Nail art has become an incredibly popular way for people to express their creativity and style.
With so many options for nail polish colors, designs, stickers, gems, and more, the possibilities for creating unique manicures are endless!
If you’re looking for some fresh inspiration for cute and funky nail designs to try, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s look at super cute and funky nail design ideas that are sure to make your nails stand out.
So grab your nail polish collection and get ready to take your manicures to the next stylish level! Let’s dive in and check out these 13 super cute and funky nail designs that you’ll definitely want to try.
Fruit Salad Nails
Fresh, delicious fruit is the perfect summer manicure inspiration. With the fruit salad nail design, you can have your nails looking sweet enough to eat!
Start by painting each nail a different bright color – go for different shades of pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The variety of juicy citrus and berry hues are what give this look its fruity vibes.
Once the base colors are dry, use a small dotting tool and white acrylic paint to add miniature white polka dots to your nails. The white dots resemble air bubbles and seeds, just like you would find in a refreshing fruit salad. Focus the polka dots more toward the tip of the nail for a graduated look.
To finish off the fruit salad nails, use a thin paintbrush and black acrylic paint to paint the outline of different fruit on each nail. Get creative with the fruit shapes – try pineapples, strawberries, grapes, oranges, cherries. The possibilities are endless! Outlining the fruits over the colorful ombré background makes it look like they are stacked in a bowl, ready to enjoy.
The fruit salad nail design is a bright, cheerful look that is perfect for summer. The juicy fruity details will have your nails looking good enough to eat all season long!
Galaxy Nails
These far-out galaxy nails bring a whole universe of style straight to your fingertips. The cosmic design is out of this world!
Start with a base coat in a rich, deep shade like navy or cobalt blue. This creates the night sky background. Once the base is dry, use a makeup sponge dipped in white, purple, blue, and pink nail polishes to dab on nebula-like cloud shapes. Build up the galactic clouds by repeating the sponging effect.
Next, use a dotting tool to dot on stars of varying sizes with white acrylic paint. Focus extra star detailing toward the tip of the nail. Make bigger stars to signify nearer planets and smaller dots for stars further away.
To give your galaxy more cosmic shimmer, apply iridescent glitter on top to represent distant flickering stars. Adhere tiny silver studs on your accent nails to depict orbiting moons and planets.
Finish this astronomical nail design with a holographic top coat for a supernova shine. Your wearable universe manicure will leave people starry-eyed!
Popsicle Nails
Treat yourself to tasty popsicle-inspired nails that look good enough to lick! This bright, playful design brings back nostalgic summer vibes.
Start with a clean white base on all your nails. Once dry, use nail striping tape to section off triangles at the tips of your nails. Paint the exposed triangles in different flavors like cherry red, orange, yellow, green, blue and grape purple.
Remove the striping tape to reveal yummy popsicle shapes on each nail. Use a dotting tool and black acrylic paint to add drip lines down the popsicles.
For added popsicle detailing, stud a few nails with rhinestones toward the base to look like popsicle sticks. Add smaller rhinestones on the colored tips to emulate dripped popsicle juice!
Finish with a shiny top coat, and your delicious ombré popsicle nails are complete. This mani is sweet summertime eye candy!
Watermelon Nails
Nothing says summer like juicy watermelon! Bring a slice of watermelon style to your nails with this refreshing design.
Start by painting your nails with a light green base coat. Once dry, use a makeup sponge to dab on pink, red, and white polish toward the tips to create a watermelon wedge effect.
Use a thin brush and black acrylic paint to outline a watermelon rind on your accent nails. Add watermelon seeds by dotting on tiny black and white dots. Stud a few accent nails with rhinestones to resemble water droplets on the melon.
Finish with a glossy top coat for added shine. Your fruity watermelon nails are ready to nibble on! Display your melon mani and it’s sure to garner compliments all season long.
Neon Geometric Nails
Bold neon colors and geometric shapes combine for an electrifying nail look this summer. This bright manicure will have your fingers looking fierce and fun.
Start with a clean base in a neutral nude or white shade. Section off your nails into geometric shapes using striping tape. Create triangles, circles, lines, and other graphic designs.
Fill in each section with different neon nail polish colors like yellow, green, pink, orange and blue. The brighter the shades, the better! Remove the striping tape carefully to display the vivid neon patterns.
For extra dimension, use a black striper brush to outline the geometric sections on accent nails. Apply a glossy top coat to make the neon shades really pop.
Flaunt your neon geometric nails for an electrifying summer style that’s colorful and cool from every angle!
Tie Dye Nails
Relive the far-out seventies with a modern tie dye manicure that’s totally groovy. This swirling design infuses peace, love and flower power into your nail look.
Start by painting all your nails white. While the base is still wet, drop different colored polishes like pink, purple, blue and yellow onto the nails. Use a toothpick to swirl the polish into free-flowing tie dye patterns.
Once satisfied with the swirled effect, use the excess polish on the toothpick to finely outline and define the tie dye design. Let your creative colors dry before sealing it all in with a shiny topcoat.
