40 Valentine’s Day Manicures to Show Off Your Romantic Nails
Updated on January 30, 2023
A festive manicure is a lovely way to add love and care to your Valentine’s Day. Read on to discover some of the most creative nail ideas for February 14th.
Keep three things in mind when looking for a Valentine’s Day manicure idea. Firstly, choose colors that match your personality and style. Pops of color like bright pinks and reds add a festive touch for the holiday. Secondly, don’t be afraid to try something new since there are many different nail designs out there, from bold geometric shapes to classic French tips. Thirdly, accessorize with simple additions like rhinestones and metal charms to elevate your look and make it extra special for the occasion.
Here is a list of the Valentine’s Day nail design ideas described in this article:
- I heart you & kisses
- Simple white hearts
- Washi tape glitter hearts
- Pink & glitter
- Gold beaded heart
- Rose gold nails
- Winter embroidery hearts and snowflakes
- Gradient colors
- Studded V-tip nails with white tips
- Pink lines
- Monochrome hearts
- Pink diagonal French tip
- Ace of hearts
- Layered heart nail art
- Conversation hearts
- Tic Tac Toe art
- Lace, mesh, and glitter
- Heart tips
- Girly and gilded mix & match
- Scrabble LOVE
- Red with a gilded base
- Ikat nail art
- Neon heartbeat
- Foxy Valentine
- Hot red with lace
- Five shades of pink
- Rainbow cuticles
- Cupid’s arrow manicure
- Love letter nails
- My bloody Valentine
- Chrome hearts
- Marbled pink
- Pretty in pink
- Ruby nails
- Pink marble ombre
- Golden year
- Crystal heart
- Vampire vibes
- Bondage black and red
- Pink glow
Keep reading to find out more about each Valentine’s Day manicure design.
1. I heart you & kisses
This Valentine’s Day manicure creatively displays I heart you and kissing lips. Anyone can pull it off in the comfort of their home, so there’s no need to visit the nail salon. Use red, white, and clear nail polish and a fine brush. Have patience while creating the design. Check out Zen Magazine Africa to learn more.
2. Simple white hearts
All-red nails with small white hearts are an unbeatable classic for Valentine’s Day. This look is simple and effective for a low-maintenance gal who wants to show her romantic side. The key is using a good nail pen and allowing your nails time to dry between coats. Go to Julie Ann Art to check out the tutorial.
3. Washi tape glitter hearts
Forget about using nail stickers to add small details to your Valentine’s Day manicure since washi tape works equally well. Create a homemade nail stencil using scissors and washi tape. Then stick the washi tape to your nails and apply gold glitter. Check out The Beauty Department for more information.
4. Pink & glitter
Pastel colors and gold glitter make an elegant manicure design for Valentine’s Day. Paint your nails in favorite pastel colors, create a bezel at the base, and add an extra coat of fresh nail polish. Then spread glitter to produce a gold, sparkly nail base. Check out Born In Eighty-Two for more details.
5. Gold beaded heart
All-red nails and a single white nail with a gold beaded heart is a glamorous Valentine’s Day manicure idea. It’s an intricate design that involves carefully applying gold beads to the nails to form a heart’s outline. You need a steady hand for this design. Check out Demelza’s World for more details.
6. Rose gold nails
Pink and gold are two popular Valentine’s Day colors, so a rose gold manicure without any other details is a great pick. Rose gold looks better alone than in various combinations, so avoid French tips or ombre patterns. We stumbled upon this idea at @ballerina_nails on Instagram. Check out more fun rose gold manicure ideas.
7. Winter embroidery hearts and snowflakes
Nail art with winter embroidery hearts and snowflakes is a seasonal and elegant design for Valentine’s Day. Choose a pastel color, such as pink, peach, or light blue, as the nail base. Then add snowflakes and hearts by handpainting them, using a nail pen, or using nail stickers for a more hassle-free approach. Use this design from Happy Nails & Beauty as a starting point for your manicure.
