53 Valentine’s Day Nail Trends for the Hopeless Romantic

Very much like the holiday it celebrates, Valentine’s Day nail art ideas have evolved beyond cheesy heart nail designs and sentiments. While red, baby pink, and white remain staple shades in these creations, you don’t have to go one-note when it comes to color or design.

Nail art can find inspiration from anywhere and everywhere. Yes, we love the pastel colored candies (“love u” and “kiss” can be the perfect inspiration), but also think bows, shimmer, and jewels—everything can be Valentine’s Day nail art if you design it right. Even the color black! Hello, Wuthering Heights-level glam, filled with yearning. The possibilities, just like in love, are endless.

So whether you’re out on a romantic date or calling your closest friends for a night in filled with champagne and Heated Rivalry, there is nail art for just about everyone. Below are the 53 best Valentine’s Day nail art designs that will warm your heart—even if you’re cupid-averse. Scroll down to find the right one for you.

Candy Hearts

Like the sweets of the same name, the love heart manicure is delicious. Plus, it incorporates the elegant spring pastel shade that we know and love: butter yellow.

Glass Hearts

Glass nails were a reigning manicure trend of 2025—and still going. Personalize your take on the trend with glittery hearts, swirls, colourful French tips… or all three.

Red Marble

Ask your manicurist to create a hot pink marble effect over a milky pale pink base.

Polka Dots, Updated

Inverse polka dot nails are the perfect way to modernize a classic print. Plus, they look fantastic on a shorter set of nails. Celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt created this deep red-and-white set for actress Sydney Sweeney.

Vintage Love

This coquette nail set encapsulates everything that’s fun about Valentine’s Day beauty. The right level of bold, each base is made up of clear gel, giving space to fun designs without the added noise of clashing colors.

ROYGBIV

Why settle for one shade when you can have them all? Nail artist Hang Nguyen takes inspiration from the rainbow and paints multicolored heart outlines on bare nails.

Mini Hearts

If you’re a fan of all things mini or minimal, these adorable tiny heart designs are right up your alley. Opt for a white and black heart combo to match any Valentine’s Day outfit (and beyond).

Heart of Gold

For minimal sparkle, we love this mini gold heart with a shimmer finish. Small but mighty, it makes a great impact on a bare nail.

V-Day Rainbow

Simple and fun, the easiest way to achieve a chic Valentine’s Day nail is to paint each finger different shades of pink and red.

3D Art

Celebrity nail artist Brittney Boyce gave Megan Fox’s bare nails the most simple upgrade by placing these rounded 3D hearts at the center. The translucent finish gives the decals a gem-like quality that’s just stunning.

White Flames

Love can light a fire in your heart…and your nails. This intricate flame design morphs into a heart shape at the ends for a unique spin on the French mani.

Charmed Life

Who doesn’t love nail charms? Up your Valentine’s Day nail game with something as unique as these semi-sheer droplets.

Queen of Hearts

Celebrity nail artist Kim Truong creates this upside-down heart for a unique spin on the classic V-Day symbol and uses the tips of Kourtney Kardashian’s almond nails for the ends of the heart design. It’s set against a bare background for it to really stand out.

Minimal Geometric Shapes

Chic yet minimal, a simple geometric design in a Valentine’s Day red is all you need. Celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt, who counts Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner as regular clients, adds a red rectangle to the corner to dress up a bare nail. The gold stud placed in the center is a nice added touch.

Black Patent Leather

Selena Gomez makes a strong case for making the classic black mani a staple in Valentine’s Day nail looks. Created by her go-to manicurist Tom Bachik, Bachik coins this the patent leather mani. Deep with a glossy finish, all you need is two coats of Essie’s Licorice black nail polish and you’re good to go.

Minimal Floral

For the 2023 Met Gala, Truong kept Miranda Kerr’s nails simple and elegant. Truong opted for a bare glossy nail with an intricate floral design on a single nail.

Pink Pearl Chrome

This semi-sheer pink chrome shade on short nails is minimal yet just as stunning as the bolder Valentine’s Day nail art on this list—a favorite for this holiday and well beyond.

Aura Nails

Call in the good vibes, love, and positive energy this Valentine’s Day with aura nails. Ganzorigt uses a mixture of magenta and pale pink on Madelaine Petsch’s almond nails for a really pretty look.

Heart Cutout

Wearing your heart on your nails has never been easier. Dress up a red nail with a heart-shaped cutout right in the middle.

’70s Disco

Natalie Minerva, celebrity and lead nail artist for Euphoria, created these disco nails with pink mirrored sequins for the perfect night out this Valentine’s Day.

Coquette Bows

Red French tips, strawberry glazed, coquette-esque bow details—Ganzorigt mixes all of our favorite nail trends in one super fun nail look.

Peekaboo Sparkle

J.Lo’s mauve mani is stunning on its own, but leave it to Bachik to give it an unexpected twist. Striking that perfect balance of subtle yet impactful, the peekaboo rhinestones placed on the inside of the long tips make for something more unique.

Sweet Details

To incorporate heart decals in a subtle way, opt for heart-shaped French tips. If you want to take the look to the next level, paint on small red hearts that will really pop against a bare base.

Red Nail Theory

What better time to manifest the love (or loves) of your life than on the actual day to celebrate romance? If you subscribe to red nail theory, dress up those classic red manis by leaving a bare half moon at the base of your nails for a more interesting design.

