10 Ombre Nail Ideas With a Soft Gradient
Ombre nail ideas: pink and white baby boomer, nude to brown, red ombre, purple, glitter ombre and blue fades, plus how to do a sponge gradient at home.
The palette
Ombre nails fade from one colour to another. Done softly, they look airbrushed and elegant. Done in bold shades, they feel fun and summery.
Here are ten gradients, from classic pink and white to rich winter fades.
-
1. Baby Boomer
The classic pink to white fade.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Pink to white
- Salon level
- Moderate
Would you wear this?
-
2. Nude to Brown
A warm fade from nude to chocolate.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Nude to brown
- Salon level
- Moderate
-
3. Red Ombre
Sheer pink fading into deep red.
- Shape
- Oval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Pink to red
- Salon level
- Moderate
-
Read next10 Cat-Eye Nail Ideas With That Magnetic Glow
-
4. Purple Fade
Lilac to deep purple.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Lilac to purple
- Salon level
- Moderate
-
5. Glitter Ombre
Gold glitter fading from the tip.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Glitter
- Shade
- Nude to gold glitter
- Salon level
- Easy
-
6. Blue Sky
Pale blue fading into white.
- Shape
- Oval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Blue to white
- Salon level
- Moderate
-
7. Sunset Ombre
Orange to pink. Warm and bright.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Orange to pink
- Salon level
- Moderate
-
8. Black Ombre
Nude fading into black.
- Shape
- Almond
- Length
- Medium
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Nude to black
- Salon level
- Moderate
-
9. Sideways Ombre
A fade across the hand: one colour per nail.
- Shape
- Oval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Gloss
- Shade
- Pale to dark pink
- Salon level
- Easy
-
10. Matte Ombre
Mauve to plum with a matte top coat.
- Shape
- Squoval
- Length
- Short
- Finish
- Matte
- Shade
- Mauve to plum
- Salon level
- Moderate
If you are trying ombre for the first time, choose two colours that are close together, such as pink and white. Big jumps in colour are harder to blend.
For a related look, see French tip nails and aura nails.
Your questions, answered
How do you do ombre nails at home?
Paint two colours side by side on a makeup sponge, dab it onto the nail, and repeat. Clean the skin with a brush and acetone afterwards.
What is baby boomer nails?
It is a pink to white ombre. It looks like a softer, blended French manicure.
Does ombre work on short nails?
Yes. Use two close colours, so the fade still looks smooth on a smaller nail.
Part of our guide: The Winter Nail Guide
Save it for your next appointment
Pin this post so it's ready when you're in the chair.
Save to Pinterest
