The wonderful world of acrylic nails is home to so many fun and innovative designs. Although they're frequently associated with extra-long looks, acrylics actually let you experiment with different lengths and interesting styles, whether you want a short, square French manicure or a set of lengthy, neon-pink, stiletto-shaped nails.
You'll want to make sure you love the nail art design you choose because these manicures are long-lasting. Acrylics tend to be stronger than gel nails, nail artist Brittney Boyce previously told Allure. They're created by mixing a powder (polymer) — usually clear, but the powders come in a range of colors — and a liquid (monomer) into a dough-like consistency that, when it hardens, can be filed and molded. From there, a talented nail artist can create whatever your imagination conjures. glass lgp
If you're worried about potential damage to your nails, don't be. The key to healthy nails with acrylics is proper removal with the right tools (like lots of acetone) and tons of time and patience. (This how-to guide has all the steps for at-home removal, though we highly recommend you have the process done by a pro.) The right nail technician will be able to care for your natural nails whether you use acrylic powders, gel polishes, or gel extensions. And don’t overthink the look of fake nails, either: Acrylics can be made to look super natural like they’re your very own nails.
For some fresh ideas, peruse this gallery full of acrylic manicures in square, stiletto, coffin, almond, and even lipstick shapes. We're sure you'll be able to find exactly what you need for your next nail appointment.
Black nails were a hit on the fall/winter 2023 runways and continue to be a classic manicure option, even in the summer. This mani created by Morgan Taylor lead nail artist Danielle Candido, proves that when glossy black nail polish is painted on long, stiletto acrylics, it makes for a sleek manicure that’s dangerously sexy.
Everyone has Barbie on the brain, including NYC-based nail artist Miss Pop, who created this pretty-in-pink, almond-shaped mani. The dark pink half-moon at the base of the nail gives this set a cool Art Deco vibe.
This clear acrylic nail set is made better with pretty florals all over. Manicurist Wendy (a.k.a., Wownailsiom on Instagram) calls these “encapsulated nails” because they look like real flowers encased in clear glass.
Whoever said short nails are boring hasn’t seen this manicure by Pennsylvania-based artist Jayda Delaware of The Nail Fiend. Short acrylic nails can still make a statement — just add a few nail rhinestones and gold foil and voilà, a mani fit for royalty.
White nails always make a statement. Manchester, UK-based nail artist Becky Armstrong elevated this simple look with thin lines of gold foil around the perimeter of each nail. This luxe reverse French manicure is a 10 out of 10 in our book.
These twists and turns are dizzying. San Diego-based nail artist Dani Rodriguez painted chrome purple and white swirls on a glossy nude base to create this trendy look.
Ignite your inner cool girl with this orange and yellow French manicure. Pennsylvania-based artist Symfani nailed the contrast between orange and yellow in this eye-catching mani. If you look closely, you’ll also see the silver nail gems that add a subtle sparkle.
If you can’t make it to the tropics this year, bring the island vibes to your nails with this colorful floral French manicure. We love the way Texas-based nail artist Kaitlyn of Nailsxkaiit mixed two classic designs and incorporated bright colors to create this vibrant summer art.
Cow print has been a super popular nail trend for a while now, but Georgia-based nail artist Sydney Martin demonstrates a new way to incorporate the design. Ditch the usual white and black for a clear base with baby-blue splotches, as seen on these extra-long, tapered, square nails.
You may be used to seeing dramatically long acrylic nails, but they don't always have to be lengthy. Just look at this manicure from Brooklyn-based nail artist Meisty Gawdess. The length is perfect for those who are intimidated by longer styles or live a lifestyle where shorter nails are a must. We love each bright shade she chose to create the angled lines at the tips of this square-shaped set.
Hello Kitty was a fixture in many of our lives and Houston-based nail artist Jasmine created a perfect tribute to the fictional character with this neon manicure. Jasmine's known for her ‘90s-influenced designs, and we can definitely see that here, especially on the middle and index fingers. We love the way the 3D decals, like Hello Kitty's face, look next to the abstract art.
You can never go wrong with a chalk-white set, like these nails from Durham, NC-based nail artist Kiea Taylor. She elevated the simple set with an encapsulated accent nail on each hand. Look closely and you'll see the pieces of iridescent and gold glitter flecks.
Playing around with different acrylic nail designs on each finger makes for more fun than sticking to just one look. And this mismatched manicure, created by Brooklyn-based Jasmine Lewis, is proof. We can't decide which nail we like best, but the way she incorporated bright yellow, orange, pink, green, and blue is impressive.
Cincinnati-based nail artist Myaa Nicole created this gorgeous lipstick-shaped manicure that plays with neon pink, canary yellow, and lavender. We like the way one hand has swirls that transition between the three shades while the other hand has small blobs of each color. Of course, Nicole had to add some bling, but she switched it up on each hand. One index finger is completely covered in silver caviar jewels while the ring finger on the other hand has silver gems arranged in swirly loops.
London-based nail artist Zey is responsible for artfully painting this nude French manicure. These C-curve tips are completely hollow and outlined simply in a tan, white, or brown color. The ring finger has Powerpuff Girls-inspired hearts in a series of similar shades.
