Beauty
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Try These Beautiful DIY Valentine's Day Nail Designs
For a Cupid-approved manicure.
by Ashley Ziegler and Anne Vorrasi
Updated:
Originally Published:
We all know that with Valentine’s Day comes chocolates, flowers, and professions of love, but it also comes with a very fun color palette and cute symbols to go with it. There are a lot of ways you can incorporate the classic hearts and shades of pink and red into daily life around the holiday, but one of the best is with some fun nail designs for Valentine’s Day. Between the Xs and Os, gorgeous hues, sparkles, and kiss prints, there is plenty to inspire some thematic nail art.
Of course, a basic shade of red or pink is a perfectly acceptable nail design for Valentine’s Day, but if you really want to lean into the holiday, it’s so much fun to add in little accents that celebrate love. Not a fan of red or pink? No problem, there are plenty of other colors that pair well with hearts. Aren’t fond of manicures that are overly cutesy? There are plenty of nail designs for Valentine’s Day that nod to the holiday without being overly obvious.
Even with all of the fun colors and symbols that come along with Valentine’s Day, it’s still not always easy to create your own unique nail art design. So, if you’re feeling a little stuck this year, here are some nail designs for Valentine’s Day to try for yourself.
1
Wintery shades
This classy nail design doesn’t scream “Valentine’s Day nails” the way a hot pink or classic red manicure might, but they still incorporate the most important holiday symbol: a heart. The combination of pale pink and burgundy actually keeps it looking sophisticated and might be a nail design you might be tempted to rock all winter long, when dark, moody colors are in.
2
A metallic runway
This is not your average pink manicure. At first glance, you might not notice the metallic silver line running down the length of these super glossy nails, but they’re there. And the stiletto shape help to make take a simple pink manicure to the next level.
3
Bejeweled digits
These jeweled nails are certainly dressed for a fancy Valentine’s Day outing. Start with any pink polish of your choosing — mix it up if you want to — add a coat of glitter, and tack on round and heart-shaped baubles.
4
Not your average manicure
If a french manicure is more your style, try this simple, pretty version. Instead of white, cover the tips in a super dense, sparkly silver glitter polish.
5
A pretty gradient
These lovely gradient nails actually would work for all kinds of occasions and with any color combination. For Valentine’s Day, pink and red shades feel appropriate, but you could totally venture into orange for Halloween or red and green for Christmas.
6
Minimalist mani
While some like to make statements with their nail polish, others prefer a more minimalist approach, and this Valentine’s Day nail art is perfect for them. To recreate it, you’ll need a soft base color, like this pearly white, and either red polish to make the hearts yourself or nail stickers.
7
Stamped design
Did you know that you can create a flawless nail design using stamps? In this Valentine’s Day manicure tutorial by Janelle, you’ll learn how to create several different holiday-appropriate nail designs using a Konad stamper. Who knew it could be so easy?
8
A wild print
If you’re someone who loves animal print, consider this fun Valentine’s Day nail design featuring zebra stripes. You won’t need a ton of special tools except for a fine tip brush and red, black, and white polishes. Check out this video by Nika Nails to learn how to do it yourself.
9
Dipped in glitter
Here’s a manicure that’s so glittery and so easy. In this tutorial, rather than use glitter nail polish, she uses a pink glittery nail dip/powder that leaves a textured finish. For the black hearts, you can either use a fine tip brush, a tool, or even a toothpick if you have a steady hand.
10
Heart punchout
How cool is this design? It looks like someone just swiped a brush across a heart on the nail, but the little cutout is actually added after the pink polish has dried. And, believe it or not, it’s pretty easy to do yourself with this tutorial.
11
Dots and hearts
Another easy Valentine’s Day manicure is just a red polka dot and heart pattern over a white or light pink base (but you can always switch up the colors). You don’t need to be a master artist to accomplish this, you just need a toothpick, a steady hand, and patience.
12
Candy heart pastels
If you want something a little different from classic red, get a little inspiration from the pastel colors of conversation hearts. With this design, you’ll really want to include the heart statement nails, since otherwise, it will just look like a pastel rainbow manicure. To learn how to do it, watch this tutorial from Jenny Claire Fox.
