12 Heart Nail Designs, From Tiny to Statement
Heart nail designs for every style: micro hearts, heart French tips, outlined hearts, 3D hearts and more, plus tips for doing them at home.
The palette
Hearts are the most-saved nail art motif for a reason: they are easy to read from across the room and easy to do, even at home with a dotting tool.
Here are twelve ways to wear them, starting with the smallest and working up to full statement.
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1. Micro Hearts
A single tiny heart, barely bigger than a freckle, on each nail.
- Shape
- Oval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss with nail art
- Shade
- Sheer with red hearts
- Salon level
- Moderate
Would you wear this?
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2. Heart Tips
The French tip ends in a heart instead of a smile line.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Nude with pink heart tips
- Salon level
- Advanced
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3. Outlined Hearts
Thin black outlined hearts on a milky base look like a sketch.
- Shape
- Squoval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss with nail art
- Shade
- Milky with black outline
- Salon level
- Moderate
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Read next15 Valentine's Day Nails That Aren't Too Cute
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4. 3D Gel Hearts
Small raised gel hearts add texture. Keep them to one or two nails.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss with 3D art
- Shade
- Pink with 3D hearts
- Salon level
- Advanced
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5. Half Heart Cuticle
Half a heart framing the cuticle, in red. Clever negative space.
- Shape
- Oval
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Red half hearts
- Salon level
- Advanced
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6. Chrome Hearts
Silver chrome hearts on a sheer base catch the light beautifully.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss and chrome
- Shade
- Sheer with silver
- Salon level
- Advanced
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7. Mismatched Heart Accents
Each nail a different shade of pink, with a tiny heart on two of them.
- Shape
- Squoval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Pink shades
- Salon level
- Moderate
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8. Big Red Heart
One big red heart on a nude accent nail. A statement, but just one.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss with nail art
- Shade
- Nude with red heart
- Salon level
- Moderate
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9. Heart Polka Dots
Scattered tiny hearts in two shades of pink. Playful and pretty.
- Shape
- Oval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss with nail art
- Shade
- White with pink hearts
- Salon level
- Moderate
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10. Black Heart Goth
Small black hearts on a deep red base. Valentine's with an edge.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss with nail art
- Shade
- Red with black hearts
- Salon level
- Moderate
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11. Lavender Hearts
White hearts on a soft lavender base. A pastel take that carries into spring.
- Shape
- Oval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss with nail art
- Shade
- Lavender with white hearts
- Salon level
- Moderate
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12. Gold Foil Heart
A heart made from gold foil on a milky nail. Delicate and a little luxe.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss with gold foil
- Shade
- Milky with gold heart
- Salon level
- Advanced
Practise on a piece of paper or a nail wheel first. Two dots and a drag is all it takes, and you'll have it by the third try.
More Valentine's ideas live in our Valentine's nails edit.
Your questions, answered
How do you paint a heart on your nail?
Place two dots side by side with a dotting tool, then drag each one down to a point so they meet. It is easier than it looks.
What tool do I need for heart nail art?
A dotting tool or the round end of a bobby pin, plus a fine liner brush for outlines.
Do heart nails work on short nails?
Yes. Keep the hearts small so they don't crowd the nail.
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