8. Gradient colors
A gradient of traditional Valentine’s Day colors is an excellent way to showcase your nail design designs. Pick colors like pink, purple, pink, or red, applying them to create a transition from the nail base to the tip. It’s best to use two colors or your manicure will turn out tackly. For example, Aline Oliviera does a great job blending purple and clear nail polish.
9. Studded V-tip nails with white tips
A V-tip manicure with white tips and metal studs is a head-turner for Valentine’s Day. Unless you’re skilled in making gel nails, this look will be hard to replicate without a visit to a salon. We stumbled upon this cool idea at @_nailssbymarlene on Instagram.
10. Pink lines
Subtle pink hues and a soft design are a great choice for a romantic, feminine, and easy Valentine’s Day look. The design pictured above features two shades of pink, where the lighter one acts as the base and the darker one is used for detailing. We discovered this design on @paintboxnails on Instagram.
11. Monochrome hearts
A monochrome heart manicure is ideal for showing your romantic side on Valentine’s Day if aren’t a big fan of red and pink. Create pink ballerina nails as the base, decorating each nail with a white tip and a black heart, or a black tip with a white heart. This idea comes from @nailsbycaroline_ on Instagram.
12. Pink diagonal French tip
A pink diagonal French tip is a lovely alternative to the traditional French tip, which you can definitely try on Valentine’s Day. While a French tip involves adding white horizontal bands to the nail tips, the pink diagonal French tip asks for diagonal bands with two pink shades. It’s a playful and eye-catching nail design, ideal for women with a bubbly personality. Visit So Nailicious for a step-by-step guide on how to create this amazing look.
13. Ace of hearts
This Valentine’s Day, show everyone you know how to play your cards right with this ace of hearts manicure. It features an ace of hearts on the ring finger and pastel pink nails as the background. Check out the full video tutorial at @naileditbeauty on Instagram; the heart and letters are drawn freehand, but you can go with stickers if it’s too challenging otherwise.
14. Layered heart nail art
Layered heart nail art is fantastic for Valentine’s Day. It’s bold, using colors and decorative elements often associated with this holiday. Layer three heart-inspired shapes on top of each other using pink and two red shades of nail polish. For a simpler method, use nail stickers. This design belongs to Jin Soon Choi, and you can read about it on PopSugar.
15. Conversation hearts
Decorating your nails with conversation hearts is a terrific way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in style. It’s also great for showing your playful personality. Apply a coat of bright red nail polish and use white nail polish or a nail pen to write a letter on each fingernail to form a message. Using monogrammed stickers is simpler, and there are many amazing font designs. Visit Brit+Co to learn more about making this lovely manicure.
16. Tic Tac Toe art
Any game can inspire Valentine’s Day nail art, including tic tac toe. It’s the perfect combination of romantic and fun. And there are many variations for this look. Find out more about this tic tac toe nail design at @beautique_kent on Instagram.
17. Lace, mesh, and glitter
A manicure design with lace, mesh, and glitter is perfect for fashionistas who prefer an edgy look for Valentine’s Day. Start with a base coat of pink nail polish and add lace details using black and gold. For extra glamor, use glittery nail polish. Visit Maegan Tintari’s blog at Love Maegan to learn more about this manicure.
18. Heart tips
Simplicity is key in this Valentine’s Day manicure since it only uses red hearts drawn on the tips. It’s a great option for those who don’t want to go all out with their manicure but still want to acknowledge the holiday. Feel free to use other colors, not just red, as long as you use a contrasting color as a background. Check out Love Maegan for an easy-to-follow tutorial on how to make these heart tips.
19. Girly and gilded mix & match
This girly and gilded mix & match manicure is great for Valentine’s Day if you can’t settle on a design. Paint each nail in a different style while still sticking to the basic Valentine motif. For instance, use studded hearts, cute bows, glittery stripes, and animal prints. Head to Chalkboard Nails for more ideas on how to create this manicure.
20. Scrabble LOVE nails
Scrabble fans will love this Valentine’s Day manicure since it depicts Scrabble tiles. Due to the design’s delicate features and minor details, it’s challenging to replicate this look freehand. So it’s easier to use nail stickers or other similarly easy alternatives. Visit One Nail to Rule Them All for a helpful step-by-step tutorial on making these beautiful Scrabble love nails.
