uses it? You'll also need a small, plastic straw and a layer of newspaper to work over, since this method is messy. This works best with several colors of nail polish.
- Surround the fingers around your nail with more tape to protect them from the polish. Be careful not to overlap the tape with your fake nail, or you could tear it off.
- Dip a thin straw in nail polish and blow through it while it's just above the nail. This will splatter the polish over the fake nail.
- Repeat with other colors. Since the tip of the straw has polish on it, you'll want to put the next color on a plastic plate or bit of newspaper, then dip the straw in that instead of directly in the nail polish bottle.
- When you're done, let it dry, then remove the tape protecting your fingers.
3
Decorate with other methods. If you don't have nail polish, you can decorate the tape with small stickers. You can try writing on it with a permanent marker, but it will most likely smudge unless you very carefully put a second layer of tape over the drawing.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I make the tape hard like a real nail?

Community Answer

Add a really thick layer of nail polish. The more you add, the harder it becomes.
Question

Are fake nails made of tape easy to remove?

Community Answer

It depends what tape and sometimes what polish you use, but usually they are relatively easy to remove.
Question

How can I make nail polish?

Community Answer

One method is to crush up eyeshadow into a fine powder, put it into a bottle of clear nail polish, and mix well.