Add raindrop-shaped studs to accent nails for extra psychedelic flower child style. Your cosmic tie dye nails are blooming with peace and positivity!
Unicorn Nails
Let your nails shine with all the magic and color of these mystical unicorn nails! This is a manicure worthy of a fairytale.
Paint a clean base coat in a soft pastel like lavender, pink, or baby blue. Once dry, use a makeup sponge to gradient glitter polish from cuticle to tip. Choose an iridescent glitter polish that shifts from pink to purple for a magical unicorn look.
Use a thin brush and white acrylic paint to add star and moon shapes to accent nails. Outline some nails with white stripes to resemble unicorn horns. Stud your ring finger with rhinestones for extra sparkle.
Finish with a holographic top coat to seal in the charm. Your dreamy unicorn nails will captivate everyone with their fairytale allure!
Polka Dot Nails
Add some bounce to your manicure with playful polka dot nail art. This classic pattern instantly brightens your look.
Start with a clean base coat in the nail polish shade of your choice. Once completely dry, use a dotting tool and contrasting shade to dot on polka dots in graduating sizes. Focus larger dots at the base, getting smaller toward the tip.
For added whimsy, use striping tape to section off chevron shapes on accent nails. Fill in the chevron sections with alternating colors. Stud a few random dots with mini bows or rhinestones for extra sugar and spice.
Finish up your polka dot party nails with a shiny top coat to seal in the dots. This eternally chic print will have your mani looking utterly timeless!
Cow Print Nails
Unleash your inner cowgirl with fun and sassy cow print nails. Switch up your everyday mani with this playful bovine design.
Start by painting your nails white. Once dry, use black and brown striper brushes to paint on cow spots in varied shapes and sizes. Make some spots larger and clustered, with a few singular tiny spots here and there.
Stud rhinestones randomly on a few nails to look like cow udders. Paint black tips on your ring fingers to mimic cow noses. Finish with an extra layer of topcoat for a glossy cowhide look.
Tip: Less is more when it comes to polka dot and cow print nail art. Stick to just your fingernails so the patterns don’t look overcrowded. Your cowgirl chic mani will have you feeling downright pastoral!
3D Bow Nails
Tie your nails up in the cutest little bows for an adorable 3D nail art look. With just a few basic supplies, these decorative bows are simple to recreate.
Start with short square or coffin-shaped acrylics or press-ons for the base. Paint them in the color of your choice. Once dry, use a striper brush to paint on the outline of a bow, centered diagonally from corner to corner on each nail.
While the bow outline is still wet, press on fimo slices to fill in the bow shape. Use liquid fimo to attach a tiny ball in the center for a 3D bow accent.
Once the fimo has cured, seal in the design with a glossy top coat. These sweet tied up bow nails will add the perfect finishing touch to any manicure!
Glitter Ombre Nails
This glittery ombre nail design graduates from sultry shades to sparking glitz. Go from tame to dazzling with this eye-catching mani!
Start by painting on a nude, pink or taupe base shade. Once completely dry, use makeup sponges to apply glitter gradient polish. Dab on the glitter starting closer to the cuticle and adjusting the angle toward the tip to create the fade effect. Choose glitter shades that complement each other, like pink to gold or purple to blue.
Focus most of the glitter on the lower half of the nail, keeping the tips bare for a chic French ombre style. Build up the glitter gradient by repeating the sponging process until you achieve the desired ombre intensity.
Finish with a holographic top coat to make this glittery manicure mesmerizing from every angle!
Metallic Nails
Give your nails a futuristic chrome finish with this high-shine metallic look. These mirror-like nails offer the perfect dose of glam.
Start by painting a glossy base coat in a nude or pink shade. Once dry, use a makeup sponge to dab on metallic chrome nail polish. Focus application on the lower half of the nail, leaving the tips bare.
Alternate hands using silver chrome on one and rose gold or gold on the other for stylish asymmetry. For accent nails, apply the metallic polish in vertical stripes, alternating silver and gold.
Finish with a layer of topcoat for ultra-reflective mirror nails! Get your chrome on and dazzle everyone with this cutting-edge metallics mani.
Express yourself to the max by rocking any of these 13 super cute and funky nail designs! Whether you’re in the mood for a fruity, graphic, cosmic, or glittery style, you have endless options for creating standout manicure art.
The beauty of nail designs is that they allow you to switch up your look as often as you want, for any occasion. Have fun with different colors, patterns, studs, glitter and 3D detailing.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match either – you can always infuse your own flair into these designs.
So grab your favorite nail polishes and get creative trying out these trendy nail art ideas. Your tips are the perfect canvas for showing off your unique style and personality.
With the right amount of skill and imagination, you can DIY salon-worthy nails from the comfort of home.
Flaunt your fresh, head-turning nail art with confidence.
Whether it’s a juicy fruit salad, magical unicorns, or chic chrome, your fab nails will get noticed! So break out of your manicure comfort zone and try embellishing with new cute and funky designs. Your nails will thank you!
