So, it’s birthday time! Make your big day glamorous and fun with these beautiful Birthday Nails ideas.
Choose between colorful designs and glitter. Or mix up the two styles.
When you are decorating your nails, every concept and every theme works. Whatever is your inspiration, for now, make that inspiration your nail paint design.
You can also go with the party’s theme to look more aligned with your celebration.
1. Fifty Shades of Red
Just like pink, every shade of red looks cool and inviting. You can pair them by using the ombre technique. Or you can simply shift between different colors as you move from one nail to another. Or paint floral design on one or more.
2. Pink or Purple
If you are celebrating a spring birthday, add style and energy with a floral design in pink or purple. Paint the index and pinky finger smoothly. Then, add a mix of flowers and transparent polish in the middle ones.
3. Pink and Ombre
Ombre is in these days. And you are free to use this style on your nails as well. With transparent and pink nail polish, create a design that loses its color as you move towards the nail roots.
4. Pure White and Gold
If you aren’t too skilled in professional nail painting, you can get help with beads and accessories. Get golden beads and use them on top of the smooth white manicure of your coffin nails.
If you can manage, add pure white flowers on one nail in each hand.
5. Another Style of French Tips
If you don’t want to showcase many patterns on your nails, go with French tips and smooth polish. Beautify it even further with a red bottom that will give the perfect combination to your pastel top paint.
6. A Frozen Birthday
Are you celebrating your birthday in winter? Use silver glitter you paint your nails and top it off with cake, balloons, and hats.
7. Another Frozen Theme
This one doesn’t want you to feature birthday decorations on your nails. Just use pint and blue on alternate nails and accessorize with your choice of jewels.
8. Birthday Theme
Balloons are the heart and soul of a birthday party. Get loads of these. And keep them on your nails. Also, paint cake on your nails. Or just get Happy Birthday scribbled across your nails for your happy day.
9. Short Balloon Nails
On a white base coat, use different colors to paint balloons. This clean and quick design will look especially good on short nails.
10. Remember the Year
If you have no issue announcing your birthday, get your birth year painted across your nails. For the nails on your other hand, use any pattern you like. But go easy and light with the pattern. You don’t want to take the attention away from your birth year nails.
11. It’s Glitter Time
You can use glitter with all transparent as well as bright colored nail polishes.
12. Glitter with a Number
With bright color as the base, use glitter near the root of your nails. But leave one middle finger out of this design and paint the age on it with glitter.
13. Balloons and Confetti
What is a birthday if it’s not a party and celebration? Keep the spirits high with a manicure that features balloons and confetti.
14. Star Art
Paint a starry sky. Or just be somewhat less romantic with only stars over a bright color.
15. Use Rhinestones
You have never imagined rhinestones as nail art accessories, but here they are. Get some of these stones in different sizes and shapes and mix them up on your nails.
16. Melted Ice Cream
On a summer birthday, you can get a sense of coolness with this nail paint. Use two shades – whatever mix you prefer for your ice cream – and show them melting over each other.
Decorate it with a bow and some polka dots.
17. Cakes Only
Use pink as the background color. Then, paint the cake with candles, cupcakes, or cake pieces. But keep it relevant or empty.
18. Or Candies
Use one nail paint for all the nails. And on top of this paint, design lots of candies.
19. A Rainbow
If you don’t have a lot of time to decorate the nails, you can go with plain paint on each nail. Choose different bright colors. Then, paint each nail with a new color. Repeat these colors for the other hand. Or you can choose entirely different colors for the second hand.
20. Just Confetti
After all, it’s party time! Add a little twist to the design with two colors of polish one dripping on top of the other.
21. Flowers
Paint different flowers from small to big and white to golden on transparent polish. And embellish it with a golden outline. If you want, add accessories as well.
22. And More Flowers
Transparent polish should be your go-to choice for floral designs on your nails. On coffin nails, use baby pink nail polish to make strings of flowers diagonally across the nails.
