15 Halloween Nail Art Ideas You Need To Try

October has finally arrived, which means there’s no better time to start collecting Halloween nail inspo. Nail art is an amazing way to dress up your Halloween costume – it’s a whole accessory in itself! So why not go all-out and really put some effort into your nails this spooky season!

I like to keep my nails on the more minimal, understated side so finding Halloween nail art that matches this can be quite tricky. Fortunately, I’ve scrolled through Instagram to find 15 nail ideas that are still Halloween-appropriate but aren’t TOO out-there!

Interested? Keep scrolling…

1. Tiny Ghosts

This ghost design is the definition of understated. If you’re looking to get into the Halloween spirit but want something a little less attention-grabbing, this is the way to go.

All you’ll need is a sheer pink base shade, a bright white and a jet black for the little eyes. You can use a dotting tool to create the eyes, but I think the end of a toothpick would probably work just as well!

2. Webbed Tips

For French tip fans, this spider web design is an excellent Halloween option. Just apply a sheer layer of black polish at the tip, then go in with a more opaque black to create the web pattern. I love how it has a sort of lace look to it, you might even be able to get away with this outside of Halloween too!

3. Frankenstein French

This Halloween nail design is amazing because it’s super easy to do. Just paint the tips with your desired colours, then add a black stitch effect over the top.

This would be a perfect last-minute nail fix if you’ve already got a French manicure. It would literally just be a case of adding the stitch detail!

4. Black, White and Orange Doodles

This is such a fun nail look and I love the subtleness of the orange tips!

You can recreate this look by painting on the little bats, ghosts and pumpkins yourself. Or save a lot of time and effort by getting a set of Halloween nail stickers that already includes all these things! All you have to do is peel and place them.

5. Black Drip Effect

For something a bit less intense than the traditional bright red blood-drip nails, go for this black version instead.

You can liven up the look with an accent nail (or two!) or just repeat the design on all nails. I added a bit of red to mine to create some contrast!

6. Pretty Pastels

If you’re going for a lighter, less scary Halloween look, these pastel nails are perfect. Use white and purple nail polishes for your base shades, then add a few celestial nail stickers to give the design some detail.

7. Spooky Skulls

I love the simplicity of this Halloween nail design! All it requires is a bright red nail polish, an opaque black and a liner brush.

The great thing about this look is that you can make the skull as cute or scary as you like. The choice is completely yours!

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8. Black and White Sparkles

Skulls, spider webs and ghosts aren’t for everyone. If you’re someone who prefers something a little less gothic, try this sparkle design instead.

To recreate the look you’ll need black and white nail polishes, and don’t forget a liner brush to create the dots and stars.

9. White Webbed Accent

If the webbed French tip look (see above) is a little too subtle for you, why not copy this full-nail spider web design instead?

I love how Lauren has created an ombre effect under the web so the white doesn’t look to stark against the other black nails. You can replicate this by dipping a sponge into a bit of the black polish and gently pressing it onto the nail.

10. Bloody French Manicure

This is one for the long-nail lovers! Dress up your classic French manicure with a few drops of blood to bring it into the spooky season. Long coffin or stiletto nails will really help you capture that dripping effect.

11. Nightmare Before Christmas

This skull accent nail looks so effective! Inverting the colours makes the features stand out so much more.

Again, this would be a really quick design to do if you’re already wearing black nail polish. Just take a liner brush dipped in bright white polish and paint on the eye sockets, nose and mouth.

12. Retro Florals w/ Cute Ghosts

This might sound like a weird combination but I think it actually works pretty well. The flowers give this nail design a cuteness and softness that makes it wearable during the day. In fact, you might not even notice the ghosts at first glance!

13. Subtle Squid Game

Squid Game has taken over all of our lives … and now it’s taking over our nails too! This is definitely going to be a Halloween hit and I can already imagine the SG-inspired looks people are going to be putting together this year.

Pair these nails with your Squid Game costume or, if you’re not dressing up, just give a subtle allusion to the show with these simple shapes.

14. Night Sky Nails

While these nails contain spooky elements, I still think they look super cute and girly.

Use a dotting tool to create the stars and little black dots, and these bat nail decals for the middle nails.

15. Black and Neon Orange

This post started with ghosts so it feels only right to end with them too! I really love how the black and white contrasts with the neon orange. I think the grid effect looks super cool too.

The French tips … the grid … this is an amazing way to combine so many 2021 nail trends into one design!

Which of these Halloween nail art ideas are you going to recreate this year? Let me know in the comments!

Also, don’t forget to check out these Autumn nail art designs for more nail inspo!