The Secret to Keep Your Sharpie Manicure from Smearing

Yesterday I had a reader ask me how to keep your Sharpie manicure from smearing when you are putting on your top coat. It can be a little tricky. If I am really careful applying my top coat and lay it on THICK it doesn’t smear too much. But that’s not really ideal. So while I was up at 4 this morning with a crying baby I was thinking to myself, you need some sort of barrier between the Sharpie and the top coat that you can put on without smearing. Then it occurred to me… hair spray! It sprays on lightly, it goes on clear and you can easily wash it off the rest of your hands easily, AND everyone already has it!

So I tried it, and guess what?! It works!

Excuse my sloppy nails, I was in a bit of a hurry, but it shows exactly what I wanted you to see.

All you have to do is lightly spray your nails after you have put on your Sharpie. The lighter the mist, the better, so do it from several inches away. Once the hairspray is completely dry, paint on your top coat. You still want to try to keep from going over it too many times with the top coat, because it COULD still smear, but the hairspray definitely helps!

Hooray for Sharpie Manicures!

Like what you see? Tell your friends!

42 thoughts on “The Secret to Keep Your Sharpie Manicure from Smearing”

Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com March 17, 2013 at 8:26 pm

This is genius! I found this page after googling how to keep my sharpie manicure from smearing, because my nails currently look a hot mess (and I even tried to use a really thick top coat.) I’ll give it a try next time for sure!

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Cassie June 24, 2013 at 3:17 pm

Greetings! Very helpful advice within this article! It’s the little changes that make the most important changes. Many thanks for sharing!

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Glinda June 28, 2013 at 8:42 am

I’m no longer certain the place you are getting your information, however good topic. I needs to spend a while learning much more or figuring out more. Thank you for wonderful information I was on the lookout for this info for my mission.

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A.B. July 1, 2013 at 5:17 pm

Any idea if spraying rubbing alcohol (main ingredient in hairspray) would work? I don’t have and won’t buy hairspray but have alcohol.

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1. Heather Post authorJuly 1, 2013 at 8:29 pm
  
  Unfortunately it doesn’t work. The idea of the hairspray is that it puts a thin polymer coat between your Sharpie manicure and your top coat. The rubbing alcohol will just evaporate quickly off your nail. If you have a spray adhesive it will do the same thing as the hairspray. Thanks for reading!
  
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2. lonek8 October 10, 2013 at 10:12 am
  
  Rubbing alcohol removes sharpie from surfaces, so you definitely don’t want to use that to set your manicure
  
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3. F. Whalen June 13, 2017 at 7:47 am
  
  I also don’t use hairspray, but I had a glue stick in the house and decided to try it. I had to wait til the sharpie was completely dry, then lightly went over my nail with the glue stick. It took only seconds for the glue to dry, then I applied the top coat. It seems to have worked. Since I’m doing white tiger stripes on my nails, I really needed a solution
  
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  1. Shankavi July 14, 2018 at 8:05 am
    
    Thanks for telling me! Will try.
    
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Kendra July 20, 2013 at 8:32 pm

This blog rocks. I am currently pregnant with #3 and feel frumpalicious. Can def. use some of these tips!

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1. Heather Post authorJuly 22, 2013 at 5:32 pm
  
  Thanks Kendra! Congratulations on the new addition!
  
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megan August 1, 2013 at 10:33 am

Thank you for the tips!!! Did you use an aerosol spray?

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1. Heather Post authorAugust 1, 2013 at 10:49 am
  
  I did use an aerosol spray, but any kind should work. You just want to make sure it’s a fine, even mist. Thanks for reading!
  
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Kimberly Hilbert September 28, 2013 at 1:32 pm

You are quite clever! Thanks for the tips!

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RJ October 6, 2013 at 3:08 pm

Hi, great info! All the POR Manicurist’s out there may have a product called Let’s Go that drys glue rapidly. This may be a product that will rapidly dry the ink! Worth a shot!

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Megan October 20, 2013 at 11:04 am

Do you know if you can use sharpies on gel polishes?
Thanks

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1. Lisa Jasper February 3, 2016 at 8:29 pm
  
  Yes you can. works great because you don’t have to wait for the polish to dry
  
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  1. Lynda October 21, 2016 at 5:54 pm
    
    187Endless love and support (as you know you always, and will always, have from me). So proud of you for reioingscng that this is not something you need to hide, that you have nothing to make excuses for, and for speaking with such honesty and candour. And just look – so many, many people finding strength from your strength in turn. Shining. xo
    
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Lush-Fab-Glam.com November 4, 2013 at 8:41 am

I agree hair spray definitely makes a difference! I also featured some gorgeous nail art designs using the metallic Sharpie markers, you can see them here: http://www.lush-fab-glam.com/2013/11/mani-monday-sharpie-your-way-to.html

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Sondra April 26, 2014 at 2:02 am

You may try acrylic spray.

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Yovonne July 9, 2014 at 1:12 pm

Thank you for all of these great tips, especially all of the info on Sharpies! I never would have thought of using Sharpies for nail art, but you’ve accomplished some beautiful nail art with them.

As for using hair spray, it’s perfect! I’ve known a lot of artists who have used hair spray to protect their charcoal and pencil drawings, as well as pastels, because it is so much less expensive than artist’s fixatives (which can be outrageously expensive) and it makes sense that it would also work great to keep a Sharpie manicure from smearing.

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Lynne Clay May 6, 2015 at 7:36 am

I’ve used sharpies and wait till dry about 15 minutes, then I dab on my top coat instead of brushing and it works very well.

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1. Heather Post authorMay 6, 2015 at 9:13 am
  
  Great advice. Thanks for sharing!
  
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lisa October 5, 2015 at 9:53 am

I just finished my sharpie design and I really like it. And I definitally don’t want to ruin it because of a topcoat! I’m gonna use the hairspray now, hope it’ll work!!

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debra December 29, 2015 at 8:15 pm

I used Sharpie’s to draw my snowmen for the holidays. They work great!

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F. Whalen June 13, 2017 at 7:51 am

I tried a glue stick, went over my nails very lightly. Only took seconds for the glue to dry. Then applied a top coat. It seems to have worked nicely and since its all I had in the house, I’m happy!

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