13
Statement nail sticker
By far the easiest way to upgrade your regular manicure into a Valentine’s Day mani is with the addition of a nail sticker. You can find stickers in most beauty stores (and on Amazon) and they come in different designs, textures, and sizes. Simply paint your nails a solid color, add a sticker to one nail, and you’re all set for the holiday.
14
Kisses
It’s not Valentine’s Day without some kissing lips, is it? Kelli Marissa has a tutorial with step-by-step instructions for recreating this exact manicure, but she uses a detail brush to get the look. You can certainly give this a try, or buy some nail stickers to make it easier.
15
A mashup
Red gets a lot of the attention on Valentine’s Day, but pink is a close runner-up. However, neon pink does not get the recognition it deserves. You can give the hue a little extra love with a holiday manicure like this one that combines the vibrant color with basic white and silver glitter polishes. The basic colors help tone down the pink, but still create a gorgeous holiday-appropriate design.
16
Subtle heart accent
If you like the idea of a Valentine’s Day nail design, but want something a little different, try something like this. This person included just a little bit of pink into their otherwise all-blue design, and the little heart is the perfect holiday touch.
17
Flowers
Want to skip the hearts altogether? Opt for a floral design instead. Flowers are definitely synonymous with Valentine’s Day, so nail art like this is totally appropriate. To make something this detailed, you’ll need some tools (here’s a tutorial), but you can use a toothpick to make a simple design, such as daisies.
18
A touch of gold
Not a hint of red in this Valentine’s Day nail art, but it’s still perfect. The addition of gold adds a little bit of glam to the design, and it’s an overall pretty easy manicure to recreate. You’ll need a toothpick or stickers to get the black dots and “love” just right, but the design would look just as good with out the black at all.
19
Watercolor ombre
For anyone who loves all of the colors of Valentine’s Day, but also prefers a uniform manicure, consider an ombre design like this one. To get the look, you’ll need a disposable makeup sponge and three of your favorite colors. Learn how to DIY with this tutorial.
20
Simple heart
Simple. Easy. Holiday appropriate. Seriously, it doesn’t get much easier than this design. Just paint your nails basic red, except for the middle finger with white. Once the middle finger is fully dry, use a toothpick to draw a heart on the middle finger with the same red polish you used on the other nails. To make it even easier, skip the toothpick art and pick up some nail stickers instead.
21
Waterfall hearts
This waterfall heart manicure is perfect for anyone who isn’t a fan of the cutesy Valentine’s Day designs. My Simple Little Pleasures has a step-by-step tutorial that will teach you how to recreate this gorgeous design at home.
22
Shades of magenta and fuchsia
For a more unique Valentine’s Day manicure, consider using different shades of magenta and fuchsia. The pink-purple colors are totally appropriate for the holiday, but they’re not used nearly as much as regular pink or red. A simple one-color design works great, but you can also mix it up with some sparkles like in this picture.
23
XOXO
Believe it or not, this XOXO nail art was done with just a toothpick. Kelli Marissa has a video tutorial that teaches you how to recreate it, as well as three other designs, using the household tool, and you’ll be amazed by how easy it is to recreate.
Now, with all of these nail designs for Valentine’s Day, you’re tasked with choosing which one you want to show off on the holiday. Of course, you can always use these as inspiration to create something of your own, or you can combine a couple of different designs to create a mix-and-match mani. Regardless of what you choose, your nails will surely look fabulous this Valentine’s Day.
This article was originally published on
As an expert and enthusiast, I have access to a vast amount of information on various topics, including nail designs for Valentine's Day. While I don't have personal experiences or preferences, I can provide you with information and ideas based on this article. Let's dive into the different concepts mentioned in the article and explore some beautiful DIY Valentine's Day nail designs.
Classic Hearts and Shades of Pink and Red
Valentine's Day is often associated with classic symbols like hearts and shades of pink and red. These colors can be incorporated into nail designs to create a festive and romantic look. You can try a basic shade of red or pink as a nail design for Valentine's Day. However, if you want to add a little extra flair, you can incorporate little accents that celebrate love [[1]].
