Holly Rhue, Abby Dupes
·5 min read
Anyone who has hit up a salon for their annual Valentine's Day manicure knows that hearts are always a popular nail design choice— and for good reason. Heart manicures are undoubtedly adorable and (surprisingly) easy to create at home with either stickers or a dotting tool. But whether you plan to DIY or pay a visit to your favorite nail artist, there's truly heart art for everyone. Be it a minimalistic, velvet design, an extremely on-trend chrome look, or a kitschy pink-and-red blowout, there's room for everyone to get in on this trend all year round. Ahead, discover 22 heart nail designs to carry you through Valentine's Day and beyond.
White Cutout
If you find yourself always leaning towards a classic French manicure, we can't blame you, but there are tons of ways to mix up this old favorite (we're personally obsessed with the vanilla French at the moment). Take, for example, this glossy French with a white, heart-cutout accent nail, which adds a sweet edge to an otherwise basic manicure.
Mettalic Hearts
Metallic nail art is everywhere right now—but if a full swath of spacey silver is a bit much for your personal taste, a few accent stickers are a great way to add some heart-shaped flare to your nail art.
Velvet Hearts
Aside from chrome nails, velvet nails are one of the most popular nail trends of the year, with literally thousands of variations. We personally love this red design, which incorporates faux-ruby gems and groovy heart appliques.
Lip Gloss Hearts
If you haven't heard of lip gloss nails, you're about to fall in love. The name suggests what you would think—that you should use your favorite pinky-nude lip gloss shade to inspire your manicure. Top it off with a few painted red hearts and you have yourself the perfect balance of minimalist and maximlaist.
Byrdie Tip
To paint a heart, try using a nail blotting tool (or the end of a bobby pin) to draw two dots. Then, drag each dot downwards to form the point of the heart.
Magenta Accent
If a handful of hearts sounds like a *bit* much, try an accent nail. We love how this design mismatched artwork like flames, chrome stars, and smiley faces that somehow all go together.
Confetti Hearts
This confetti-heart manicure makes us think of Galentine's Day parties and Sweethearts candy. Opt for varying shades of pink and red to create dimension.
Velvet Accent Hearts
Baby pink manicures are having a moment. And when you combine the hue with the velvet trend and the tiniest little floating hearts, you have a subtle mani to wear well beyond Valentine's Day.
Interlocking Heart Outlines
These interlocking, metallic hearts will pop against any matte, baby-pink base, which will create maximum contrast.
Abstract Hearts
If subtlety is more your vibe, this abstract take is by you. Start with a white or light pink base, then have your manicurist layer on red jelly polish to get this look.
French Hearts
A ring finger scattered with hearts is the perfect way to play up a classic French manicure. Try a hot pink hue to really play up the theme.
Negative Space French
A chic negative-space French tip takes on a new life with teeny-tiny red hearts scattered across the nail. This look strikes the perfect balance of classic and modern, and we couldn't be more in love with the result.
Ombré Hearts
Utilizing an ombré effect to spice up your V-Day design is a solid choice—especially when paired with baby polka dots and a cascade of dainty hearts.
Heart in the Clouds
Looking for unique heart nail art that is wow-worthy? Look no further than this glistening pink mani, complete with bubblegum French tips, fluffy clouds, and gold hearts embellished with cherub wings. It's totally giving Cupid vibes.
Airbrush Aura Hearts
Combine the airbrush nail effect with the aura nail trend, and you get this cutie coquette mix-and-match set. Top off with silver gemstones for a glam look, or leave them bare to let the art shine through.
Black and White Hearts
Dabble in the gothic Valentine's Day nail trend without fully going to the dark side with this swirly, French tip with hearts design. The black and white shades ensure it goes with everything and will work all year long.
Optical Illusion Hearts
Taking a cue from checkerboard patterned nails, this design serves as a heart-shaped optical illusion.
Asymmetrical French Tip
Those who can't draw a perfectly straight line rejoice! An extended, asymmetrical French tip calls for a curved edge that runs to the base of the nail. Keep the easy-breezy nature of this paint job intact by accenting with heart stickers, and voila—you're done.
Chrome Hearts
We can all agree that chrome nails are going nowhere. These adorable, shiny rainbow hearts are so fun and futuristic, no matter what holiday or season you wear them for.
Heart French Tips
Trade your classic white line for a baby French that forms into a heart mid-nail. This manicure also features a two-tone fade that accentuates the heart design and gives it a 3D-like look.
3D Heart Art
3D art and nail jewelry are taking the beauty community by storm—Valentine's Day looks included. The iridescent nature of these puffy hearts offers up a Y2K vibe that reminds us of nails Barbie would wear.
Glittering Green and Gold Hearts
What's the next major holiday after V-Day? St. Patrick's Day, of course. Get these gilded green sparklers to celebrate into March and through the spring.
Bejeweled Heart
Simple, and understated—never boring. This bejeweled look leaves a lot room for creativity, as you can swap the gem color for another hue or choose to rock gemstone hearts on all ten nails.
Up Next: 48 Valentine's Day Nail Ideas to Fall in Love With
Read the original article on Byrdie.