23. Add Some Sparkle
Stiletto nails are all about sparkles and accessories. Use girly colors like pink or purple and add glitter near the roots.
24. Heart in the Middle
On a baby pink shade for nail polish, use colorful rhinestones to draw a heart.
25. Mix It Up
You don’t have to stick to a theme. You can create a cocktail style by giving different personalities to each nail. I would use rhinestones for one, glitter for the other, a picture on the third, and mixed or melted colors on the fourth one.
26. Vertical Pattern
This design allows you to include as many nail colors as you want on your nails. And you can maintain a single style across all the nails. Just draw streaks of your chosen colors from roots to tips of the nails. Use pastel colors to adorn it even more.
27. It’s NOT a French Tip
For French tips, you color your nails white. But if you maintain the style but decorate it with a nail polish of your choice, will it still be considered a French tip? Use rhinestones and beads to accessorize these nails.
28. Amp Up Glitter
Color the tip of your coffin nails with glitter polish. Choose between triangle tips or rounded ones.
29. Waves of Pink
The best thing about pink is that you can find hundreds of beautiful shades in this color.
Choose up to five such colors and paint your nails in diagonal waves.
30. Hot with Ice-green
This summer, try ice-green nail paint and use this hot trend to cool down.
31. Or Use Light Blue
Pair this color with golden nail art accessories.
32. Black is Classy
When you don’t want to look too girly but want to maintain a look of elegance, you pair black with white. Or you can choose a transparent color. Then accessorize it with rhinestones and glitter.
33. Mix of Designs
These days, it’s become customary to apply different nail designs for different nails. So, you can style your coffin nails with triangle tips, French tips, ombre shades, and multiple colors.
34. A Mix of Designs and Glitter
Take the example above and use glitter for colored nails.
35. Lots of Accessories
Make your nails the center of attention. Use lots of accessories to style your transparent or ombre nail polish.
36. Lots of Nails
Even the cut of your nails matters. While coffin nails are mostly preferred these days, you can amp up your style with other cuts. Go with ballerina or stiletto nails. And top them off with heavily accessorized designs.
37. Another Black Theme
If black is your favorite color, you can complement it with white or silver and draw various patterns from horizontal lines to candles, to ombre glitter. Highlight the occasion by writing happy birthday on one of the nails.
38. Or Red and Black
The only combination that can trump the black and white combo is red and black. You can also polish some parts of the nails nude. What’s the best part of this design? You don’t have to add more accessories to stand out.
39. Super Long French Tips
When your nails are super long, you don’t need much styling. Just paint a smooth pastel color you are done.
40. Plain with Diamonds
If you don’t have time to paint your nails in the best colors and patterns, use a single color and lots of accessories. Or use only diamonds on the side of a nail.
41. Short Ballerina Nails
Bring the elegance in your short nails with a ballerina manicure and a glittery polish of the color of your outfit.
42. Get Some Sprinkles
On top of a white or pink color base coat, paint sprinkles.
43. Stars on Nude Polish
Let your party shine with these smooth and shiny stars. You can use nail stickers or if you are a savvy artist, do them yourself.
44. Blast of Orange
Orange is not one of the girliest colors. But it’s beautiful and energetic. Paint every nail in a different style to add versatility and brightness.
45. All Colors Pastel
The best thing about this design is that you don’t have to follow a pattern. Just pick up your favorite collection of pastel nail polishes and apply them in any order you want. Allow them to blend to give a more beautiful look.
46. Nude and Glitter
If you have thought of nude nails as low-key in the past, it’s time to ditch this belief. You can attract attention to these polishes just as much as you can to any other shade. One way of highlighting these nails is using glitter in these shades.
And don’t forget to change shades as you move from one nail to another.
47. Pink with Glitter
Use pink glitter on the tips of the nails. For the rest of the nails, use baby pink nail polish.
48. Ombre with Ocean Blue Pallet
For a beach birthday party, you can get this look with navy blue, turquoise, and white shades. You can even flaunt this design at your backyard party as a reminder of the beach celebration.
