The 10 Best Nail Looks of the Week Feature Moody Hearts and Georgia O'Keeffe Florals
Dress (your nails) for the weather you want.
As a born and raised LA native, my birthday falling on Groundhog Day didn’t mean much to me. Not once did I have to subject my friends to sub-zero temps for a night out to celebrate or worry about winter lasting longer than expected because a furry—but adorable—weather forecaster did in fact see its shadow. But now that I’ve been in New York for 11 years, my birthday not only brings me existential anxiety, but also weather-based fear. So this week’s best nail looks are the ones that do two things: 1) put me in a spring state of mind 2) help me manifest the weather that will prove Punxsutawney Phil wrong.
There are some floral looks (I know, how groundbreaking) inspired by one of my favorite painters. Some of my favorite fictional characters are used in some incredible nail designs. And because the day of love also happens to fall over the weekend, I picked more unique Valentine’s Day nails that you could wear all year round if you like them.
Below are the 10 best nail looks of the week. Happy self-care Saturday.
Garden Pond
It’s never too early to think about spring (especially when some of us are fighting for our lives against the black ice and piles of snow) and this mani gets me super excited for when temps get above 50. Created by nail artist San Sung Kim, this mesmerizing green velvet nail really is like a magical garden pond.
Paddington Stamps
This beyond adorable nail set created by nail artist and content creator Brydie Leishman takes inspo from her phone case that is covered in vintage-inspired stamps. You’ll find one of my personal favorite bear characters (if Paddington 2 didn’t make you cry, I don’t trust you), the iconic London red phone booth, and so many fun decals. I mean, Paddington Bear and an ode to the lost art of letters? Sign me up ASAP.
Sailor Moon
This nail set created by nail artist Chelsey Downie makes my inner child so happy. An homage to one of my favorite superheroes, you get a mix of black and pink shades, heart jewels, little Artemis, and, of course, Sailor Moon herself. It’s super fun and if I were wearing this, I would definitely feel empowered to fight off evil.
The V-Day Blues
I love a Valentine’s Day nail that uses unexpected colors. Nail artist and content creator Melanie Graves makes a vibrant baby blue the focal point of her cake-inspired nails and to top it all off, red heart and cherry decals for a sweet added touch.
Dark Romance
Speaking of loving unexpected V-Day colors, I think there’s something romantic and moody when using black as your main nail shade. Nail artist Paula Rumjanceva dresses up a glossy black nail with black matte heart shapes at the tip. It’s the perfect mani for the secret lover girl who plays it cool on the outside, and has the biggest heart on the inside.
Black and White
Name me a color combo superior to black and white; the classic duo always make for a dynamic nail look. Case in point: this mani created by Nia Ho, nail artist and co-owner Lanicure Nail Bar. You get abstract art and geometric designs for something really memorable.
Lace French Tip
Last week I couldn’t stop raving about lace nails, and this week will be no different. Nail artist Samantha Araujo created these heart lace French tips that are just so pretty, I can’t wait to try these myself.
Sonic Chrome
I love a good chrome moment. Celebrity nail artist Queenie Nguyen uses silver chrome on long almond-shaped nails with a magenta star in the middle for something cool and futuristic.
Negative Space Tips
If I had to pull a Valentine’s Day look with classic V-Day shades, it would be this minimally chic French mani by celebrity nail artist Mo Qin. Qin uses a deep red to outline a French tip against a bare base with tiny heart decals. It’s festive without being too loud, which is how I like it.
Georgia O’Keeffe Pansies
I’ve long wished to be an art girl, so anything that pays tribute to the greats will always catch my attention. Inspired by American modernist painter Georgia O’Keeffe and her iconic floral art, nail artist Audrey paints on these black and purple pansies against a bare nail for a truly stunning look.
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