Pizza Mani Finished 1

Is there any other culinary pleasure in this life so simple, yet deliciously complex, as pizza? I think not—just consider the endless combinations of meats, veggies, cheeses, herbs, and spices all hanging out on a tasty crust, and you’ll agree with me on this one. Given this amazing variety, you don’t have to make every single pizza-centric nail exactly the same in the following PIZZA MANICURE DIY. I mixed things up and made some meat, some veg, and a few combo slices. I know you’re probably like, “Marie, what took you so long to show us how to do some pizza nail art?! HOW DARE U.” I’m sorry, my pals…I was too busy eating all the pizzas!

What you’ll need:

What You Need Pizza Mani

  • Nail polish in any color(s) except yellow, orange, or brown for your base. I used Floss Gloss’s Wavepool and Deborah Lippmann’s Break 4 Love.
  • A yellow polish like Milani’s Yellow Whiz.
  • A red polish—mine is Gangsta Boo by Floss Gloss.
  • A green polish—mine’s Mojito Madness by Essie.
  • A black or dark brown polish such as Floss Gloss’s Blood, Suede, and Tears.
  • A top coat. (I always use Seche Vite.)
  • Tape. I used regular masking tape like this.
  • Scissors.
  • A dotting pen like this one or bobby pins.
  • Mandatory: a slice of real pizza to eat afterwards. Ooh yeah…

How to do it:

Step One:

Pizza Mani Step 1

Paint your nails with your base color(s). I alternated pastel blue and pink, but you can pick almost any shade you like—just don’t use a yellow or orange base, since that will camouflage your pizza!

Step Two:

Pizza Mani Step 2

Cut three small pieces of tape and apply them to your nail so the exposed polish is shaped like a triangle. It’s best to use something less sticky than Scotch tape—I recommend masking or washi tape. Repeat on the whole first hand you’re painting.

Step Three:

Pizza Mani Step 3

Paint the exposed area with yellow polish. Don’t my hands look like Doritos here? Wait, does anyone remember pizza chips? Can we start a petition to bring these back immediately??

Step Four:

Pizza Mani Step 4

Gently peel off the tape to reveal your pizza crust.

Step Five:

Pizza Mani Step 5

Now comes the best part of any pizza-making process: adding the toppings! If you’re into pepperoni, dip your dotting tool or bobby pin into the red polish, and gently draw small circles onto your nails.

Step Six:

Pizza Mani Step 6

Wipe off your tool (with polish remover if necessary), dip it in green polish, and lightly drag it across the crust to make rectangles, aka bell peppers.

Step Seven:

Pizza Mani Step 7

Dot little olives onto your nail with dark brown or black polish. I’m getting hungry…

Step Eight:

Pizza Mani Step 8

Lightly paint a brown line at the edge of the pizza to create your crust ends, or as my BFF likes to call them, “pizza bones.” Let your polish dry completely, then apply your top coat.

Pizza Mani Finished 2

HEY, EVERYBODY, DA PIZZA IS HERE! Remember, my friend, you are the magical pizza maker, and the dreamer of dreams. Make the slices of your deepest fantasies come true on your hands, and bon appétit! ♦