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Your Next Manicure: The 5 Cutest Nail Design Trends Right Now

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.

I love getting my nails done, but I feel like every time I get them, I find myself wishing I would’ve chosen a different design after I’ve had them for a week. I have a Pinterest board overflowing with nail designs, so here are my five favorite trends I’ve seen in nail designs recently! Hopefully these will help you pick a design you’ll love until your next manicure like they’ve helped me!

1. TortoiseShell

The first trend I’ve fallen in love with is tortoiseshell nails, especially tortoiseshell French tips. I think this is the perfect design for fall, even into the month of November!

2. Gingham

Next, I love gingham on everything, but once I saw it as a nail design I was obsessed! I think adding gingham to a manicure makes the nails interesting without being too out-of-place, and it’s an easy design that you can do yourself if you don’t feel like going to a nail salon.

3. Cat Eye

Cat eye nails are so unique and I think they’re the perfect twist on chrome nails. These are done using a glitter polish and a magnet, so it may be a little difficult to do at home, but the final product is so beautiful!

4. 3-D Designs

I’ve seen gems and pearls on nails before, but I fell in love with the new trend of 3-D designs for manicures. The designs become 3-D by using base gel nail polish and pooling it directly onto the nail in your design of choice to cure it. I think these are so unique and make your nails pop out in the perfect way!

5. Mismatched Patterns

This has been a trend for a while, but I’m a sucker for a manicure with a different design on each nail! I think this is the perfect way to pick what matches your personality and style the best, and there are endless possibilities for what you can create.

Hi! My name is Abby Shoemaker, and I'm a first-year student at North Carolina State University majoring in both industrial and systems engineering and psychology! I love reading, listening to music (especially Ariana Grande and Juice WRLD), shopping, and swimming. When I'm not writing or with my friends, you'll find me organizing something, doing my nails, or watching those 5-hour deep dive videos on YouTube.