Alexis Wolfer is a well-known beauty and lifestyle expert and the founder of The Beauty Bean, an online magazine that promotes Real Beauty. She is also the creator of the international and viral Makeup Free Mondays movement and can be found tweeting about all things real and realistic beauty at @AlexisWolfer.

Nothing screams summer fun more than juicy watermelon, so why not bring the juicy summer fruit from mouth to manicure?

This manicure is designed for longer finger nails; on little hands (and even littler fingernails), make the green skin take up a larger portion of the nail for easier application.

1. Scrub dirty fingers clean with a nail brush before cleaning nails with nail polish remover (even if they’re already polish-free) to remove excess oils.

2. For older nieces, follow The Beauty Bean’s how-to DIY and at-home manicure tips for a more spa-like experience!

3. Apply a clear base coat.

4. Paint two coats of a vibrant red/pink nail polish for the perfect juicy watermelon manicure base on all nails. (We used Essie Nail Polish in Wife Goes On.)

5. Once the red/pink is dry, use a white nail polish to paint a tip across the top of at least one nail, as you would paint the tip on a traditional French manicure.

6. When the white is dry, use a green nail polish to paint a smaller tip on top, leaving a thin line of white to mirror a watermelon’s green skin and white flesh.

7. Use a black nail art pen to add “watermelon seeds.”

8. Apply a clear top coat, and enjoy!

Warning: Nails may appear tastier to all the nail-biters out there!

Photo: Courtesy of Alexis Wolfer
Published: August 20, 2012