Nail Down 2014's Easiest Beauty Look

What's that I hear? Ah, it's the death knell of nail art!

Goodbye tiny bowties! See ya later zig zags!

And for anyone without wizard hands and three hours to dedicate to painting your digits, the latest nail trend is a welcome reprieve.

A matte nail looks velvety, fresh and just plain cool. Plus, it's a freakin' snap to achieve. Just buy a matte top coat to create a matte nail with the endless colors you already have. There are many great, affordable options out there including Orly Matte Top and Essie Matte About You.

I received the latter for Christmas (shout out to Beth & Kyle! Woot!) and went to town with a vibrant purplely blue cheapie I've had forever. I applied a clear base coat followed by two coats of color and allowed those to dry. Then I added one topper of Matte About You (use two if you can see shine coming through). The results? Flat, matte and definitely different. Dig it!

The tools

In progress- two coats of color. Notice how shiny the polish normally is.

The three nails on the right have been matte-d.

Ta-dah! All done!

Essie Matte About You retails for $10, and is available at ULTA Beauty and other selected beauty and retail stores nationwide.