49. Balloons for the Bunny
With a pink theme on your thumb and pinky finger, use your middle fingers to present bunny chasing balloons. This complete artwork will need the best art skills you have in store.
50. Another Balloon
Decorate every nail with a balloon. Use different colors then tie them up with a single color string at the tips of your nail.
51. Cupcake Nail Art
Can you imagine a birthday without a cake? Make it miniature and draw cupcakes. Or paint your nails in miniature cupcakes. Use this tutorial to get a hang of the 3D nail art technique.
52. Use 3D Flowers
Don’t overdo the artwork. Get 3D nail flowers and use them on a plain base coat.
53. Ocean Waves
This is another beach party nail art. You have to paint waves in your navy blue paint. Use turquoise color to paint these waves.
54. Smiley Faces
You can also use stickers for smiley faces. But if you want, paint them yourself. Paint one smiley on one nail. Or add two or three on top of transparent polish.
55. Use a Gift Ribbon
Paint a gift bow ribbon on your nails. On the middle finger or pinky finger and thumb, use sprinkly polish or glitter to change the pattern. The most attractive colors for this style are dark blue or red.
56. Squoval Nails with Glitter
Do you think that squoval nails have little opportunity to stand out? This concept can’t be further from the truth. Use glitter to make them shiny and appealing. Add balloons for color and variety. Then add some petals to accentuate the beauty.
57. Or Candles
If you are tired of using balloons as your nail art idea on every birthday, why don’t you look at other signs of celebration? Take candles for example. Show them burning. You can decorate each nail with more than one candle, by the way!
58. Polka Dots on Pastel Colors
There are no colors more girly than pastel colors. You express your gender with these colors. And add some glitter polka dots on top of them.
59. Mustard Yellow and Black Dots
It’s your birthday. But that doesn’t force you to be all glittery and shiny. Instead, you can keep your elegance with cool but attractive styles. Coat your nails with mustard orange and apply black dots on top of it.
60. Est Birth Year
Take Away
Here were all the Birthday Nails ideas you needed to get inspiration from for your upcoming birthday. Did you enjoy them? You can amp up the celebration with glittery styles or look elegant and sophisticated with plainer looks. Which one is your favorite?
FAQs
What nail colors look best on older hands? ›
If you have a lighter skin tone, the color would differ depending on how fair your skin is, but corals, greens, and red would be good for older hands because it draws attention to the nails. If you have darker toned skin, choose shades of orange, gold, and grey.
What color nails for over 60? ›Choice Of Colors: Go for youthful shades like red, plum, and orange. Bright colors will draw attention to your manicure. Nude is an evergreen shade. So, light whites and baby pinks will give an elongated look to your fingers.
What color nail polish makes nails look longer? ›Nude and pastel colors are a great choice for short nails, as they actively make them look longer. Because they visually appear like they're continuing your finger line, they make your fingers look thinner and slimmer. For best results, use a color that's a shade lighter than your skin tone.
What color nail polish makes your fingers look skinnier? ›Fair skin: Both experts say sheer pink is best, while Lippmann says a clean beige can also slim the hands. Medium skin: Choi opts for a sheer nude polish, but Lippmann likes more opaque, full-coverage, yellow-based shades like her taupe shade, Fashion ($18). Olive skin: Both women say a neutral pinky beige is best.
What is the nail color for 2023? ›Brown may be most commonly associated with autumnal colour trends, but according to WGSN, it's set to trend throughout 2023. While golden butterscotch browns and soft desert-inspired tones will be big news later in the year, we're already seeing a lot of love for rich deep chocolaty shades.
What nails are trending 2023? ›Chrome and metallic nails are here to stay. There are several fun nail art and manicure trends to look forward to this spring, but if you try just one, make it chrome. Silver, bronze, any metallic at all—done in both opaque and sheer formulas, chrome nails were seen on so many spring 2023 runways.
