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Got lots of rednail polishleftover from the holiday season?
Collage: Angelo Tirambulo; Source images: Courtesy of Sarah Chue, Amy Le, and Julie Kandalec
Good news: it’s possible for you to use it for Valentine’s Daynail art.
The Valentine’s Day nail designs below aren’t only for those in love.
We’ve also found festive inspiration for the heartbroken among us: Think melting or broken hearts.
Keep scrolling to fall in love with some adorable Valentine’s Day nail art.
3D bubble hearts
Nail artistBrittney Boycecreated this charming bubble manicure for Megan Fox last year.
Its super easy to get the look at home, Boyce says.
Boyce usedDaily Charmes Iridescent Bubble Hearts(a 30-pack is just $5).
confirm the clip is twisted, but not too many times, and that its not too long.
(Watch her processhere.)
Prefer using traditional nail polish at home?
KBShimmer offers lots of options, like theJust a Phase Multichrome Polish.
And if youd rather skip the crafts project, there areheart-shaped magnetsready to go.
The result is an adorably nostalgic manicure.
Burgundy broken heart
A broken heart just wouldnt seem right in a pretty pastel.
A great traditional option:CND Vinylux Long Wear Nail Polish in Decadence.
Use its built-in brush to make a heart shape on the tip of the accent nail.
If the lines are not clean enough, dipping the stick in acetone helps.
Nail artistTessastarted with a coat of her favorite sheer base polish, Orly’sRose-Colored Glasses.
Then she added a half-layer ofKinno gold foil flakes, which are supposed to look abstract and uneven.
Folks who can’t freehand paint, this look is for you.
She used a classic red polish to paint the numbers and suits in this instantly recognizable tribute.
Bonus: you’ve got the option to reuse the design for the World Series of Poker.
Feel free to keep this manicure in place until St. Patrick’s Day.
An equally romantic and adorable option that wont feel overdone?
This super-easy floral manicure.
Start with a sheer base, says artistEmily Zheng, who works in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Then pick the color youd like to use for the petals.
(Zheng went withElla + Mila Nail Polish in Kiss Kiss.)
(She shows you howhere.)
Bleeding hearts
Not in a romantic mood this year?
Try this look by UK-based nail artistHeather Errington.
Start by applying two base coats, alternating shades for one or a few accent nails.
“Once nails are dry, use the opposite color on the ring finger.”
TrySally Hansen Color Foil Nail Polish Steel A Kissfor the same shiny finish instead.
With the French tips in place, she added heart-shaped metal charms to seal the Valentine’s deal.
Cutout hearts
Zheng knows there’s no need to choose between French tips and festive hearts.
If you’re able to believe it, she hand-painted that perfect heart.
Just check that your base coat is dry before adding the heart on top.
And, yes, that also works as a relationship metaphor.
She created the illusion of a reverse-French style (told you we’d get to the reverse French!)
by first painting two coats of a base color over the full nail.
), leaving just a millimeter or two of visible pink.
Watch avery soothing tutorial on Goldstein’s Instagram to see how it’s done.
Kiss-print accents
This Valentine’s Day-inspired manicure byCeirra Carlini-Smithis easier to DIY than you’d think.
Pink ombre hearts
This mesmerizing ombre design was completely hand-painted by Smithno big deal.
“For this design, it’s essential to use colors that are very pigmented.”
For the darkest pink shade, might we suggest Essie’sSwing of Things?
And for the base, we’d recommendZoya’s Brighton, a beautiful pink nude with microparticles of glitter.
“Apply a vibrantred polishfirst and then follow with two coats of multidimensional red glitter polish.”
She recommendsMorgan Taylor’s Nail Lacquer in Total Request Red.
Two-tone heart tips
Who says your heart-shaped tips have to be red?
Shimmer and stickers
Afraid you might’t draw a perfect little heart by hand?
This manicure by nail artistDiana Nguyenshows you might get creative with stickers.
Seal it with a clear topcoat to help it last well past the holiday.
the creator of this sparkly scarlet manicure.
“We added ared glitter from DnDfor more of a modern, glitzy look.”
Heart-shaped hole-punch art
How cool is this Valentine’s Day take onhole-punch nail art?
I then used myLeafgel Premium long liner brushto create the red borders around the pink nails.
The same dotting tool used for the marble nails can be used to create the little hearts.
Golden accents
Nail artistDaisy Lopezsplit these heart nail designs with stripes of gold polish.
Heart in the clouds
Love is in the air with this whimsical design from artistCharlotte Knight.
Each nail features a tiny red heart suspended among milky-white clouds.
It features rhinestones atop a translucent base and an accent nail featuring a light-catching heart.
Pink-and-red mismatched nails
Not sure which nail art look you want?
Try a combination of all of them.
