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Sometimes we just feel like dressing down to our skivvies, naked nails and all. Take the au natural look from the boudoir to the boardwalk with these nude nail designs that bare it all. Whoever said nude nails have to be boring, anyway?
Simple Nude Manicure With Magical Mauve Undertones
Nude nails don’t have to perfectly match your skin tone, just as this magical mauve manicure proves. People with cool undertones will love this purple and gray-heavy nude look. It’s delightfully soft and romantic and perfect for a subdued look.
Get the look: OPI's Icelanded a Bottle of OPI & Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Top Coat
Need to Know
If you have to choose between a base coat and a top coat, always go for the base. They help your polish last longer and also put up a barrier between your nails and the polish to prevent staining.
Klimt-Inspired Gold Foil Nude Nails
We’re going for gold with this next manicure. With a sheer nude polish and some gold foil, you can add a decadent appeal to the standard nude nail. Inspired by Gustav Klimt’s Golden Phase and his use of gold foil, this look walked straight out of a fine artist’s dream.
Get the look: OPI's Movie Buff, Nail-safe gold flakes, & Sally Hansen's Dries Instantly Top Coat
Nude Nails With a Graphic Pop Art Splash
Ignore anyone who tells you that you can’t add color to a nude nail design. These powder-blue-edged almond nails give a whisp of French tip energy while looking like they stepped out of the canvas of a pop art print. If you like to take a walk on the wild side, these nude nails are perfect for you.
Get the look: OPI's Stop It I'm Blushing!, Sally Hansen's Up In the Clouds, & OPI's Brilliant Top Coat
Related: 18 Pink Summer Nail Ideas Hotter Than the Rising Temps
Bye-Bye Beige Nude Nails
Nude nails don’t only describe pinks and beiges but encompass the whole spectrum of skin tones. Whether you’ve got tones of chestnut, mahogany, or cocoa running through your dermis, you can rock a nude nail. From delicious chocolate hues to lovely burnt umber tones, a simple cream polish can bring out the juiciest notes in your skin.
Get the look: Essie's Odd Squad Rich Brown & Habit Cosmetics' Top Coat
Need to Know
Pay attention to the top coats you use as they can give you different finishes. A matte top coat and a high-shine top coat can make the same base manicure look totally different.
Stick-and-Poke Inspired Nude Nails
Ever been caught giving your friends impromptu stick-and-poke tattoos in your dorm room as college Freshmen? Ah, just us then. Dots are a staple of the stick-and-poke tattoo style, and this edgy nude manicure adopts that practice. Pick a neutral nude base coat that works for you and then use a dotting tool to put perfectly circular dots of black polish at the base. It’s subtle enough that no one will bat an eyelash at even the strictest work environments.
Get the look: Essie's Rainwear Don't Care, Sally Hansen's Black Heart, & Sally Hansen's Dotting Tool Kit
Ballet Pink Is the Nude of the Dance World
There are a few unwritten rules for ballerinas and danseurs, the paramount of which is picking out the perfect ballet pink nail polish to keep your nails uniform and camouflaged. Embrace the frothy wonders of balletcore with a ballet pink “nude” manicure.
Get the look: Essie's Ballet Slippers & Pro Nail's Top Coat
Heart-Thumping Nude Nail Design You’ll Fall in Love With
Valentine’s Day might come and go in a flash, but the season of love is here to stay. Be the bleeding heart you were meant to be with this darling doodle-heart confetti manicure. Start with a sheer nude base and use a fine tip brush to paint on some little hearts. Once they’re dry, top them off with a glossy top coat and you’ll be the Queen of Hearts for weeks.
Get the look: OPI's Bubble Bath, OPI's Cajun Shrimp, Teoyall's fine liner brushes, & OPI's RapiDry Top Coat
Nude Nails That Sparkle & Shine
Give your nude nails a sophisticated edge with a few well-placed gems. How you arrange the rhinestones is up to you! Fill the whole nail full of a rhinestone fantasy or add just one or two at the base of your middle finger…just in case you need to deploy it.
Get the look: Revlon's Sheer Pink, Beadsland Rhinestone Kit, & Essie's Good to Go Top Coat
Give Yourself Nude Nails That Bare It All
While you might not be contractually forced to wear nude polish (looking at you Meghan Markle), there’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy an understated manicure. Nude nails might not have the wow factor that colorful 70s-inspired nails or Pantone Colors of the Year-inspired nails do, but you shouldn’t count them out just yet. With a little sparkle or shine, you can make your nude nail designs stand out.
