7 Best Matte Nail Polish Designs to Copy ASAP
These are crazy pretty.

You know those beauty trends that look really, really cool, no matter who's wearing them? (Lookin' at you, hair cuffs, shaggy bangs, and red lipstick.) Welp, you can officially add matte nail polish to the list; it's the only thing I'll be using for the next, uh, eternity.
Soft, hazy, and definitively understated, matte polishes turn any basic manicure into a legit beauty lewk. And to get you inspired to try the trend out immediately, I handpicked the prettiest, most screenshot-worthy designs to DIY at home.
Candy Striper Matte
I get it—the last time you wore Barbie-pink polish was probably when you still played with Barbies, but this megawatt color looks anything but elementary when paired with some minimalist stripes and a modern matte finish.
Design by @nailsbeauty2010
Neon-Red Matte
Matte polish gets a bad rap for being flat and dull—but I'm guessing those naysayers haven't seen these bright, neon-red designs. DIY the cut-out look by placing a thin strip of tape down the center of your painted-and-dried nail, layer on a white polish, and (once fully dried), peel off the tape to reveal the red polish beneath it.
Design by @insta.nails.salon
Black-and-Gold Matte
Goth meets prep with these inky-black nails that are offset with a strip of gold foil. Paint a few nails with matte black polish, then mix in a hint of gold by placing metallic nail tape across your clean accent nails, finish with a clear matte top coat.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Design by @nasrinahmadnia
Muted Blue Matte
The brilliance of matte polishes is that they manage to turn even the cutesiest of colors, like baby blue, into low-key, "what, this ol' thing?" statements. To get an extra creamy shade, mix a few drops of white polish in with your blue polish, then seal the manicure with a matte top coat.
Design by @nailtender
Negative-Space Stripes
To get these segmented, three-shade nails, place two pieces of tape over your nail, leaving a thin strip between the two. Paint the empty space with white nail polish, then (after it fully dries), cover half of the stripe with another piece of tape and paint the rest of the stripe red. After that polish dries, move the tape again to section off another part of the nail and paint it black. Finally, mattify the whole look with a matte top coat.
Design by @tior_nails
Matte Peach Designs
DIY this leafy design by dipping a thin nail brush into white polishand tracing the edges of your ring fingernail to create a border. Then, draw a wavy diagonal line down the nail and a few wavy lines branching out from it to create the leaf pattern. Paint the rest of your nails peach, then cover all 10 nails with a matte top coat.
Design by @bullienka
Matte Milk Chocolate
I don't know what looks better—the square of chocolate, or the matching matte-brown nails. (The answer is the chocolate. Always the chocolate.) Sing an ode to dessert—or all of the '90s, if that's more your thing—with a soft-brown matte manicure that looks genuinely creamy in real life.
Design by @farmasiiozell

Chloe Metzger is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, overseeing the editorial content and growth strategy of the hair, makeup, and skin space on digital, while also obsessively writing about the best hair products for every hair type (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare routines that really, truly work (follow her on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes pics of that magazine life). She brings nearly a decade of writing and editing expertise, and her work has appeared in Allure, Health, Fitness, Marie Claire, StyleCaster, and Parents. She also has an unhealthy adoration for Tom Hanks and would like to please meet him one day, if you could arrange that. Thanks.
-
'Forever' Is Renewed for Season 2. Here's Where Creator Mara Brock Akil Thinks Keisha and Justin's Story Could Go Next
"What I love about the ending and the complexity is that love is intact."
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Wedding Broke Tradition in a Surprising Way
It made the day much more in line with the average wedding.
-
30 Pieces at Zara and H&M to Instantly Elevate Your Summer Work Wardrobe
Chic picks for $100 or less.
-
Emma Stone’s Latest Manicure Proves That Red Is the New Neutral
It's the new neutral.
-
The 2025 Met Gala Beauty Looks Were Even Better at the After-Parties
The behind-the-scenes hair and makeup we missed on the navy carpet.
-
Patrick Ta's Major Glow Bronzing Body Oil Gives My Skin a Vacation Glow—Without the Vacation
Patrick Ta's newest drop gives a vacation glow without the vacation.
-
Rihanna's Favorite Met Gala Beauty Accessory? Her Baby Bump
The mogul's look is her interpretation of the night’s theme: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.
-
Laura Harrier's Met Gala Makeup Stays Glowy-Not-Greasy Thanks to This $14 Setting Spray
Locked in "from the carpet to the dinner and to all the after parties."
-
Zendaya's 2025 Met Gala Makeup Is Going on My Bridal Beauty Board
Feminine and edgy, all in one.
-
Starface and Heaven by Marc Jacobs Merge Skincare and Streetwear in a Grungy New Collab
Everyone's favorite pimple patches team up with a fashion icon.
-
Blake Lively’s Rose-Quartz Manicure Gives "Dreamy Marble Magic"
Minimalist nails with a little something extra.