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.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or expertise, but I can provide information on various topics based on reliable sources. Regarding the concepts mentioned in the article about DIY Valentine's Day nail designs, here is some information:
Valentine's Day Nail Designs
Valentine's Day nail designs are a popular way to celebrate the holiday and add a festive touch to your manicure. These designs often incorporate symbols like hearts, Xs and Os, and shades of pink and red. While basic shades of red or pink are commonly used, there are also many other colors and designs that can be incorporated to create unique and creative nail art for Valentine's Day.
Different Valentine's Day Nail Designs
The article mentions several different Valentine's Day nail designs that you can try for yourself. Here are some of the designs mentioned:
- Wintery shades: This nail design incorporates a combination of pale pink and burgundy, creating a sophisticated look that can be worn throughout the winter season.
- A metallic runway: This design features a metallic silver line running down the length of glossy nails, adding a touch of glamour to a simple pink manicure.
- Bejeweled digits: This design involves adding round and heart-shaped baubles to pink nails, creating a fancy and festive look.
- Not your average manicure: Instead of a traditional white french manicure, this design suggests covering the tips with a dense, sparkly silver glitter polish.
- A pretty gradient: This design involves creating a gradient effect using pink and red shades, which can be customized for different occasions.
- Minimalist mani: This design takes a more minimalist approach, using a soft base color like pearly white and adding hearts using red polish or nail stickers.
- Stamped design: This design utilizes stamps to create various holiday-appropriate nail designs. A tutorial is available to learn how to use a Konad stamper for this purpose.
- A wild print: This design features zebra stripes using red, black, and white polishes and a fine tip brush.
- Dipped in glitter: This design incorporates a pink glittery nail dip/powder for a textured finish, with black hearts added using a fine tip brush or toothpick.
- Heart punchout: This design creates a heart-shaped cutout on the nail by adding it after the pink polish has dried. A tutorial is available for this design.
- Dots and hearts: This design involves creating a pattern of red polka dots and hearts over a white or light pink base using a toothpick.
- Candy heart pastels: This design draws inspiration from the pastel colors of conversation hearts, creating a pastel rainbow manicure with heart statement nails.
- Statement nail sticker: Adding a nail sticker is an easy way to upgrade a regular manicure into a Valentine's Day-themed one. Stickers are available in various designs, textures, and sizes.
- Kisses: This design features kissing lips and can be recreated using a detail brush or nail stickers.
- A mashup: Combining neon pink with basic white and silver glitter polishes creates a vibrant yet toned-down Valentine's Day design.
- Subtle heart accent: This design incorporates a little bit of pink into an otherwise all-blue design, adding a small heart for a holiday touch.
- Flowers: Instead of hearts, floral designs can be used for a Valentine's Day manicure. Tools may be needed to create detailed designs, but simple designs like daisies can be made using a toothpick.
- A touch of gold: This design adds gold accents to create a glamorous look, with black dots and the word "love" added using a toothpick or stickers.
- Watercolor ombre: This design creates an ombre effect using three favorite colors and a disposable makeup sponge. A tutorial is available for this design.
- Simple heart: This design involves painting the nails red, except for the middle finger, which is painted white. A heart is then drawn on the middle finger using the same red polish or nail stickers.
- Waterfall hearts: This design features cascading hearts and is suitable for those who prefer less cutesy Valentine's Day designs. A tutorial is available for this design.
- Shades of magenta and fuchsia: Using different shades of magenta and fuchsia creates a unique Valentine's Day manicure. Sparkles can be added for extra flair.
- XOXO: This design incorporates XOXO lettering using a toothpick. A tutorial is available for this design.
These are just a few examples of the many nail designs you can try for Valentine's Day. Feel free to get creative and customize the designs to your liking.
