Written by Morgan Fargo
From micro hearts to floating, liquid, and kaleidoscope hearts, these are the nail designs we’re loving right now.
It’s clear from my Instagram feed that heart nail designs have officially crossed the divide. No longer the fodder of 14 February only, micro-hearts, nano-hearts, liquid hearts, you-name-it-hearts, have been regularly popping up all over social media since late last year.
Before the classic “Valentine’s Day nails are naff” refrain kicks in, give me five minutes to change your mind. Because that’s outdated thinking, and we left doing that in 2021. So, if you’ve come across the aesthetic heart-shaped nail designs and want to learn more or you just like being proved wrong, allow me to show you the subtle, striking, and abstract options out there.
- 1.
Classic hearts
These small, centralised hearts are versatile – appropriate for work and play. Whether you choose clashing colours or a monochromatic shade pairing, the delicate design is one of our favourites, Valentine’s Day or not.
- 2.
Strategic heart tips
A subtle twist on the classic French manicure, choose a couple of fingers – here it’s the pinkie and ring finger – to create a heart-shaped tip.
- 3.
Micro-hearts
One of the sweetest heart nail designs going, paint tiny individual hearts onto the base of each nail. Stop the heart from getting lost by painting onto a neutral or skin-coloured base.
- 4.
Liquid hearts
Undulating, liquid hearts are very much still in the heart-shaped genre. Use a muddle of pinks and reds to stay on theme.
- 5.
Upside-down hearts
If you prefer the heart to face you (and why wouldn’t you), simply flip the micro heart the other way around. Again, a contrasting colour on a nude or neutral base will help the small design stand out.
- 6.
Floating hearts
Giving the impression of a heart-filled lava lamp, float perfectly rounded multi-colour hearts on a nude-base.
- 7.
Rounded hearts
As seen on Hailey Bieber, squat, round hearts are adorable, especially when painted in a classic shade like this. Make each nail different for a cartoon-perfect effect.
- 8.
Delicate hearts
Blink and you miss them, painting small white hearts is an understated way to reference the day of love without travelling too far into Kitschville.
- 9.
Purple hearts
Opting for a colour other than pink and red can breathe new life into more traditional Valentine’s Day nail designs.
- 10.
Singular heart
Alternatively, you could adorn just one nail with a simple heart for a chic, timeless and subtle manicure.
- 11.
Heart tips
Made famous last year when Kourtney Kardashian made Travis Barker her Instagram-official boyfriend with a hand-holding car snap, bright red pointed heart tips add a tougher edge to the style.
- 12.
Abstract hearts
Reminiscent of a kaleidoscope, this design deconstructs the classic heart shape and colours to create a beautifully aesthetic effect.
- 13.
Angular hearts
A nod towards heart-shaped designs, keeping the edges straight stops the style becoming cutesy.
- 14.
Heart-coloured non-hearts
Not a problem if the idea of heart-shaped nails doesn’t appeal – that doesn’t mean you can’t play in the colour wheelhouse, though. Experiment with pink and red smiley faces and solid nail colours for the full effect.
- 15.
Beating hearts
Stop me if you think I’ve been watching too much Grey’s Anatomy, but these love-shaped squiggles remind me of a (much more fun) heart rate monitor – what’s more heart-inspired than that?
Main image: Kim Truong
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