Atlanta-based nail artist Jasmine Jones put together this sheer pink manicure with cloudy white accents. She also added tiny star details to each nail, plus some 3D jewels because who doesn't love a little sparkle? This extremely long manicure has two nail shapes instead of one: The index and pinky fingers are lengthy stilettos, while the middle and ring fingers take on a tapered, square shape.
These long, square nails almost look good enough to eat with the chocolate sprinkles and white swirls of polish meant to represent whipped cream. Houston-based nail artist Sophia Rice painted this ice cream-inspired set that started with a light brown acrylic base.
Brooklyn-based nail artist Zariah Tulloch marbled colored acrylic powders to create this glittery manicure. She added flecks of blue glitters to the swirled creation full of bright, summery shades.
Another French manicure — but this time on an oval-shaped set. UK-based manicurist Elisha Emilius created white, C-curve tips for these medium-length nails. With a dotting tool and a fine-detail brush, she added dots of red polish to form the cherries and lines of green for the stems.
New York City-based Alba Marina added colorful neon dots to this nude manicure. The tiny circles increase in size the closer you get to the tips. The square-shaped, medium-length manicure is the perfect style for work if you're looking for just a touch of color to wake up your nudes.
There are so many animal prints to try, like the croc print in this green manicure. The olive hue contrasts well with the lighter lime shade. These long, coffin-shaped nails belong to Tyra A. Seals, one of the founders of BlkGirlNailfies, where she helps curate a gorgeous Instagram feed of nail selfies, or nailfies, from Black women.
This swirly, purple, square-shaped manicure was carved by Los Angeles manicurist Đaô Vo. Vo used blooming gel to create this gorgeous marble effect. Notice the tiny ripples of gold glitter, almost like bolts of lightning in clouds.
Columbus-based nail artist Adorea Rhodes used a water-marbling technique to mix the vibrant colors in this manicure. These nails truly look like works of art with expertly swirled shades of yellow, pink, purple, mint, and orange.
We love all the different ways you can mix and match nail designs, like this stunning pink manicure sculpted by Brooklyn-based nail artist Kyla. The thumb and index finger have a swirly pink and white marble design, while the middle finger is covered in tiny jewels. The ring finger has a pink base with loopy white lines and the pinky stands out with a pure white base and teeny pink eyes.
Atlanta-based manicurist Eris Ice carved out these lengthy stilettos. She really demonstrated her talent here with the clean, sharp shape and chocolate-brown cow spots that decorate each nail.
Mississippi-based nail artist Axayla Nashae created this bejeweled acrylic set that looks like it's fit for royalty. She tells Allure she started off with a nude acrylic powder mixed with a shimmer powder for a subtle glittery effect. Then she added the multicolor gems, including the Gucci logo, drawing inspiration from images of Black women's nails from the '90s for the placement of each decoration.
London-based nail artist Naysap put together this encapsulated freestyle set. Her client chose a few stickers and glitter acrylic and let the artist go to work. There's an interesting mix of decals, like the green four-leaf clovers, the Rick Sanchez sticker, and the tiny Hello Kitty. The random assortment works with the green, blue, and purple shades of glitter to tie this manicure together.
Bay Area-based nail artist Agatha Mae hand-painted each individual design (five in total) onto these almond-shaped nails. One nail has a black base with a slim, green alien drawn. On the next finger, is a cow print with a white base and black spots. There's another animal featured in this mani — a slithering snake drawn in black polish on a peach nail. There's also a bright yellow smiley face on a cobalt nail, and, for the last design, she used different colors on both nails: One finger has a red base with green, blue, and a darker red spread out on the nail; the other hand has yellow with green, red, and blue.
Houston-based artist Paige Carthon expertly crafted this bright-yellow manicure. She mixed a few different nail designs here — a French, then a glitter marble, ombré, and 3D decals. And her shaping of this lengthy, square set is superb.
Jasmine truly has mastered adding that '90s-inspired curve as she did with this peachy set. (She even sells press-ons with the dramatic arch.) We love the slightly glittery finish on all the nails, plus the shimmery, bronze-pinky ones. The two brown-and-pink marble index fingers make great accent nails.
Loopy lines in various shades will always look cute, like this lavender design. We like how Zey added a heart that reaches across the middle and ring fingers. The purple, pink, and white shades look gorgeous next to each other.
Ice painted this 101 Dalmatians-inspired set. We love the long stiletto shape and we have a good feeling that one of the most fashionable Disney villains would also approve. The addition of the red, heart-shaped gems and faint red line at the cuticle adds the perfect touch to this animal-print manicure.
Jelly nails grew in popularity in 2019 and for good reason: They're super cute and allow you to play around with different colors and styles. This set from Taylor is a clear one with a glitter twist. On one hand, she swirled purple glitter across the nails to create a loopy effect, then did something similar on the other hand, but with yellow shimmers instead.
Gawdess bodied this neon manicure with a different color on each finger. We love that she added tiny eye details on each nail in various colors and formations. The way she arranged the eyes into a heart shape on the index finger really takes the cake.
acrylic plain sheets This set by Lewis has all the retro of the glorious '80s. We're loving the color palette she used here: The green, lavender, blue, and yellow shades complement each other well. And she expertly added the black and white lines and circles that really make this artwork so nostalgic.