What is the best nail shape for over 60? ›“Classic nail shapes, like round and oval, are especially flattering for aging hands,” says Tom Bachik, celebrity manicurist and global nail designer for L'Oréal Paris, whose client list includes Jennifer Lopez and Julianne Moore.
What nail color is classy? ›Brown. Whether you're wearing it as a nude or a neutral, brown nail polish is an elegant and classic shade that goes with anything, regardless of the time of year.
What color fingernail polish goes with everything? ›Different Shades of Black Nails
The darkest of neutrals, black nail polish goes with everything and always looks clean and sophisticated. Black colors can range from a true jet black to shades of “almost black” like OPI's Lincoln Park after Dark which is actually a super dark purple that looks black.
Choosing the Right Nail Color
Dark polishes, particularly stark black, run the risk of making mature hands appear less youthful, especially when it comes to cool-toned shades like deep navy, bluish reds, and wine purples.
What toe nail polish goes with everything? ›
White Nails
If you don't know how to wear white nail polish, don't fret, it's actually the easiest color to pair. White nails truly go with everything and make any color pop. If you're silently questioning “does white nail polish look good?”, the answer is yes.
Go Nude. Darker polish highlights the actual length of your nail, so to make nails look longer, lighter shades are always best, says Sarah Gibson Tuttle, CEO & Founder of Olive & June. “Much like wearing a nude pump elongates your legs, a nude polish elongates your nails,” Holford adds.
What color nail polish makes old hands look younger? ›Red is the most youthful colour and an anti-ageing staple to add in your arsenal. Go for orange-based reds and true tomato reds to make your hands look lively and young.
What is the most elegant nail shape? ›Oval. It doesn't get much more universally flattering than an oval nail shape. “Oval nails give an elegant look if you have long nails and lengthens if you have wide nail beds,” says Lee. The rounded shape features corners that curve inward into a semicircle.
What nail colour do guys like? ›Nuances from the nude range such as cream or beige are considered particularly attractive. Well-kept nails with transparent polish or in light shades of pink are also particularly appealing to men.
What is the color of the year for 2023? ›Pantone: Viva Magenta
Go bold in the new year with Viva Magenta, Pantone's 2023 Color of the Year. The crimson hue is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the strongest and brightest dyes in the world.
2023 Colors of the Year by Valspar
Soft shades of pink and purple, including Gentle Violet (pictured above) and Southern Road, add sophisticated yet subtle color to walls, while rich, restorative blues and greens, including Flora and Everglade Deck, pair well with wood tones and brass accents.
When considering your pedicure color options, bright shades like red, pink, and coral will always have a moment during the summer. But this year, neon yellow, icy blue, and earth tones are also big trends.
Which nail shape makes you look younger? ›Shape Shift
“An oval-shaped nail helps fingers look longer, and in turn, makes hands look younger,” she explains. Another grooming tip from the pro: pay attention to your cuticles!
- Swirl Nails.
- French Nails.
- Ombre Nails.
- Marble Nails.
- Glitter Nails.
- Chrome Nails.
- Pastel Nails.
- Comic Nails.
What is the most popular nail design right now? ›
- French Glass Nails. “French glass is on the top of the list when it comes to popular nail styles this year. ...
- Minimal Nails. ...
- Velvet Nails.
- Negative Space Nails. ...
- Long Red Nails. ...
- Thin French Nail Style. ...
- Chrome Nails. ...
- Melted Metal Nail Style.
Nail Shape Trends For 2023
“In addition to a shorter nail length, the trending shape is likely to be more square or squoval.” She even adds that we could see a resurgence in short French tip nail alongside the longer, oval- and almond-shapes so popular this year.
For chubby fingers, you can opt for these nail shapes: oval, round, almond, and coffin. These nail shapes will make your nails and fingers look longer as well as hide the chubby fingers underneath the tip of your nails.
What nail shape is very much requested by most of clients? ›An oval nail is perhaps the most common and universally flattering of all the nail shapes. It can offer the illusion of a thinner, longer nail bed, which translates into a classy and sleek appearance. A versatile shape, oval looks great on any nail, long or short.
