Whether you love or hate Valentine’s Day, you’ve got to admit: the nail art designs that surround the holiday are pretty darn cute.
From tiny hearts to love-dipped tips, romantic manicures can also be some of the easiest to recreate. And they’re not restricted to the love month either.
Pink and red polish designs are classic, of course. But adding a small, adorable print to your usual minimalistic nude nails can also work a treat.
Ready to dive into some Valentine’s Day nail designs? These product picks may come in handy:
- Sinful Colors Professional Nail Polish in ‘Bitten’, $4 at Kmart
- essie nail color in ‘Madison Ave-Hue’, $12.49 at Chemist Warehouse
- Lady Jayne Bobby Pins, $1.99 at Chemist Warehouse
- Mavala Switzerland Nail Polish Correcteur Pen, $26.95 at mavala.com.au
9 Valentine’s Day Nail Art Ideas
#1 ’70s inspired love
If your straight lines always turn out wonky, this funky design is ideal for you. Embrace the swirly direction that your nail brush naturally takes you, with a few free-hand drawn hearts for your feature nails.
#2 A love-ly cow print
Got a nail design you already love and have mastered? Simply switching up the colours to pink, red, and white (like this cow print design) can instantly amp up the V-Day vibes.
#3 Stick-on simplicity
Not skilled in nail art design whatsoever? Same. That’s why we love this cheat option for Valentine’s Day. Find a heart-shaped rhinestone with an adhesive back and Bob’s your uncle. P.S. Kmart has a great sticker pack for just $3!
#4 Tiny hearts
If you are keen to try painting your own little hearts, this is where your bobby pins will come in handy. Dip the rounded end into your red or pink polish, and stamp three tiny dots (two at the top and one centred underneath) that will join together to create a tiny design similar to the above.
#5 Glimpses of glitter
Not afraid to go OTT? Add texture to your Valentine’s Day nail art with a shimmer or glitter polish. You don’t have to draw a whole heart either; alluding to one can be enough.
#6 L-O-V-E
If you can’t say it, spell it. This cursive writing design is easy to replicate with a fine-tipped nail brush, or hey, even just a Sharpie (we won’t judge).
#7 Ace of hearts
Prefer to hold all the cards when it comes to your relationships? This design is nothing but ace.
#8 I choose you
Short concentration span? Make just one nail per hand the ‘chosen one’ for your design. These negative space confetti-hearts will be way more bearable if there are only two to complete.
#9 Rebel heart
While Valentine’s Day provides the perfect excuse to pull out your red and pink polishes, you don’t have to comply. Black hearts are just as chic (if not more so).
Main image credit: @heygreatnails/@glamouruk
Which Valentine’s Day nail art design is your favourite?
I love the tiny hearts and the Rebel hearts -wow !!
I like No4!
yes tiny hearts is lovely
Graphics style, just normal nail paint and black line graphics.
The tiny hearts look easy enough to do, especially using the three dots method, but I’m not into celebrating Valentine’s Day. What’s the V-day equivalent of Bah, Humbug?
This is where I need several laughing icons, @Misfortune8. Perfectly said. I love it.
😁😂🤣🤪
I enjoy 365 days of Bah, Humbug.
I don’t do my nails, but I appreciate beautiful nails. These designs are very pretty.
Love them all especially the Ace of hearts ♥️
The tiny hearts are so cute!
Love the rebel hearts!
Yes outstanding
Pretty nails, tried fake nails (don’t mean to be condescending, can’t think of another word) once and hated them. I don’t do anything to my nails, other than basic care but I am big on hand care.
Glimpses of glitter for me. I also like the jewellery in that pic too. Stunning!
I love #4 tiny hearts and #9 Rebel heart, not just for Valentines Day but for anyday.
yes they are both so cool
They’re all so cute and pretty!
Absolutely Love Nail Art 💅 have been trying the new Jelly Nails so easy to do, with a half a bottle of clear nail polish pour a few drops from a pink or red nail colour and shake the bottle, then apply a clear base coat to your nails with first second coat apply the Jelly Nail Polish that you made, they look absolutely beautiful.
You can use any colour nail polish for Jelly Nails except Metallic Colours won’t work.
I could never get into having one nail a different style. That drives me nuts.
I agree, @Ethelinde. It doesn’t make any sense to me either.
Yeah, I can handle having all nails different colours or a feature pinky or thumb, but when just the index, middle or ring finger are different, the asymmetry drives me batty!
OCD.
Well that checks out. I am mildly OCD too. I was flaming OCD as a child.
Nothing that says I have to go to any trouble! I’ll pass.
I’m not into nail art – it’s just something I can do without.
Tiny hearts are beautiful.
They are all so pretty, hard to pick up a favourite.
These are really cute
I like the tiny little hearts
I don’t paint my nails but I really like most of these.
Such cute designs!
These are all very cute but I just don’t know if I could be bothered putting the effort in to attempt these.
A bit cutesy for me.
Cute for the young and young at heart. Not for me but it looks great for others to try.
Some of these look quite cute. I keep my “natural” nails shorter and not so pointy like some of these models.
my favourite would be rebel heart, I don’t why though I don’t really like the creative art nails.. I feel like it would look weird on my nails but I do admire the art
I’m not a fan of nail art, prefer straight colours
Love this!!! But couldn’t be bothered to do it!!!
I like all of them.They are all very creative and cute.
I love the look of nail art but it is not for me because nail polish chips very easily on my nails.
Looks nice but not for me
The tiny hearts are my fave!
I do like the tiny hearts 🙂
I like numbers 3 and 4. These would look okay on my short nails.
Love the Red and Pink Hearts with beautiful French Clear Nails with coloured Tips. Wished that I could do them at home, have been wondering if it’s a good idea to buy some Acrylic Nails ? Because my own nails aren’t very good anymore even using Nail Serums.
I like nail art but personally on myself, never. It does not suit me and is more maintenance than I care for. I also think the classic one colour coat of paint across all fingers never goes out of style.
What cute nail designs.
To be honest, none of them. I just like glossy natural nails on me.
Fun for some to try
ooh so pretty
So cute!
Some of those are cute.
I like rebel heart. It will suit to any out fit.
I love the way these look, but I can’t see them on me.
Looks good but not for me
My nails are quite short at the moment, not really long enough for nail art.
I’m not into nail art.
Some pretty nails
These all look lovely but not a patch on the Christmas ones we saw.