20 Simple Nail Designs for a Less-Is-More Manicure (2025)

Table of Contents

Thin Lines and Subtle Sparkles Half Moon Nails Plain Yet Pearlescent Super Simple Dots Itsy Bitsy Bling Polka Dot Pops Bright Pink Swirls Angular French Tip Red All Over Half ‘n Half Nails Dainty Heart Sprinkles Negative Space Swirls Sorbet Ombré Shining Stars Textured French Tips Light Aura Nails Winding Ribbon Studded Neutrals Burgundy French Tips Simple Black Stars References

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As much as we love elaborate 3D designs and intricate French tips, there’s just something so chic about rocking a clean, minimalist mani. And make no mistake, going back to the basics doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, there is so much beauty in simplicity. From subtle glitter accents to barely-there ombré, there are countless ways to make your neutral nails pop with simple nail designs.

For anyone dipping their toes (or fingers) into the world of nail art, we’ve rounded up 20 of the best simple nail designs that effortlessly elevate any manicure. Plus, these sleek and understated designs are extra easy to DIY.

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Thin Lines and Subtle Sparkles

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For a chic yet edgy mani, add a touch of sparkles at the top of each nail and a line of black polish straight down the middle. It’s the perfect mix of girly and grunge.

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Half Moon Nails

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What’s more natural than showing off your naked nails? In this design, leave the very base of your nails blank in a half-moon shape, and paint the rest with any color of your liking.

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Plain Yet Pearlescent

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When Hailey Bieber and her nail artist, Zola Ganzoright, created the "glazed donut" manicure, chrome powders quickly became a staple in every manicurist's collection. To keep the look more basic, apply a sheer wash of polish over your nails and top with pearl chrome for some added shimmer.

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Super Simple Dots

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Making minimalist manicures more fun is all about adding small, intentional accents. Here, nail artist Lauren Phelps did just that by popping three tiny dots on each nail in a vertical line.

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Itsy Bitsy Bling

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Level up your go-to nude pink polish extra by adding colorful rhinestone accents. Nail gems come in all different shapes and sizes, so simply pick your preferred aesthetic and secure the 3D art by the base of each nail—or wherever your heart desires!

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Polka Dot Pops

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For a simple yet fun nail look, try adding some small white polka dots over a neutral brown polish. Investing in a dotting tool can make recreating this design at home ultra easy.

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Bright Pink Swirls

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Simple nails definitely don’t have to be neutral. To add some color to your look, top off your light pink nails with swirly swatches of neon pink. Carefully glide on the polish using the thin side of the brush, or opt for a smaller brush of your own for more precision.

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Angular French Tip

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A classic French tip is oh-so timeless, but can definitely feel overdone. Instead, try out this more angular version by tracing the left corner of your nails with black polish.

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Red All Over

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You can never go wrong with a red manicure. No matter the season, red nail polish remains classic and cool in every hue. For a little more spunk, you can create a 3D accent nail by applying a ring of clear builder gel around one—or many—tips.

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Half ‘n Half Nails

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Can’t decide between brightly colored or nude nails? Just do both! Apply nude polish on one half and your favorite color on the other. For a super crisp line, you can place a piece of tape in the middle of the nail between painting your first and second colors. Just make sure the first coat has completely dried before sticking it on.

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Dainty Heart Sprinkles

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Whether it's Valentine's Day or date night, if you want to channel romantic energy in your nails, this sweet mani is for you. Tiny red hearts can be painted on by hand using a small detail brush, or (to make your life a little easier) place some small heart nail decals across your manicure.

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Negative Space Swirls

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Not in the mood to cover your entire nail in polish? No problem. Swipe a few small strokes of your favorite colors across each nail and trace the border with a thin white line. The finished result makes the scattered swipes feel intentional.

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Sorbet Ombré

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While ombré nails look intricate, they’re surprisingly easy to do as long as a sponge is available to help dab on and blend out the polish. This barely-there design was created by combining pastel pink, purple, and green colors for a subtle, sorbet-like look.

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Shining Stars

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Shine bright like the stars with this simple yet shimmery mani. Pick your natural nail base color and place a few silver stars in the top corners to add a touch of sparkle.

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Textured French Tips

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Sometimes, adding a mix of textures is all you need to spice up your average mani. Whether you’re using a denim blue hue or any color of the rainbow, make sure to use a matte top coat before lining the tip with a glossy top coat. The result? A two-toned French manicure of our dreams.

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Light Aura Nails

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Aura nail designs became a huge trend in 2024. The subtle art of highlighting the center of your nail with a bright color and seamlessly blending it outwards into another color adds the perfect dimension to any mani.

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Winding Ribbon

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It’s no secret that bows have taken over every girly girl’s closet. You can bring the cute design to your nails by painting an actual bow on one finger and squiggles of flowing ribbon on the others.

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Studded Neutrals

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To keep your nails simple while letting a design shine (pun intended), cover your go-to milky pink polish with rows of silver rhinestones. It’s a super elegant way to dress up your classic manicure.

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Burgundy French Tips

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While there are countless ways to elevate the usual French mani, replacing the white polish with a bold color may just be the easiest option. Here, a deep burgundy hue was used to create a more abstract French tip design.

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Simple Black Stars

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Velvet nails are a foolproof way to create an elevated design with little effort required. Simply coat your nails with your favorite metallic polish, like this midnight black, and hold a magnet over each nail to create that signature cat-eye effect.

20 Simple Nail Designs for a Less-Is-More Manicure (2025)

References

https://www.byrdie.com/simple-nail-design-ideas-11683338