40 of the most on-trend Valentine’s Day nail ideas to try ASAP (2024)

When fashion-meets-beauty, we bring you the iconic and timeless design of Comme Des Garcons to your very finger tips. I mean, have you ever seen anything quite as cute as these googley-eyed hearts? Spoiler: the answer is no.

While we pledge to *not* let no man melt our hearts this year (that is, in a bad way, ofc), we're certainly not opposed to having them on our nails. Grunge yet still sweet.

Gradient nails are the easiest way to DIY nail art without having to paint actual things on your nails. Just pick a few different shades of the same colour palette and paint from darkest to lightest, starting from your thumb.

Milky nails are as timeless as they get – you can wear them with any outfit, after all. So, why not opt for a neutral base but jazz it up with a bit of minimalistic romance.

Wrapped Valentine's present? Put a bow on it. Snatched ponytail updo? Put a bow on it. Broken arm? Put a bow on it. This winter season, everyone (and I mean everyone) is taking to the bow trend so ofc, we have to add then to our nails, too!

Look, I won’t blame you if you just want to screenshot this one for your nail artist. But if you are up to the DIY challenge, you’ll need a baby-pink nail polish, a white nail polish, and a small sponge to create the cloud shapes at the tip. Pro tip: Dip a small brush in acetone and wiggle it over the white to blur the clouds.

Yes, yes, yes. We are so here for this sparkly, oh-so chic manicure and if the Queen of Hearts were to pick out a nail design for the Valentine's day festivities, we're sure it would be this one. Classy and cool to a T.

K, so I know I said this list wasn’t going to be all about hearts, but can you blame me? This Valentine’s Day nail idea is so sweet and simple and manages to hit the romantic vibe without being cringey.

Red and white polka dots are a V-Day nail idea you can easily recreate without your nail artist. The tools you’ll need: red, white, and neutral polishes, a small nail brush for creating the dots, and some cotton buds and nail polish remover to help clean up those wavy lines.

If red, white and pink are too on the nose for your Valentine’s Day mani, take a page out of Julia Diogo's book and opt for a moodier shade like this inky dark purple. It's glossy, chic and perfectly applied.

This minimalist Valentine’s Day look is basically an inverted French manicure and I’m here for it. All you need is a neutral nail polish, a white nail polish, a thin nail brush, and moon-shaped nail stickers (unless you have a super-steady hand and feel comfortable free-handing that half-moon at the base of your nail). This one is a great spring nail idea too, TBH.

The key to – ahem – nailing this manicure (had to, sry) is painting on the colours in the right order. Start by painting your nails in a mauve base colour. Then, once they dry, use a thin nail brush and shimmery rose gold polish to create cloud-like blobs, filling them in with a thicker brush. Repeat the shapes with the maroon nail polish, and once they’re all dry, seal in your hard work with a clear top coat.

These wavy colour-block nails are the coolest way to brighten up your manicure in time for Valentine's day. The eye-catching shades teamed with a negative space nail is officially our fave combo.

If you haven’t picked up on this theme by now, you’ll need a set of nail art brushes for basically all the intricate nail designs on this list. The best thing about this Valentine’s Day nail idea is that it’s abstract and asymmetrical, so there’s really no wrong way to paint these squiggly white lines over your neutral base.

My favourite nail trend lately is a colourful French manicure and this nail idea is the perfect example. Pick a few of your fave Valentine’s Day shades – like the pink, maroon, and blue here – and paint each tip a different colour, leaving your middle and thumb nails the same shade to tie it all together.

Wait, can we make green another official colour of Valentine’s Day? Because I’m seriously into this pink-red-green combo for February '24. There’s so much going on with this Valentine’s Day nail idea that you don’t even need the white polka dots if you don’t feel like it – but they’re a super-cute touch if you have the time and patience.

Even though red and pink dominate this time of year, there’s definitely space for some subtlety like this neutral and white manicure. It’s still on theme without being too on-brand for Valentine’s Day.

I don’t know what I love more, the super-light pink shade or the deep French tips. This is a great Valentine’s Day nail idea if you have long nails or like getting acrylics (hi, same). Ask your nail tech to start the French tips about halfway up the nail.

White is a majorly underrated colour for Valentine’s Day nails or at most it’s the understudy to red and pink. But this mani gives it the spotlight it deserves and is a great choice for a low-key manicure. Add some red or pink squiggly lines if you like a little bit more colour.

Look, I know the marble nail look seems super intimidating, but I promise it’s actually very doable (and if you need a visual, check out this tutorial). Coat your nails with your favourite shade of pink polish, then trace the white “cracks” across each nail with a thin nail art brush and white nail polish. After a few minutes, dip the same brush into acetone and wiggle the brush across the white lines to soften the edges. Finish with a top coat (and Instagram it ASAP).