20 Black Nail Designs That Are Beyond Stunning (2024)

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Once upon a time, black nails were considered to be a grunge beauty choice. Now, we're shown just how beautiful and chic they can be. When the polish choice is combined with trendy designs like French manicures and swirls, or when it's transformed with unexpected finishes, the end result is always eye-catching. To prove it, we rounded up nearly two dozen black nail designs currently trending on social media. No matter your manicure preference, you'll soon learn that black is one polish color that should never be off the table.

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Matte Black Leopard Nails

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Animal print nails are a popular pick, and they're even more alluring when paired with colorblocking and a black, matte finish. Best of all, this type of nail art is pretty simple to DIY. Start by dotting your nails (no need to be super neat with it), then use a fine-lining nail art brush to outline partial edges of the spots. Finish with matte topcoat et voila!

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Minimalist Black and Silver Nails

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If you prefer more minimalist nail art, consider a glossy micro French manicure interspersed with floral accent nails. This is yet another easy-to-DIY nail look. Where OrlyHalf Moon Guides($7) can help create perfectly crisp French tips, dotting tools can make painting flowers easier than ever.

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Gold Lightning Bolt Nails

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For a rocker chic mani, opt for a black and gold color palette. If you don't have a steady hand, you may want to enlist the help of a professional nail artist to recreate this nail art. Another option? Use nail decals—Etsy sells a bunch.

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Black and White Pastel Gradient Grid Nails

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Grid nails had a moment earlier this year so if you'd like to keep the trend rolling, opting for a black base is a way to go. Then, if you love color, too, you can add a gradient stripe here and there for a fun, '90s-inspired pop.

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Matte Black Crystal Nails

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While the solid black nails in this set will be easy to recreate, the magical accents will require notable skill, so go ahead and dial up your nail artist.

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Black Mix-n-Match Nails

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How fun are these black-and-white mix-n-match nails? With French tips, aura accents, and shimmering rhinestones, they're trendy in more ways than one.

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Matte Black Smiley Nails

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These matte black nails remind us of a chalkboard. The happy smiley faces will become a bright spot in your day, trust us.

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Dual-Finish Black French Tips

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Dual-finish French manicures are stunning, no matter what color you craft them with. Here, you can see how going darker doesn't take away from the nail look; it adds to it.

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Black Glitter Swirl Nails

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Swirl nails remain a popular request this year. When opting for black swirls, consider glamming it up with glitter while you're at it.

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Black Opal Heart Nails

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Black nail designs don't always require black bases. Sometimes, a sheer, shimmery base with black nail art is the way to go. Case in point? These pretty heart-dotted nails.

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Translucent Black Heart Nails

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Speaking of hearts and sheer nails, this jelly mani is cute, moody, and romantic all at once (the perfect gothic Valentine's look). Nail artist Dayanna I. Sapiens created the manicure using Cirque Colours Nail Polish ($13) in the shades Memento Mori and NSFW Jelly.

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Black Star Nails

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If you're not one for hearts, there's also the option of glossy black stars. We love that these are dotted with shiny rhinestones, too.

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Black Moon and Star Nails

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These long almond-shaped nails are even more magical with their black base and white astrology nail art. Nail artist Brittney Boyce created them for Megan Fox.

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Matte Black and White Scratch Nails

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Looking for a manicure that's easy to DIY? This matte black and white scratch nail idea is worth giving a whirl. Simply stick to solid coats for the black nails, then top off neutral nails with swatches of color as you see fit.

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Black Glitch Checker Nails

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How trippy are these black and white checker nails? Just looking at them makes us have to refocus, so we'd guess that you may want to book a nail appointment to bring these tips to life.

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Black and White Aura Nails

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Aura nails remain one of the most popular nail trends of the year. Here, you can see how black and white aura nails look. Dig it? You can recreate the look with a black base sponged with a white center.

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Black Grid Nails

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Grid nails don't require a solid base. With a clear base, the black lines can almost look like fishnets. If you add rhinestones, it only amps up the sex appeal.

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Black Jelly Nails

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A black jelly base topped off with solid black criss-cross stripes makes for a manicure that looks like a gift. You'll need a steady hand and a fine-lining nail art brush to DIY the look. You can also use thin nail tape as a guide for each stripe.

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Glossy Black and Gold Nails

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These ultra-glossy black and gold nails are nothing short of show-stopping. The trick to achieving such a stellar finish is to use a high-shine top coat, like the OPIInfinite Shine 3 ProStay Gloss($14).

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Black Grunge Ombre Nails

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We love an easy yet gorgeous nail look, and this black grunge ombre mani is just that. All you'll need to recreate it is a sponge, black polish, a sheer neutral base, and a glossy top coat. You may also want a touch-up brush to clean up the edges of your nails for a picture-perfect end look.

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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or expertise. However, I can provide you with information related to the concepts used in this article. Let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article:

Black Nail Designs

The article discusses the popularity of black nail designs and how they have evolved from being associated with grunge fashion to being considered beautiful and chic. It highlights different black nail designs that are currently trending on social media.

Trendy Designs and Finishes

The article mentions that black nails can be combined with trendy designs like French manicures, swirls, and unexpected finishes to create eye-catching looks. It provides examples of different designs, such as leopard print, minimalist black and silver nails, gold lightning bolt nails, black and white pastel gradient grid nails, and more.

DIY Nail Art

The article suggests that many of these nail designs can be done as do-it-yourself (DIY) projects. It provides tips and techniques for recreating the designs at home, including using dotting tools, fine-lining nail art brushes, matte topcoats, and Orly Half Moon Guides for creating crisp French tips.

Nail Artist and Professional Help

For more intricate designs or if you don't have a steady hand, the article suggests enlisting the help of a professional nail artist. It also mentions the availability of nail decals on platforms like Etsy, which can be used to achieve certain designs.

Different Nail Art Techniques

The article showcases various techniques used in black nail designs. These include colorblocking, floral accents, gradient stripes, crystal accents, mix-n-match patterns, matte finishes, dual-finish French tips, swirls with glitter, and more.

Base Colors and Sheer Nails

While the focus is on black nail designs, the article also mentions that black doesn't always have to be the base color. It suggests using sheer, shimmery bases with black nail art, as seen in designs featuring hearts, stars, moon and star combinations, scratch patterns, aura nails, and grid nails.

Glossy and Matte Finishes

The article highlights the use of glossy and matte finishes in black nail designs. It recommends using a high-shine top coat for achieving a glossy black and gold look and suggests using a matte topcoat for creating a chalkboard-like effect on matte black nails.

Ombre and Moody Manicures

In addition to individual nail designs, the article briefly mentions dark red nail ideas for creating a moody manicure. It suggests using an ombre technique with a sponge, black polish, a sheer neutral base, and a glossy top coat to achieve a grunge-inspired look.

The article provides a range of black nail design ideas, tips for DIY projects, and suggestions for seeking professional help to achieve specific designs. Whether you prefer minimalist styles or more intricate nail art, the article showcases different options to suit various preferences and trends.