1 10 shades of red

When it comes to multiple shades of reds and pinks, more is more around Valentine's Day. And the mixing palette's yours to explore. Play it (relatively) safe with monochromatic reds. Or if you're going for the wow factor, now's your chance to experiment with a scarlet base and fuchsia polka dots. It might just be a match made in heaven.

2 French with a twist

The French are, after all, experts when it comes to l'amour (or so we've heard). Whether or not your partner's whisking you off for a tour of the Champs-Elysées, a French manicure is effortlessly romantic. And a twist on this design doesn't mean a drastic makeover. Have your nail technician apply some tiny jewels to the nude part of your mani, or swap the traditional white tips for baby pink or bold red. Et voila.

3 Intricate micro nail art

Minimalistic micro nail art was made for short nails, as you don't need long and polished talons to pull it off. Keep it simple with tiny hearts or try out a geometric design on top of nude polish. Whether that design is proud multi-coloured stripes or clean magenta triangles, that's totally your call.

4 Retro florals

Because who doesn't love blooms. Go unapologetically girly with cute daisies or stay sophisticated with classic red roses. You'll want a neutral base here so the design stands out. And for the record, we're not knocking real roses, but when they're on your nail they're way easier to handle. Not a thorn in sight. Ten might be two roses short of a dozen, but we're not complaining.

Wear your heart on your nails this Valentine’s Day

12/02/2018 / Editor's picks

Maybe you’re embracing Valentine’s Day with a fluffy teddybear and full-on old-school romance. Or perhaps you’re celebrating Galentine’s Day with prosecco and…more prosecco. Either way, don’t forget to dress your nails for the occasion. If there were a more appropriate day to go all out with flamboyant florals or pretty pastels, we’re yet to discover it. These are the creative gel nail art designs that have stolen our hearts this year. (Plus, in our experience they’ll last longer than a box of chocolates.)

Image credits: Rex Features

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