Okay but—can we talk Halloween nails for a sec?
So last year, I decided to try doing my own Halloween nail art instead of paying someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Why? Because I saw one single TikTok of a girl painting tiny ghosts on her pinky and I was like, “Pfft. I could totally do that.”
Spoiler: I could not.
I ended up with something that looked like melted marshmallows… but not in the good s’mores way. Still wore them proudly to Target, though. Nobody questioned it. Maybe they thought it was on purpose. Maybe they just didn’t care. Either way—confidence, baby.
But now? I’ve got actual ideas. Real ones. Stuff that’s spooky and cute. Easy stuff, hard stuff (but worth it), and even a couple I straight-up stole from Pinterest. You ready?
🎨 Nail Art Rule #1: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
You don’t need to be a professional nail tech. You just need a steady-ish hand, a toothpick (yes really), and a little “what’s the worst that could happen” energy.
🦇 1. The Classic Bat Silhouette
Start black. Matte or glossy—dealer’s choice. Then just attempt to draw tiny bat wings. If it looks like a squashed butterfly… lean in. Make it a story.
“This one? Oh yeah, that’s Harold. He’s a retired vampire bat with scoliosis.”
Optional: Add some glitter. Halloween is drama. Bats deserve glitter.
👻 2. Ghosties on French Tips
French tip… but make it haunted. Paint your tips white, then use a dotting tool (or bobby pin, let’s not pretend we’re fancy) to blob a lil ghost shape. Two dots for eyes, optional little “O” mouth if he’s screaming. Like me at 1 a.m. when I realize I forgot to take the chicken out.
Also, bonus: ghosts are very forgiving. They’re supposed to look kinda jiggly. #Relatable
🧟 3. Zombie Skin Vibes
This one’s not for the faint-hearted. You mix gray, green, and a little nude polish and swirl it around messy. Like the nail version of when you tried contouring for the first time and gave up halfway through.
Top it with a matte coat and maybe add a little red veining if you wanna go full Walking Dead. Just don’t look too hard at your fingers while eating spaghetti. Trust me.
“I tried to paint a skull once… it looked like a potato with anxiety.”
—me, last October
And you know what? That’s fine. Because Halloween nail art isn’t about perfection. It’s about vibes.
So here’s more inspo. Pick what speaks to your soul (or your inner gremlin).
🕸️ 4. Spiderwebs (aka excuse to draw squiggles)
Spiderwebs are great because they’re supposed to be asymmetrical and a little chaotic. Just like your life.
Use a striping brush (or a toothpick dipped in polish) and make some “pizza slice” lines from a corner of your nail. Then connect them with curved lines like a really confused rainbow.
Want to be extra? Stick on a tiny rhinestone spider. Or don’t. Live your truth.
🩸 5. Blood Drips
Blood drip nails are like ketchup art but sexy.
Paint your nails red or black. Then use a darker red (or sparkly red if you’re feeling fancy vampire) and dab on little globs near your cuticle and drag them down. It looks like your nails are bleeding in the most fashionable way possible.
Perfect for holding your PSL while staring dramatically into the October fog.
🎃 6. Pumpkin Faces
Yes, you can paint a jack-o-lantern face. You’ve drawn worse on your notes during meetings.
Orange base. Black triangle eyes. Maybe a little smile. Bonus if you make each one a different mood. I had one last year that looked like it just saw its student loan balance.
One nail was literally just 😬.
🧛♀️ The Bougie Ones (That I Would Pay Someone to Do)
Not everything’s DIY-able, okay? Some designs are art. Here are a few I saw on IG that made me question my life decisions and/or seriously consider Venmo’ing a stranger $85 for spooky claws:
💀 7. Glow-in-the-Dark Skeleton Hands
These nails GLOW. Like actually glow. You’ll feel like a haunted rave queen.
Highly recommend for Halloween parties or if you wanna surprise yourself while scrolling your phone in the dark. (First time it happened I screamed. No regrets.)
🧙 8. Witchy Symbols
Moons, stars, little pentagrams… it’s the spooky cousin of astrology nails.
Pair it with black almond-shaped nails and you’ve got Hot Witch Energy™. You don’t even have to know tarot. Just nod mysteriously when people ask what your nails mean.
🕯️ 9. Drippy Candle Nails
These are way cooler than they sound. White, waxy-looking polish with a “drip” effect at the cuticle, fading into dark red or black.
They look like gothic Victorian candles. If Morticia Addams did a mani, it’d be this.
🧃 10. Cartoon Gore (Trust Me)
This is a lil weird, but hear me out. You know those stylized cartoon wounds and stitches? You can totally make that into nail art. Think Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas vibes.
Patchwork, stitches, neon green slime. If you do it right, it’s spooky-cute. If you do it wrong… it’s still a vibe.
Quick Ones for Lazy Ghouls (No Shame)
🐾 11. Black Cat Decals
You can literally buy these on Etsy and just stick them on a nude base. Done.
Someone will still ask if you got them done at a salon. You say yes. Nobody needs to know.
💜 12. Purple Glitter + One Eyeball
Yes. Just one eyeball. Make it the ring finger. Call it your “creepy little friend.”
Glitter hides a multitude of sins and also makes you look like you tried, even if all you did was slap some polish on during Hocus Pocus.
Final Thoughts That Are Not Actually Final about halloween nail art
You don’t need the “perfect hand pose” or 37 gel tools to rock some Halloween nail art. You just need:
- A vibe
- Some patience
- A good playlist (I recommend the Goosebumps theme followed by Olivia Rodrigo, don’t ask why—it works)
And honestly? If your nails end up looking a little wonky or like Picasso’s horror phase… even better. Halloween is weird. Your nails should be too.
Now go grab some black polish and paint something chaotic. I’m rooting for you, spooky nail warrior 🖤