Fun Nail Designs for Valentine's Day
The article suggests various nail designs that you can try for Valentine's Day. Here are some of the designs mentioned:
- Wintery Shades: This nail design combines pale pink and burgundy to create a sophisticated look that can be worn all winter long [[1]].
- A Metallic Runway: Add a touch of glamour to your nails with a metallic silver line running down the length of your super glossy nails. The stiletto shape can take a simple pink manicure to the next level [[1]].
- Bejeweled Digits: Create a fancy Valentine's Day look by starting with a pink polish of your choice, adding a coat of glitter, and then applying round and heart-shaped baubles [[1]].
- Not Your Average Manicure: Put a twist on the classic French manicure by covering the tips in a dense, sparkly silver glitter polish [[1]].
- A Pretty Gradient: Create a lovely gradient effect on your nails using shades of pink and red. This design can work for various occasions [[1]].
- Minimalist Mani: For a more understated look, try a minimalist approach. Use a soft base color like pearly white and add red hearts using polish or nail stickers [[1]].
- Stamped Design: Learn how to create different holiday-appropriate nail designs using stamps. This tutorial demonstrates Valentine's Day manicure ideas using a Konad stamper [[1]].
- A Wild Print: If you love animal print, consider a fun Valentine's Day nail design featuring zebra stripes. You'll need a fine tip brush and red, black, and white polishes [[1]].
- Dipped in Glitter: Create a glittery manicure using a pink glittery nail dip/powder for a textured finish. Add black hearts using a fine tip brush, tool, or toothpick [[1]].
- Heart Punchout: This design features a heart-shaped cutout added after the pink polish has dried. It creates a unique and eye-catching look [[1]].
- Dots and Hearts: Create a simple Valentine's Day manicure with red polka dots and heart patterns over a white or light pink base. You can use a toothpick to achieve this design [[1]].
- Candy Heart Pastels: Take inspiration from the pastel colors of conversation hearts. This design incorporates heart statement nails for a festive look [[1]].
- Statement Nail Sticker: Easily upgrade your regular manicure with a Valentine's Day-themed nail sticker. Simply paint your nails a solid color and add a sticker to one nail [[1]].
- Kisses: Embrace the romantic theme with kissing lips on your nails. You can recreate this design using a detail brush or nail stickers [[1]].
- A Mashup: Combine neon pink with basic white and silver glitter polishes for a vibrant yet toned-down Valentine's Day manicure [[1]].
- Subtle Heart Accent: Add a touch of pink to an otherwise all-blue design by incorporating a small heart. This design offers a unique twist on Valentine's Day nail art [[1]].
- Flowers: If you prefer floral designs over hearts, consider creating a floral nail art design. You can use tools or a toothpick to achieve different levels of detail [[1]].
- A Touch of Gold: Create an elegant Valentine's Day nail art using gold accents. This design incorporates black dots and the word "love" [[1]].
- Watercolor Ombre: For a colorful and uniform manicure, try an ombre design using three of your favorite colors and a disposable makeup sponge [[1]].
- Simple Heart: This design is as easy as it gets. Paint your nails red, except for the middle finger, which should be white. Use a toothpick to draw a heart on the middle finger with red polish [[1]].
- Waterfall Hearts: This design offers a more sophisticated take on Valentine's Day nail art. It features cascading hearts and can be recreated at home with a step-by-step tutorial [[1]].
- Shades of Magenta and Fuchsia: Opt for different shades of magenta and fuchsia for a unique Valentine's Day manicure. You can keep it simple or add sparkles for extra flair [[1]].
- XOXO: Create an XOXO nail art design using just a toothpick. This design, along with three others, can be recreated easily with a video tutorial [[1]].
These are just a few examples of the many nail designs you can try for Valentine's Day. Feel free to get creative and adapt these designs to suit your personal style and preferences. Remember to have fun and enjoy the process of creating beautiful nail art!
I hope this information helps you explore different nail designs for Valentine's Day. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!
