14 Valentine’s Day Nail Ideas That You’ll Want To Wear All Month

Call it retro or call it lazy, but February 2020's best nail art designs are taking the old-school approach to Valentine's Day nail art. Instead of leaning towards all things futuristic, these designs are taking it back to the days of high-shine cherry red polish and miniature heart accents. However, that doesn't mean the desire for some modern appeal has completely taken a backseat. Styles are still simplistic with heart outlines being incorporated into negative space, and reds being accented with jewels and shades of gold.

"A lot of my very fashion-forward clients have been coming in and requesting something chic but still true to the Valentine's Day aesthetic," Ella Nguyen, founder of Leapia Nail Art Lounge in New York City, tells TZR. And it seems as though romance is bringing out everyone's inner minimalist. "This is the time of year that people want nail art that's cool, elegant and universally appealing, yet so easy to apply," Jin Soon Choi, editorial manicurist and founder of the JINsoon Spas in New York City says. "Valentine's Day trends this year are definitely that."

So ahead, check out how the typical Valentine's Day nail trends have gotten a stylish remix, but are staying true to their roots.

Valentine's Day Nail Trend: Cherry Reds

"This is such a fun nail art look and adds a little something extra special," Sarah Gibson-Tuttle, founder of Olive & June nail salon in Los Angeles says. "Our polish is truly long-lasting so this design is great if you're looking at a day five mani that still looks perfect, you can add a metallic accent that follows your cuticle line that will also help hide grow-out."

Valentine's Day Nail Trend: Dark Heart French

"I call this this the singles mani," Nguyen jokes. "I suggested a Valentine's Day mani for a client and she said, 'I’m still single, so let’s do black!' The heart tip complements her round nail shape very well, and the negative space makes manicures look eternally fresh."

Valentine's Day Nail Trend: Chic Ombré

When you can't land on just one hue of color, don't. “I'm a believer that if you can't decide on which version of a color you want on your nails, then use them all. Looks like these are subtle and eye-catching and consist simply of a few — or several — variations of the color family of your choice," Choi says.

Valentine's Day Nail Trend: Accent Hearts

"Nail art always wins when you're looking to add a festive flare to your mani. I love the combination of pink with red accent hearts," Tuttle says. "A good DIY option is using nail art stickers. Just peel, stick, place and topcoat! So easy and you can wear them all week or add them on the day of a party or date to up your mani game." Nguyen agrees. "For those who do want a traditional spin — let's says someone who prefers a nude nail — add a small heart to one or two fingers." Pro tip: Try this look at home using a small heart decal. Simply wait for the base color to dry, apply the stencil in the preferred spot, and paint a heart in any hue.

Valentine's Day Nail Trend: Exaggerated French

French manicures clearly have no rules. Whether you want a larger tip, a slanted tip, or even one with no real rhyme or reason, the classic look continues to evolve. "Color block meets exaggerated reverse French with this one," Choi says. "Paint a straight line from the middle, or preferred area across and fill in the bottom half."