These Halloween Nail Ideas Are the Perfect Combo of Creepy and Cute
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These Halloween Nail Ideas Are the Perfect Combo of Creepy and Cute
In our experience, there are two types of people in this world: Those who spend weeks planning their month-long Halloween festivities (complete with a big bash, plenty of horror movies, and several over-the-top costumes) and those who wait until the last-minute to decide what they'll wear—or if they'll even dress up. Regardless of where you fall, though, there's one accessory that both camps can get behind: A Halloween-inspired manicure.
That's because Halloween nail ideas range from seriously spirited to subtle and simple. Looking for the former? Take advantage of the virtually endless number of nail art ideas and choose a detailed design that incorporates classic motifs (like sparkly pumpkins, spider-webbed tips, cute little ghosts) or something super scary (such as oozing blood drips or a spooky, graveyard scene). Want something a bit more understated? In that case, focus on ideas that are all about nail color and pick something with a cool Halloween-themed palette (think: orange, black, purple, and green).
Best of all, no matter which way you go, you can easily DIY many of these nail ideas, especially with a little help from fall nail stickers and press-ons. And, as always, if you prefer the salon experience—whether that's because you like the longevity of dip powder, the durability of acrylics, or those extremely relaxing massage chairs—you can also show these to your manicurist for inspiration.
Ahead, we've rounded up Halloween nail ideas that are so good you might not even need a costume.
Temi Oyelola - 2/51
A Floral Halloween
Nail artist Nina Park adds in little floral accents to her pumpkin, bats, and ghost-adorned mani for a cute take on the Halloween theme.
Instagram | @NinaNailedIt - 3/51
Black and White Ghosts
Recreate London-based nail artist Shannon Elias's simple but effective glossy ghost look that's just the right amount of spooky.
Instagram | @elias.nails - 4/51
Halloween Grab Bag Nail Stickers
Tattoorary
etsy.com
$4.00
Paint on a mix of black and white polish, and then you can go crazy adding pumpkin, bats, spiders and cat stickers for a Halloween manicure that hits all the right themes.
Etsy - 5/51
Dainty Spiderwebs
Halloween, but make it chic. These cute, easy spiderwebs by editorial manicurist Rita Remark are perfect for those who want to celebrate, but would prefer to keep things simple.
Instagram | @ritaremark - 6/51
Wonder Woman
Wonder woman to the rescue! You don't have to be a professional nail artist to get this superhero inspired look by Arselia. Press on nails will give you a similar yet equally empowering manicure in a jiffy.
Instagram | @SellyBelly92 - 7/51
Glittery Ghosts
Instead of a traditional white ghost, liven up your nails like Hawaii-based nail artist Asami, by creating shimmery apparitions.
Instagram | @asamimakes - 8/51
Old School Tattoo Nails
Think outside the traditional Halloween, err, coffin, with this old school tattoo-themed nail art by Emily Isabella that could work with a variety of costumes—or just on their own!
Instagram | @emilysmakeupandnails - 9/51
Geometric Shapes
Want just a hint of Halloween? Utah-based nail technician Liz Henson's geometric orange black and white look will do the trick. To ensure that crisp clean look, lay down some tape first.
Instagra | @nails.byliz - 10/51
Cool Cats and Kittens
Going with a feline-theme this year? Try this bright orange tiger-striped look to match your nails to your costume. Juli, the nail artist who created this look, has a quick video tutorial to help you expertly swipe on those tiger stripes.
Instagram | @jauntyjuli - 11/51
Glow-in-the-Dark
Going to a Halloween party at night? Glow-in-the-dark nails, like this look created by nail artist KreationsbyKiKi, makes a simple statement.
Instagram | @kreationsbykiki - 12/51
Golden Pumpkins
Perfect for those who want a Halloween manicure that's also fit for the fall season, these golden pumpkins (paired with a dark red) by nail tech Liz Henson is giving us all the autumnal vibes.
Instagram | @nails.byliz - 13/51
Midnight Sky
Are you into darker, moodier colors? Do as nail artist Chloee did and let the moons, stars, (and bats!) of the nighttime sky inspire your Halloween mani this year.
Instagram | cb.nail23 - 14/51
Color Pop Art
Do a colorful drippy tip, with pumpkins, ghosts, and decorative stars for this fun manicure by nail artist Nina Park. Don't think you can freehand paint the little designs? Don't sweat it, there are nail stickers for that.
