Halloween Nail Art Ideas That Are Simple and Modern

We’re in the thick of spooky season, and—if you haven’t already—it’s time to start thinking of your Halloween manicure. This year, we’ve been bookmarking Halloween nails that feel vampy and versatile (so they can last well past the 31st). Of the large batch of Halloween nails out there we’re screenshotting various simple looks that utilize moody colors (like blacks and oxbloods). Still, we’re also playing around with thematic colors (like pumpkin orange) and pairing them with trendy techniques like 3D nails.

While there’s nothing wrong with embracing traditional Halloween motifs, we’ve rounded up a few unique options that allow you to celebrate the season differently. Ahead, find some of our favorite Halloween nail art to try.

1. Pumpkin orange with chrome accents

Orange is the star of this set by LA-based nail artist Marielle of @nailsssbymars, but it’s done in a cool way thanks to a jelly-like pumpkin-colored base paired with silver 3D accents. It’s equally bold and eye-catching and will look good whether you’re dressed in costume or not. If lengthier nails aren’t your thing, you can do similar 3D art on a shorter base, and it’ll still look equally good.

2. Ghostly tips

We love this unique gold metal take on the classic ghost that makes it feel a bit more elevated. You can use gold chrome powder on your tips before using black detailing polish to draw on your ghost to get a similar look.

3. Spooky stars

Star nails (like these showcased by Hang Nguyen of @thehangedit) are fitting year-round, but when done in jet-black polish and paired with negative space, they’re perfect for Halloween. If you have a super steady hand and can free-paint stars—great! But you can also use star nail decals for ease.

4. Glow in the dark glam

Glow-in-the-dark green is a cool way to channel Halloween energy. Here, nail artist Zola Ganzorigt of @nailsbyzola shares a foolproof method to achieve this look at home or with your nail technician: Mix OPI’s No Faux Yellow ($24) with your favorite lime green polish, then add a coat of glow-in-the-dark powder after the base coat for a luminescent finish.

5. Baroque inspired gems

Feeling Marie-Antoinette-esque? Victoria of @gotg0ld‘s opulent take on the Baroque period is a cool way to channel the period without wearing a wig or corset. We love this short set, adorned with multicolored gems, ornate crosses, and pearls, making it a creative nail art option for Halloween.

6. Sleek spiders

Alora of @afreshset used white polish (instead of the typical black) and gemstones to create a stunning spider and web design. The set features cameos of ghosts and skeletons if you’re looking to stick to a mixed theme, but the true stars of the show are the gem-adorned spider bodies.

7. Beetlejuice buzz

If you’re a devoted Beetlejuice fan, take a cue from the iconic film by using the Beetlejuice swirl design on your nails. Of course, you can use whatever colors you want (or the green and purple inspired by the movie). But if you prefer a subdued look, Grace of @gelxbygrace offers the perfect almond-shaped inspiration in a combination of matte black and an almost translucent grayish-white hue.

8. Bewitched red

There are many ways to do red nails, but we love a deep, oxblood polish when Halloween rolls around. Jessica of @nailtrappinjess created a nice vampy set with blood-red nail polish, complete with coven crosses and black stars, perfect for spooky season.

9. Galaxy tips

If you want to try a dark-colored mani with a twist, opt for a galaxy-inspired manicure, like this one from @melanated.mani. This particular set was created with multichrome magnetic polishes from Cirque Colors, which comes with a reflective chrome finish to make DIY’ing a similar look easy.