21. Red with a gilded base
Red and gold are two colors that always evoke the spirit of Valentine’s Day, as shown in this elegant manicure. Start with a base coat of red nail polish and add gold details at the base of your nails. This look may be tricky to replicate, but nail art pens or stencils can help you get the desired effect. The original design belongs to Nail Unistella, so head to their Instagram page for more great manicure ideas.
22. Ikat nail art
Ikat art is a great option for those who want to make a bold statement with their nails on Valentine’s Day. For this particular design, you’ll need nail polish in 3 shades of pink, which you’ll then mix and match to create designs similar to the ones illustrated above. Remember that you’ll need two brushes for this project: one to apply the base colors and to draw the heart, and the other to apply the ripple design. Check out More Beauty‘s tutorial to learn more about this look.
23. Neon heartbeat
Show your Valentine how hard and fast they make your heart beat with this neon heartbeat design. Start with a black base coat, use neon nail polish to draw the EKG line, and then finish off with a coat of clear nail polish. You can also go for more subtle colors if you prefer, but the contrast between black and neon colors is certainly eye-catching, especially if your Valentine is a rave music enthusiast. This original design belongs to Alterego Nails, and we discovered it on Pinterest.
24. Foxy Valentine
Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show everyone your playful side by trying this foxy manicure. It’s eye-catching, featuring a cute and stylish little fox on the middle finger. The rest of the nails feature an assortment of designs, the only condition being that you stick to the same color palette. They used pink, red, white, and pastel blue in the example above. Check out Liquid Jelly‘s blog for more details on how to recreate this look.
25. Hot red with lace
A hot red nail manicure with black lace stickers combines elegance and sensuality, ideal for Valentine’s Day. The red color alone is enough to make a statement, but the black lace stickers will add an extra layer of sophistication. While the red nails are easy to replicate, getting some great lace stickers might be tricky, so evaluate your options before settling for a design you like. For more information on this look, head to Le Zoe Musings‘ blog.
26. Five shades of pink
Since Valentine’s Day is all about the color pink, this nail art with five shades of pink is a must. It’s perfect for those who like to make a statement without making it too obvious and adding some subtlety to their nails. To achieve this look, start with the lightest shade on one finger, either the pinky or the thumb, and then move on to the darker shades one by one. We found this design at @betina_goldstein on Instagram.
27. Rainbow cuticles
Valentine’s Day is about trying out manicures you’d never dare to wear on any other day, such as this rainbow cuticle design. It’s a daring look that will make you stand out from the crowd, but at the same time, it’s the type of manicure one needs to examine closely to appreciate fully. Start with a coat of pastel pink polish, and then draw a thin line using colorful glitter polish to achieve this look. For those who can’t find the right colors, take a peek at @thehangedit on Instagram.
28. Cupid’s arrow manicure
Cupid’s arrow is a symbol of Valentine’s Day’s, which is embodied by this manicure design. Start by painting your nails in a color of your choosing, but stick to Valentine’s Day colors like red, pink, or white. Then apply nail art vinyl in the shape of cupid’s arrows over them. Try to combine a few colors, like pink and red or pastel purple and white. Check out Maniology for more detailed step-by-step instructions on how to recreate this look.
29. Love letter nails
Sending love letters on Valentine’s Day is a classic, and this love letter-themed manicure is a nice reminder. It’s incredibly easy to replicate since you can easily find nail stickers that look like love letters, so the only real choice with this design is deciding what color to use as a background. Those with a pageant for drawing can even try making the envelopes by hand, but it will take a lot longer. Check out @tessa.lyn.nails on Instagram for the video guide.
30. My bloody Valentine
A bloody Valentine’s Day-themed manicure is a killer look, ideal for women with an edgy side. Besides, since there are no actual guidelines for doing it, you can make it as unique and personalized as possible. Start by painting your nails in a light pastel color, and then use crimson red or black polish to draw hearts that seem to melt away. We found this look at @nailsbyheathere on Instagram, but you can always take a few creative liberties and make it yours.