Instagram | @NinaNailedIt - 15/51
Chrome Spiderweb Nails
Go chrome or go home! Take inspiration from nail artist Lauren VonLipstick who painted black spiderwebs on top of chrome nail polish for superhero vibes.
Instagram | @blackheart_nails - 16/51
Evil Eye Nail Art Decals
SWNails
etsy.com
$3.33
Recreate the trendy evil eye manicure all by yourself for Halloween this year. These easy decals work on bare nails, or on top of a polish of your choice. Just make sure to top with a clear coat so that they last a long time.
Etsy - 17/51
Dark Flames
These dark chocolate brown flames created by nail artist Lauren VonLipstick may be even more ominous than their fiery orange and red counterparts.
Instagram | @blackheart_nails - 18/51
Pumpkin Orange
Freehand nail artist Gracie creates this swirly orange-and-pink inspired look, with a big pumpkin accent nail to solidify the Halloween theme.
Instagram | @nailart_bygracie - 19/51
Graveyard Scene
Recreate a spooky graveyard scene from every horror movie. Nail artist Gracie has a video tutorial showing how she did the manicure by hand, but if you're not an artist yourself, there are easy stencils that will help you out!
Instagram | @nailart_bygracie - 20/51
Slime Green
Halloween is a time to break out those colors you might not normally wear—like this glittery slime green that nail artist Marilynn uses as the base for her decorated trick-or-treat nails.
Instagram | @nailsmyth - 21/51
Hypnose Stencils for Nails
WhatsUpNails
etsy.com
$3.75
Not looking to go all out spooky, but still want to feel on theme for Halloween? Use this hypnotic Tim Burton-inspired nail stencil for a design that'll look just as good the day after. For something a bit more subtle, use shades of black, white, and gray.
Etsy - 22/51
Pink and Red
We can't decide if Jane Safarian's nail art featuring a pink base with burnt red drips is scary or sweet. Either way, it's perfect for a Halloween night look. Try this manicure on your own with contrasting colors!
Instagram | @janesafarian - 23/51
Halloween Classics
Can't decide on pumpkins, spiderwebs, or skeletons? The good news is that you can have them all on your nails, as demonstrated by freehand artist Kalyani K. Patil. To paint these on your own fingers, you'll need a couple of thin nail brushes.
Instagram | @nailed.__.it - 24/51
Celestial
If you’re a zodiac lover or take guidance from all things celestial, try out this abstract blue-toned mani with gold stars and moon accents by nail technician Chlo. It’s just mysterious enough for Halloween, but can also be worn after the holiday is over.
Instagram | nailartbychlo - 25/51
Western-Themed
Instagram nail art account glamdbyannick shows us just how chic a cow-themed manicure can be.
Instagram | @glamdbyannick - 26/51
Stitches
Do as nail artist Annick does and get stitched up (on your nails) for Halloween this year. Don't have a steady hand to free draw those lines? Use handy nail stencils to guide you!
Instagram | @glamdbyannick - 27/51
Jack-o'-Lantern Accent Nail
This cute and classic Halloween look by TinyTangerines is easily achievable at home with gold and orange nail polish, plus an accent nail decal.
Instagram | tinytangerines - 28/51
Metallic Orange
Get glammed up for a Halloween party with these shimmery metallic orange nails. Start with a black nail polish as the base, and after it dries, swirl the copper orange on top to recreate this gorgeous look by nail artist Annick.
Instagram | @glamdbyannick - 29/51
Neon Orange
These bright neon orange nails by iwiboo adorned with a spiderweb accent (or any other Halloween-themed motif of your choosing) is a super easy way to create statement nails in no time.
Instagram | @iwiboo - 30/51
Cute Ghosts
Not all ghosts are scary! To bring some friendly ghosts into your life try out this look created by the Daily Nail Spa for Jessica Cosmetics by adding some chic floaters on a pale pastel pink base.
Instagram | @jessicanailsuk and @dailynailspa - 31/51
Boo!
Nail artist Tahra incorporates the word "Boo!" in her black and orange nails for a classic Halloween vibe. But even if you don't have great penmanship, there are nail stickers to help you achieve the same look.
Instagram | @tahranailsatl - 32/51
Lavish Matte Black
Kiss
ulta.com
$10.99
Bejeweled matte black nails will go well with a whole host of Halloween costumes. Plus, these press-ons will save you time.