Heart Eye

If you want to be on theme without going overboard, paint a single heart on one nail against a bare base and leave the rest with a full-coverage cherry shade.

Strawberry Glazed Donut

Ganzorigt gives her classic glazed donut nail another delicious update. Opt for a pink iridescent shine for a more festive feel on the 14th.

Bubblegum Shimmer

If your Valentine’s Day plans involve going out and dancing, these super fun bubblegum disco nails are the perfect fit. Bachik uses the bright pink Apres Nail gel color in Sweet Cheeks as the base and layers some shimmer from his Modelones Solid Gel Polish Palette for a sparkly finish.

Ice Cold

A French manicure and an adorable heart decal are really all you need for your Valentine’s Day nail look. Opt for a shade like this silver chrome for something more unexpected and cool.

Strawberry Fields

A literal manifestation of strawberry girl makeup, these nails are super fun. Dress up a deep red metallic nail with cute strawberry 3D art designs.

Pink Chrome Tips

You can’t ever go wrong with a French mani. This Valentine’s Day, opt for a deep pink shade for the tips with a super cool metallic finish.

Red Hot

For a fiery spin on the glazed nail trend, opt for a red metallic shade. Bachik uses the PLA Gel Polish in Chai and Chai Again to get that deep red base and adds a golden glaze to give it that warm iridescent sheen.

Rounded French

When in doubt, go with the classic French manicure. Opt for thicker, rounded tips and a deeper pink base.

3D Chrome

If you love pink chrome French tips as much as we do, give it some texture with these 3D swirls.

Pink and Red

Hang goes with a classic combo of cherry red and bright pink nails. She adds a heart-shaped outline at the base of the nail for a nice added touch.

Abstract Art

Channel your inner Picasso and think outside the box when wearing hearts on your nails. Place the design at the tips, on the side, at the base, wherever for a more unique spin on V-Day nails.

Barbie French

Truong gives Dua Lipa’s French mani a slight update by going with a deep Barbiecore-inspired pink for the base. This makes the thin white tips look even brighter.

Whimsical Vibes

Give us pastel blues and pinks any day. Boyce mixes these colors on Megan Fox’s long nails for a dreamy aura nail look that we’ll wear beyond the 14th of February

Dreamy Watercolor

A mix of lavender, pink, green, and orange in a watercolor wash effect just makes for a lovely Valentine’s Day nail look.

V-Day Marble

Mix shades of white, rose, and pink shimmer to get that mesmerizing marble effect that’s just pretty to look at. We especially love the gold flecks spread throughout for a nice finishing touch.

Textured Red

Elevate a cherry red nail by adding some texture. Minerva coins this look as a “red croc” with raised curves and indents to give the nail a wild and animalistic feel that’s just super cool.

Playful French

How fun are these Valentine’s Day nails? Dress up a multicolored French mani with contrasting hearts right at the top.

Negative Space

For the minimalist at heart, these negative space lines are a simple way to dress up a natural nail. We especially love this Oxblood shade from CND to give the whole look a romantic vibe.

Bright Star

If hearts aren’t really your thing, opt for some jewels to give your basic mani some sparkle. This mix of magenta and white stones really pops against a bright bubblegum pink base.

Engagement Nails

Nothing screams romance (at least nails-wise) like an engagement mani. Whether you’re betrothed or trying to manifest it, take a cue from Selena Gomez’s minimal approach with a sheer pink shade for something chic and timeless.

Chevron French

A simple way to elevate a classic French mani is to draw the tips in a chevron design. It’s especially striking on long square nails with a silver shimmer finish.

Matte Red

A bright red mani needs no embellishment to catch anyone’s eye, but we especially love a matte finish to give it an unexpected twist.

Art Deco

If you’re looking for another way to elevate the classic French tips, opt for some negative space. Take a deep burgundy shade and outline the outer curves of the tips against a bare nail for some nice contrast.

Wicked Pink

Channel your inner Glinda and opt for a light pink with glitter finishes. Adding a darker shade of pink along your bottom cuticle adds some depth and dimension to the entire look.

Sealed With a Kiss

If you’re looking for something festive without being too on the nose, we love this tiny red lipstick kiss decal. Set it against a sheer pink nail to really pop.

Bow Details

Another minimal decal we love that isn’t too over-the-top: romantic bows. Adding some shimmer is just a lovely touch, too.

Warm Velvet

Valentine’s Day nails don’t always have to be red, pink, or purple. We love velvet nails for their rich texture and mesmerizing vibe. Opt for a warm color, like this deep teddy brown that just feels cozy for whatever your V-Day plans might be.

Pink Sparkle

We do love a glitter bomb. Dress up a bubble pink and pack on the shimmer for some added fun this Valentine’s Day.

Cherry Blossom

If you’ve ever walked through a cherry blossom orchard, you know how romantic and whimsical the flower can be. To capture that same magical feel, opt for this cherry-blossom-inspired design that makes for a unique Valentine’s Day nail.

Vampy Ombré

Can’t decide on one Valentine’s Day shade? Mix them. Grab a deep magenta and a light pink for a gradient look that’s bold and really pretty to look at.

Floral Charms

One can never go wrong with a Rihanna look, but these nails, especially, have been on mood boards everywhere since their debut on Vogue China’s April 2024 cover. The singer and Fenty Beauty founder wore long, deep red stiletto nails adorned with floral charms.

Have a beauty or wellness trend you re curious about? We want to know! Send Vogue s senior beauty wellness editor an email at beauty@vogue.com.