The newest nail lacquer trend since minx, animal print nails are a bold take on the weekly manicure. Celebrity tastemakers Rihanna and Beyonce Knowles have been spotted rocking ferociously fierce cheetah and zebra print talons all summer long. It's no wonder the trend has made its way into nail salons and onto the hands of countless daring divas on South Beach this fall.

Beauty buff on a budget? You don't need to visit the salon to land these desired designs. Get the look at home by starting with a coat of base color of your choice. Once the coat is dry,  apply fine  strokes to add stripes or spots. For stripes, take small, steady-handed strokes. Combine the basic black and white tones or other unconventional yet stylish shades, such as vibrant hues or metallics like gold and silver.

For spots, you can opt for a simple two-tone print using any two colors, such as the purple and black combo pictured above. Or, for a more detailed look, try a color trio to add more definition to your design, like the nails pictured to the upper left. Use a darker color to make the larger spot and a lighter color on the top. Slightly vary the size and shape of spots for a blended look.

If you're not sure if the animal print trend is for you, or you're looking for a more versatile version of the trend, try painting just the tips with print, as pictured above to the far right.

Allow 30 minutes to dry. Just like that, you’ve joined this summer’s hautest bandwagon and rewarded yourself with a look-at-me manicure. Remember, practice is the secret to perfecting your nail art skills. Set aside some time to experiment with these animal prints to ensure a worship-worthy wave.