Ulta - 33/51
Bats Bats Bats!
Lean in on the popular Halloween motif—bats—just like nail artist Holly! To get this bold allover bat look, try stencils, or if you want a more subtle but quick design, a fun top coat works well.
Instagram | h20_nails - 34/51
Fall Gingham
This manicure, done by the Obsidian Nail Studio, is the best of fall decor while the pumpkin patch accent adds a subtle nod to Halloween.
Instagram | obsidiannailstudio - 35/51
The Lovely Bones
The perfect mixture of scary and sweet, nail artist Alyx Lippiatt uses bones on top of a barely-there light pink base to spell out a message of love.
Instagram | alsbeauty__ - 36/51
Neon Green
You don't need elaborate designs to create stand out Halloween nails—as nail artist Judinka demonstrates, sometimes the polish color does all the work for you.
Instagram | judinkanailart - 37/51
Orange and Gray
Instead of pairing orange with black, try using a gray polish to contrast the go-to Halloween color. This Obsidian Nail Studio manicure shows just how well the orange pops against the neutral.
Instagram | obsidiannailstudio - 38/51
Colorful Pop Art
Tired of traditional Halloween colors? Get inspired by manicure artist @hannah_nails_it who painted this colorful, pop-art look that still feels on theme.
Instagram | hannah_nails_it - 39/51
48 Black Cat Nail Decals
AMnails
etsy.com
$4.99
Looking for a manicure that's both cute and creepy? These black cat nail decals are purrfect.
etsy.com - 40/51
Gold Foil
Feeling fancy? Try layering gold accents, like foil, over an orange nail polish for an elevated Halloween look, like this one from nail artist Tahra. A little bedazzling doesn't hurt, either.
Instagram | @tahranailsatl - 41/51
Blood Splatter
Get nail artist Ceri's blood splatter look by starting with a white nail polish for the base, and layering strokes of red paint on top.
Instagram | @polished_nails.by.ceri - 42/51
Scream Nails
Start with a black nail polish, and layer a matte top coat over it to get the base for this scream-worthy design by nail artist and blogger Ceri.
Instagram | @polished_nails.by.ceri - 43/51
Mickey and Minnie Mouse
Going for a Disney theme? Try nail artist Canishiea J. Sams's oh-so-cute Minnie and Mickey Mouse nails, with swoops of red and silver.
Instagram | @nailsbycanishiea - 44/51
Monochrome Lines
SCRATCH
ulta.com
$10.00
Wear these wraps over your bare nails for a minimalist take, or layer the monochrome line nail wraps over an orange polish for a more overtly on-theme look.
Ulta - 45/51
Poisoned Press-On Nails
SinfulClaws
etsy.com
$27.68
Make a statement with slime-inspired neon green on top of pink jelly nails—they're so "extra," you won't even need a costume.
Etsy | SinfulClaws - 46/51
Ghost Press-Ons
SinfulClaws
etsy.com
$32.15
These adorable "ghosties" won't scare anyone, but they'll sure look like you put a lot of effort in on Halloween night.
Etsy | SinfulClaws - 47/51
Dripping Tape for Nail Art, Drip Stickers for Nails, Nail Vinyls
WhatsUpNails
etsy.com
$3.75
Looking for a drippy nail design that's not so bloody? This tape makes it easy to create a fun multicolor one with contrasting combinations that pop.
etsy.com - 48/51
Dark Ombre
Simple but effective, try out nail polish entrepreneur Michelle Lin's black-to-red ombre nail design this Halloween. As popular youtube tutorials show, using a sponge is usually your best bet to achieving this effect.
Instagram | @michelleswatches - 49/51
Brains Press-Ons
SinfulClaws
etsy.com
$38.19
Go with the grotesque with these squiggly brain-themed press-ons. To ensure a good fit on Halloween, you can even customize the size of these nails for free.
Etsy | SinfulClaws - 50/51
Bebe Rexha x SinfulColors Claws
SinfulColors
walmart.com
$5.98
Nothing says gore more than eyeballs, fanged lips, and skeleton hands that illuminate under black light. Plus, all you have to do is stick 'em on!
Walmart - 51/51
Webby
Spin a stringy spiderweb on your fingers with the help of some super easy nail decals that come in different sizes—and include creepy crawly spiders!
kicsiicsi - Getty Images
They're so creative, you might not even need a costume.
