Get the Look: Katy Perry's 3D Flower Power Nails

Get the Look: Katy Perry's 3D Flower Power Nails

Katy Perry, the ever-changing Queen of beauty extremes, is never afraid of going bold with her talons. Her nail art changes as often as her hair color and, given the hype surrounding her 3D movie, it was only natural that she'd take her designs to the third dimension. Just check out this photo of her flowering extravaganza -- as seen in her music video for "Wide Awake" -- which she tweeted with the caption, "My nails are in FULL bloom today!"

Adorned with floral appliqués, these nails have had some serious time, effort and money put into them. Given the bright tips, crescent shapes and chic neutral base, they're dead on-trend and, like everything Katy Perry does, simply begging to be copied. So how can you get this botanical bounty at home? Follow these steps and share your results in the forum.

Step 1:

Let's start with the basic prep work: Clean any old polish away with an acetone polish remover on a cotton ball. Next, you'll need to file your nails in one direction -- creating a round shape -- and buff the tops and side for a smooth surface.

Step 2:

Apply one coat of taupe nail polish, something like Essie's Neutral Nail Polish Shades, to your whole nail. Remember, when applying polish, it only takes three strokes -- one stroke down the center and the other two strokes on each side of the nail. Let the first coat dry for three to five minutes, depending on the thickness of the polish, then apply a second coat.

Step 3:

After your polish has been drying for at least 30 minutes, place a reinforcement sticker on the end of each nail, approximately 0.5 cm from the top. Apply pressure to each, making sure they are secure, and paint the top half or your nail with your first chosen color. It's really important your nails are dry before placing the reinforcement stickers on them or else the stickers will peel off the polish and you'll have to start all over again!

Step 4:

Repeat step three on every nail, but using a different color each time. Katy Perry's hands are sprouting green, pink, yellow, blue and purple tips. If you want the same rainbow look, then perhaps buy a multi-pack of miniature nail polishes, instead of spending lots of cash on full size bottles.

Step 5:

Once you've finished paining all your tips, allow them to dry, before peeling off the reinforcement sticker. Now paint over each nail with a clear top coat to give your mani some staying power. Here's a quick tip if you're impatient like me: To check whether or not nails are properly dried -- without ruining them -- gently dab the nail on your tongue. If you can taste polish, they're not done.

Step 6:

For this step, you could use dried flowers or stick on 3D flowers, depending on how practical you want your talons to be. The 3D kind will be tricky to keep pretty, but they do look very similar to Katy Perry's and would command a lot of attention.

So here I've found some 3D glitter roses, which cost $5.50 for 45 pieces. After your top coat has been drying for at least 30 minutes, take a pair of tweezers and carefully dip the a flower in nail glue, before gently placing it smack in the center of your nail. Note: If you're using dried flowers, you would apply them before the top coat.

Step 7:

Repeat step five on your other nails, but leave one nail on each finger bare (Katy Perry has left out her pinky on one hand and ring finger on the other). Complete the look by wearing a bright flower ring on your flower-free fingers.