20 nail art ideas to take to your next appointment

We’ve all been there before. You’re biding your time, one hand already toasting under the blue rays of the UV light, scrambling through your saved folder on Instagram to land on the manicure of choice that you’ve been unable to commit to. You don’t want to revert back to your usual french tips, but too late—the colour swatches are being reshuffled and before you know it, you’re stepping out the salon with the exact same hue you sported last time around. 

If you’re not new to the beauty game, you’ll know that nail art is no cakewalk. Nail artists have been perfecting their trade for the last two decades, working magic on their teeny-tiny canvases and letting their creativity and freak flag fly. Nail sourcing, a beloved routine for many, requires chutzpah, grit, and plenty of thinking outside the box. 

If you’ve been following for some time now, you’ll know that the celeb-set have never shied away from celebrating a set of their own. Hailey Bieber’s glazed donut nails continue to reign in our hearts, while the micro-french tip sets beloved by supermodel Bella Hadid remain as relevant as they were when they were coined. 

There are guidelines, of course, as much for the corporate girlie as for the creative at heart. Are they functional? Can they withstand the tides of trends and seasonal shifts, which weigh into our day-to-day, from clicking on laptops to grunt lifting, and anything in between? Does this set, above all else, spark joy? 

The only way to break the cycle, of course, is to venture further afield to curate your dream set, which doesn’t have to be a time-killer. It also doesn’t have to take more than, well, the amount of time you’ll need to read this story—because at Glamour, we’ve done the hard work of curating the best sets and ideas to take to the salon.  Keep scrolling through to dose up on nail art inspiration to take straight to your tech. 

1. Blue aura nails

A warm blue glow on a nude base—topped with a little bit of sparkle on each finger. Consider us wooed over. 

2. Nude, pearly nails

Accented with tear drop accents and translucent beads, this set takes nude illusion to a new degree—while keeping things relatively muted. For our 9-5 girlies, this might be the one for you.

3. Teal and lace nails

Teal is the pop of colour we’ve been spotting everywhere—and there might be no better place to flash the tone than on your digits. Lace accents are subtle, coquette-inspired, and to die for. 

4. Butter yellow french nails

Revamp a french tip with a buttercup yellow tip twined with a little daisy and ladybug on accent fingers. A spring manicure, if we’ve ever seen one.

5. Sunset Nails

Consider this your Zara Larsson-approved set. With an ombre core of coral and bubble-gum pink, looking at the setting horizon has never been easier.

6. Moody coffee and butter lemon nails

Why have one trend when you can mash two? The coffee-hued and lemon nails deliver double impact while keeping things polished, fun, and upbeat. The extra polka dot on the pinky scores extra points.

7. Bangle nails

Maximalist heaven. With bangles cuffing the tip of each nail, this design isn’t for the faint of heart—working best with a considerable length and point. If almond is your go-to shape, order up.

8. Desi-inspired bangle nails

If you’re looking for ways to work your heritage into your everyday life, desi-inspired bangle nails elevate the trend into an instantly personal, intricate set. 

9. White lace and polka dot nails

Black and white have gone together since the beginning of time, and this polka dot and ribbon-festooned set speak to every coquette-abiding Glamour girl.

10. Pierced nails

A subtle, grunge set that might cause a double take. Pierced nails are an ingenious stroke of artistry that, despite its punk design, is relatively minimal on the eyes.  

11. Mix and match chrome, red, yellow

Deliver vintage touch with a chrome, red and yellow set—which sounds a lot more chaotic than it looks. The shades and spherical dots pair well together while adding a little bit of edge to the look. 

12. Gold, silver, blue maximalist nails

Like a set out of a fairytale. This chrome-inspired, fantasy-laden manicure is leagues above the rest, and almost guarantees a round of compliments from any passerby. 

13. Floral mosaic nails

The french tip that goes tropical. Floral mosaic nails add a touch of sweetness to a classic shape, and the subtle cream colour of the tips let the fleurs do the talking. 

14. Earth green nails

A palette pulled directly from the earth, this moss and amber-hued manicure is threaded throughout with gold accents, and a notch above your regular mismatched mani.

15. Moss and pomegranate nails

Jewel tones for spring? Groundbreaking. Let your cuticles do the talking with this fruit and fauna-inspired set. Rich moss and pomegranate tones offer plenty of shine. 

16. Female alchemy nails

Kooky, one-part retro, with little faces to boot, female alchemy nails take the feminine experience to a whole new level. Red stripes, polka dots and sweetly drawn faces of heroines of your choice ring in a manicure like no other.

17. Aurora cateye nails

A classic set that toes the line between minimalism and maximalism, this cat-eye manicure lets you eat the rainbow on each digit.

18. Confetti nails

Talk about a one-in-a-million set. Your nails deserve a colourful romp, too, so why not take on this shimmering trend for the season?

19. Disco nails

For the 360 partygirls retired or active, disco nails are the perfect reminder that having a little fun with how you present is a no-brainer. 

20. Confection nails might have just spiked with this Martini-inspired design. We’ll take one on each hand.