20 Seriously Adorable Valentine’s Day Nail Art Ideas

With another holiday fast approaching, it’s time to switch up our nail art designs. From Santa hats and candy canes to hearts and red roses, Valentine’s Day is giving us the perfect excuse to continue our Christmas playfulness and inject some fun into our at-home manicure routine.

Instagram is filled with hundreds of swoon-worthy Valentine’s Day nail looks so, to help you make that all-important decision, I’ve rounded up some of my favourites.

1. Pink Heart Gradation

We’re starting off strong with a dainty pink heart design. I love the way the pattern on each nail gets progressively darker, and I think the negative space aspect looks super effective.

Not a fan of pink? You could even try this with a red or purple polish, whatever takes your fancy!

2. White Marble Hearts

For a really subtle Valentine’s gesture, why not try a marble heart design? It looks so soft and elegant – ideal for traditionalists who prefer to stick to neutrals.

To get this effect, dab the excess white polish off of your brush (so it’s almost dry) and paint your heart. Don’t worry if there’s any gaps or streaks, this is what gives it the marble look!

3. Red Heart Tips

You can’t beat a red heart tip nail design, it’s such a chic and classy look.

In order to get the full effect, you’re going to want to file your nails into an almond shape. This way your heart will have the perfect ‘point’ at the bottom.

4. Comme des Garçons Corners

For all the fashionistas out there, this Comme des Garçons inspired design is calling your name.

What’s great about this look is that it works almost exclusively on squared nails. You’ll notice, going through this list, that most of the Valentine’s Day nail art ideas for 2021 are focused on more rounded nail shapes. So I love having something like this to mix it up!

If you really do prefer that softer, almond shape though, you could always try painting a set of eyes onto your red heart tip (see #3).

5. Minimal Black Hearts

If you’re more accustomed to wearing darker polishes, this could be an amazing Valentine’s Day option. The pink on the feature nails is very subtle and is offset by the little black hearts.

Use these nail decals to get the look!

6. Embossed Chrome

Chrome polish is reaaaaally in at the moment. So this chrome heart design couldn’t have come at a better time.

I love the treasure map style dotting between the hearts, it just ties everything together. You could try forming the little dots with a thin brush, but I would personally recommend using a tool like this instead.

7. Tiny Shiny Hearts

This Valentine’s nail look takes hardly any time at all! Just paint your nails with a glossy pale pink polish and apply a rose gold heart sticker at the top.

For those with a UV lamp at home, you could try using transfer foils instead. This will require a little more work, but you’ll get more of a hand-drawn effect by doing it this way.

8. Heart Flames

I’m seriously in love with the flame nails trend. So imagine my surprise when I saw this Valentine’s twist. Honestly, could it get any cuter?

This is all done free-hand so it may take a little longer than some of the other Valentine’s Day nail art designs on this list. However, with a little practice, painting your heart flames will become second nature.

9. Simple Holo Hearts

If you thought the holo trend was over, think again. These holographic nails are perfect for Valentine’s Day (or date nights in general). I mean, look how shiny they are! Who could resist?!

Alice, from One Nail To Rule Them All, uses Magpie Holo Chrome Dust to achieve this look. But for something a little quicker, these holo nail decals are a great alternative.

10. Multicoloured Heart Smileys

Sometimes the classic pink and red nail designs just don’t cut it. If you’re desirous of a little more colour, this is definitely the look for you.

I think the smiley faces are super fun and add an extra bit of cuteness (not that it needs it). You could always leave these off if you prefer, but I would still recommend going in with a silver or white polish to outline some of the hearts.

11. Pixel Heart

I adore this pixelated nail art design – it’s so unique! You could probably use any colour as the base, but I think the bubblegum pink just works so well.

Though it might require a lot of concentration to get those straight lines and perfect squares, I think the end product will 100% be worth it.

12. Mini Lips

For those with a steady hand, this is a great Valentine’s Day nail art project. It’s not super flashy but still looks really effective!

To do this yourself, coat the nail in a nude or peachy base layer. Then take a small brush and paint on your lip design. Follow this up with some white polish for the little creases and that’s it!

13. Gold-Accented Rose Quartz

Marble nails are always a winner. But this Valentine’s Day we’re all about the rose quartz mani instead. The painting process is very similar, just swap out a couple of colours and you’re good to go.

To save time, try these press-ons which are already decorated with tiny flecks of gold.

14. Monochrome Heart Tips

Red heart tips are Valentine’s Day classic, but there’s something so compelling about this monochrome version. I love the mix of matte and glossy polish, it really makes the heart at the bottom stand out.

If you already own white and black nail polishes, this would be a really quick and simple design to do.

15. Pastel Love Hearts

How cute are these! If you’re looking for something bright and fun, this is the perfect design.

To recreate this look at home you’ll need a nude base, two or three accent colours (pick your favourites) and some plain white polish. A nail art liner brush will also come in super handy, but – if you’re working without one – you might be able to fill in the finer details with a cocktail stick.

16. Simple Glitter Ombré

If intricate nail art really isn’t your thing, I highly recommend a classic ombré look like the one above. Although no hearts or roses are involved, it’s still feels very much appropriate for Valentine’s Day.

To do this yourself you’ll need to first paint a pale pink base over the nail. Then take a sponge dipped in the purple polish and, starting at the bottom of the nail, lightly dab up towards the cuticle. Once this has dried you can apply a coat of glitter polish and you’re done. It’s really that easy!

17. Corner Heart Detail

For an understated Valentine’s Day nail art design I’d suggest going for something like this. Since all the nails are painted in a soft pink shade, the colour palette is more uniform and muted. The thumb, with its red and hot pink edging, is the sole focal point which I love!

To form the heart in the corner you could either carefully paint your lines around it (i.e. intentionally leave a space), or use a heart-shaped sticker which can be pulled off at the end.

18. Layered Black, White and Gold

I’m a huuuuge fan of this monochrome look. At first glance it’s not super obvious that it’s a Valentine’s design, but the alternating black and white hearts definitely add a romantic touch.

If you want to leave it at the black and white polish, you can. However, I think the gold lining brings it up a notch and makes it even more glam.

To achieve this luxe look you’ll need to paint your foil gel around the heart and above the white tip. Then press on some gold transfer foil and cure under a UV lamp. For a gel-free option, use gold nail decals (or stickers) to get a similar effect.

19. Cloudy Pastels

These pink and purple nails are super fun and creative. The white free-hand drawings are also undeniably cute.

To do this at home, first go in with a nude or pale pink base. Then, like with the ombré nails, take turns dabbing on the pink and purple polish with a sponge. Coat this with a glitter varnish and paint whatever you fancy on top with your white liner.

20. Red and Cream Mismatch

These are actually gel stickers – how crazy is that! So if you’re not feeling like going through all the effort of painting on your own design, these cute little hearts are already done for you. Simply press the sticker onto your nail, file the excess and your at-home mani is completed in minutes. There’s no dry time and you don’t need your own UV lamp. What a win!

These Valentine’s Day nail art ideas are so cute, I may have to try them all! Which designs are your favourite?

And, if you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the 12 nail art essentials you need for any manicure.