17 Short Valentine’s Day Nail Ideas for a Lovely Little Mani
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If you’re the type of person who goes to the nail salon every two or three weeks, 1. We’re right there with you, 2. You probably appreciate a great seasonal set, and 3. We’re willing to bet you’re always on the lookout for mani inspo. If all or some of the above applies to you, you’re in the right place. Ahead, we rounded up 17 of our favorite short nail ideas for Valentine’s Day. Keep scrolling to find your next manicure.
Shadow Hearts
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Just when you think you’ve seen it all, shadow nails hit the scene! We’re in awe of the subtlety in this design. To DIY the look, use a fine-lining nail art brush to draw on the tiny jelly hearts. If you don’t have jelly polish on hand, you can get the look by mixing black polish with a top coat.
Matte Red
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We wear red all year long (not just during the holidays), but when it comes to Valentine’s Day, the fiery hue is a no-brainer. Set your set apart by locking it in with a matte top coat.
Glazed Tips
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We immediately added this glazed manicure to our nail inspo folder. After laying down a base coat, grab a light pink polish and fine-lining nail art brush to paint heart your tips, then top the look with a dusting of blue-based chrome powder for that “glazed donut” finish.
Baby Hearts
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Baby hearts are just extra darling for Valentine’s Day, and this take on the trend might be one of our favorites. After applying two or three coats of sheer baby pink polish, you can either hand draw your tiny red hearts or take a shortcut with nail stickers.
Angular French
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French with a twist! To get this angular mani, paint half of the tip at an angle in red, and the other in pink, meeting in the middle. Finish with a glossy top coat and you’re all set.
Gold Details
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Not feeling pink and red this Valentine’s Day? Go for the gold instead. We love this simple yet chic look, which can be achieved by painting mismatched gold chrome lines on each nail.
Emoji Mani
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This emoji mani is too good to pass up—and with nail stickers, you won’t have to. After applying a base coat of your choosing (we love the shimmery champagne shade used here), just add a sticker to each finger and encase it in a glossy top coat.
Classic French
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Another everyday mani that will stun on Valentine’s Day is a classic French. The design works on every nail shape, but this manicure makes a strong case for short and square.
Heart Eyes
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These nails are giving us major heart eyes—literally! We love the mix of pink and red in both the thumbnail design and the solid accent nails.
Feeling Stripy
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Striped nail art doesn’t get enough love, but we’re here to change that. Use four shades of pink and peach to draw stripes of varying weight for a more unexpected V-Day mani.
Shimmery Sheer Pink
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Shimmery and sheer? You have our attention. This might be the easiest DIY on the list: You can use a shimmery sheer shade or top a jelly polish with a glittery top coat.
Heart Flames
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Nail artist Pria B described this “burning love” manicure as “the ultimate V-Day nails,” and you’ll hear no disagreement from us! You might want to leave this more intricate design to a trusted nail tech.
OG Pink
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Of course, if you want to keep things super simple, you can always go for solid pink. From bubblegum to a Barbie-approved hot pink like the one seen here, the color is guaranteed to convey the message of love.
Spicy Love
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This spicy mismatched set brings the heat (sorry, we had to)! While you could achieve a similar look with nail stickers, we suggest letting your nail artist bring this manicure to life.
Shades of Pink
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When we look at this gorgeous manicure and its many shades of pink, our minds instantly think of modern art. Feel free to get messy with this one—blob out a few shades and see what you come up with.
Jelly Pink
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We’ll be the first to admit we have a major soft spot for jelly nails, and these pink ones are at the top of our “must-try” list. They’re delicate, yet elegant.
Shimmering Copper
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Chunky glitter nails are another fun and unique idea for Valentine’s Day. Try a copper hue like this; it makes for an unexpected but glamorous color choice.