31. Chrome hearts
Manicures with metallic sheens are common, and this Valentine’s Day nail design with chrome hearts takes the idea to a new level. It’s all about the shine, so start with a French manicure, only this time, you’ll use silver or gold chrome polish instead of the traditional white one. Then use silver and gold nail art foil to add some hearts to the design, but don’t forget to apply a topcoat so it can last longer. Check out @jessicawashick on Instagram for the video guide.
32. Marbled pink
This Valentine’s Day manicure uses pink shades that bleed into each other, creating a beautiful marbled effect. Creating this marbled effect requires a certain degree of skill to replicate, but plenty of online tutorials can help you get it right. To nail the look, start by painting your nails in a light pink color and then use shades of darker pink, red, and even purple to create the desired marble effect. Check out @rachel.messick on Instagram for tips and ideas.
33. Pretty in pink
The best words to describe this Valentine’s Day manicure are “cute” and “simple,” especially if you think anything looks pretty in pink. Choose two colors that contrast well, like pink and white or pink and red. Then paint your nails in a lighter shade before adding a small heart in the middle of each nail using the darker color. This design belongs to @rachel.messick on Instagram.
34. Ruby nails
Dorothy’s ruby slippers inspire this next Valentine’s Day manicure, making your nails look like red gems. Obtain this look by applying a coat of red glitter nail polish and then topping it with a coat of pink gel. It’s a great manicure for a Valentine’s Day dinner, especially if you wear a red dress with sparkly accents. Check out @rachel.messick on Instagram to see the polish and gel she used for this design.
35. Pink marble ombre
This Valentine’s Day manicure has a few noteworthy elements, like the extra-long coffin nail and ombre-marbled combo. Due to the complexity of both form and design, this manicure requires more experience than the others. In fact, we recommend that you go to a professional nail technician if you want to replicate this look. Go to @claw.mafia on Instagram, show the design to your technician, and let them do their magic.
36. Golden year
This elegant Valentine’s Day manicure idea includes gold elements without going over the top. It’s all about subtlety here, so start by painting your nails warmly pink and then use white and gold chrome to add the desired accent elements. Encrusted stones are a must; in this case, it’s best to choose stones that have the same colors as the nail polish you used. Check out @nailsbyashleyh on Instagram for more fabulous nail art designs.
37. Crystal heart
A crystal heart highlights this Valentine’s Day manicure idea. It’s a great reminder that two elements are necessary to form a full heart. You don’t need extra-long nail extensions like in the illustration above, just as long as the encrusted stones are arranged correctly. It’s a very creative idea; everyone will want to take a second look at your nails. Check out @nailsbyashleyh on Instagram for the video guide.
38. Vampire vibes
Since seduction is one of Valentine’s Day’s main themes, it makes sense to have a vamp-themed manicure like this one. The idea is to use several shades of red with a matte finish, from bright to dark, and paint your nails to obtain a subtle ombre effect. You don’t need nail extensions to try this design, although a manicure with pointy nails would look better with this nail art. The entire credit for this design goes to @chaunlegend on Instagram.
39. Bondage black and red
Women looking to showcase their naughty side will probably want a Valentine’s Day manicure similar to this BDSM-inspired design. Start by painting your nails deep red, then combine black, white, and gold to create the desired bondage elements. This design is not for the shy since “lust” and “pleasure” are the keywords here. Check out @sweetandsavvynails on Instagram to recreate this look.
40. Pink glow
Valentine’s Day is a great holiday for experimenting with new manicure styles, and this pink glow design is worth checking out. It’s similar to an ombre-style manicure, except that the color transitions from light to dark, starting from the center of the nail. Use a combination of shades of pink to obtain this effect, although we recommend that you don’t use shades that contrast too much. Check out @nailartbyqueenie on Instagram to see exactly what product she used for this design.
Conclusion
There are many options for Valentine’s Day manicures, as outlined in this article, from subtle designs to bold statement looks. And Februrary 14th is an excellent opportunity for self-expression, so pick whatever nail design makes you feel most confident and beautiful.