What colors make you look rich? ›Black, white, and navy are always elegant colors that can make you look more expensive. Match your outfit with some assorted accessories, such as a couple of bracelets and a pair of sunglasses, for that extra visual effect.
What is the classiest nail shape? ›Best nail shape: Almond and Oval. Tapered shapes like almond elongate shorter or wider fingers. We recommend that you opt for rounded shapes in general, especially if you have a wide nail bed.
What nails look expensive? ›The best way to look rich is to go for a bold or vibrant color like red. There is nothing that screams rich like a bright color. If you want to go for a bold or vibrant color but are worried that it is too much, opt for a more neutral, timeless shade like a light, elegant pink shade.
What color looks best on toenails? ›Bright Red, Coral Pink, Hot Pink, Turquoise, Cobalt blue, Navy, Emerald Green, Fuchsia, Black, and White in the brightest of brightest hues on your toes will marry back best of all.
What nails go with every outfit? ›White. It's the go-to shade that gives you and effortlessly-chic and classy look. Don a set of white nails and you can elevate any outfit.
Should nail polish on fingers and toes match? ›Simply put, no – you mani and pedi doesn't have to match. Back in the day, it used to be mandatory to match the colour on your fingernails to your toes but, over the years this trend has become predictable and a little boring too.
What nail shape for older hands? ›
“Classic nail shapes, like round and oval, are especially flattering for aging hands,” says Tom Bachik, celebrity manicurist and global nail designer for L'Oréal Paris, whose client list includes Jennifer Lopez and Julianne Moore.
What colors are harder for an older person to see? ›Color-vision problems in the blue-yellow spectrum affected 45 percent of people in their mid-70s, and that proportion rose to two-thirds by the time people reached their mid-90s. Few people had problems with the red-green spectrum.
What Colours do older people prefer? ›Blue is the number one preferred color by all age groups and all genders and all ethnicities. Navy blue, sky blue, and aquamarine are particular favorites of seniors. Blue is a restful color with a calming effect. Blues can also instill trust and confidence.
What makes old skin look younger? ›Drinking enough water each day replenishes your skin's tissue and cells, allowing for younger and healthier looking skin. Another key to maintaining a youthful appearance is to simply get some rest! When you sleep, your body continuously releases hormones that promote cell turnover and renewal.
Which nail shape is classy? ›Oval. It doesn't get much more universally flattering than an oval nail shape. “Oval nails give an elegant look if you have long nails and lengthens if you have wide nail beds,” says Lee. The rounded shape features corners that curve inward into a semicircle.
What nail shape makes your hands look younger? ›“An oval-shaped nail helps fingers look longer, and in turn, makes hands look younger,” she explains. Another grooming tip from the pro: pay attention to your cuticles! “Be sure to keep your fingers well-manicured,” she says. “Clean and manicured nails—with or without polish—help hands look younger.”
What color makes people look younger? ›Caramel, honey, gold, copper, and strawberry give a healthy brightness that makes us look and feel younger. (Framing your face with lighter shades draws the eye away from any complexion concerns, as well.)
What colour makes you look younger? ›' What colours make you look younger? 'Creams, off whites, tans and golds reflect light onto the face and make us look younger. Dusky pinks and pale lilacs can also work wonders in turning back the clock,' Orla says.
How do you not look old when you're older? ›- Protect your skin from the sun every day. ...
- Apply self-tanner rather than get a tan. ...
- If you smoke, stop. ...
- Avoid repetitive facial expressions. ...
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. ...
- Drink less alcohol. ...
- Exercise most days of the week. ...
- Cleanse your skin gently.
Yellow is usually the color of happy, joyful emotions.
What color grabs the most attention? ›
Red is the color of power. It gets people's attention and it holds it, which is why it's the most popular color for marketing.
What is the best font for older eyes? ›Arial. As my TVI once explained, Arial is one of the best fonts for vision impairment because every letter is simple and looks different from the other letters, and it also looks fantastic in bold type.