A Halloween manicure can be one spider on one nail or a full set of pumpkins and bats. Below are three sets from our salon, followed by motifs, colors, and quieter options to choose from.
Detailed nail art starts with careful nail prep. At Why Not Nails in Brooklyn, our Russian manicure service focuses on cuticle and nail preparation before color and design are applied.
Halloween Nail Designs From Our Salon
Jack-o’-Lantern Faces. An orange and black set with a carved pumpkin on each nail. The faces need room for detail, so long coffin nails work especially well.
Blood Drips on a Clear Base. Red drips and splatter over a clear base. Long coffin and almond shapes show the drips best.
Bats and Pumpkins in Witch Colors. Purple, neon green, and silver on a long stiletto set, with bats and small pumpkins painted on a few nails. Each nail has its own design, and the same colors keep the set together.
Halloween Nail Motifs
One or two motifs per set is usually enough. Ten different ones start to look crowded.
- Pumpkins: Whole pumpkins, carved faces, or a tiny one near the cuticle.
- Ghosts: White ghosts with two black dots for eyes, on a milky or black base.
- Bats: Black bats flying from the tip or spread across the nail, on purple, orange, or green.
- Spider webs: Thin black or white lines, on one accent nail or over the whole set. The lines come out cleanest on a smooth, even base.
- Blood drips: Red drips running from the tip or from the cuticle, usually over a clear or pale base.
- Skulls and bones: White on black. One skull per hand keeps it from getting heavy.
- Black cats: A cat sitting on the edge of the nail, on orange or purple.
- Candy corn: Yellow, orange, and white stripes inspired by the classic Halloween candy.
Halloween Nail Colors
- Orange and black: The classic pair.
- Purple and green: A witchy combination. Add silver to separate them.
- Blood red and black: Works with drips or webs, or plain.
- Burgundy: A deep red that works well for a more understated Halloween look and is easy to wear into November.
- Black and white: Skulls, ghosts, and webs read clearly in this pair.
- Neon green and silver: Bright and cold. Looks good as chrome or as a plain color.
Subtle Halloween Nails
Not every nail needs a drawing. These need little or none, and burgundy, black, and deep purple are easy to keep wearing into November.
- Blood Red: A deep red that looks almost black in low light.
- Burgundy French: Dark red tips on a sheer pink or milky base.
- Glossy Black: Solid black with a shiny top coat. Nothing else.
- Spider Web Accent: A fine web on one or two nails, the rest in a solid color.
Halloween Pedicure Ideas
A Halloween pedicure doesn’t need art on every toe:
- Black with one pumpkin: A pumpkin on the big toe, the rest in solid black.
- Orange with tiny bats: A small bat on each big toe, the rest in orange.
- Dark red with a web: Solid dark red, with a small web on the big toe.
How to Choose Your Halloween Design
- Nail length: On short nails, one accent motif, a French tip, or tiny art looks best. Long nails have room for a motif on every nail.
- Costume: Take one color from your outfit: green for a witch, red for a vampire.
- Time: One accent nail takes less time than ten.
How to Book Halloween Nails at Why Not Nails
Bring one or two inspiration photos and tell us your nail length and shape. We will tell you what is possible and how much appointment time the design needs. Hand-painted details, chrome, and extensions can take longer, so book as early as you can before Halloween.
Learn more about our Brooklyn salon, or read our guide to regular manicure design ideas if you are still deciding.