One of the most fun holidays to theme your manicure around is Halloween. This spooky holiday gives everyone the excuse to push the limits of a typical manicure and do something outside of the box. Just open Instagram the weeks before Halloween and you’ll be inundated with beautiful and funky nail designs.

While some people may opt for a simple ghost-y decal, don’t let basic designs box you in. Halloween is the time to break out of your box and try out a fun new manicure idea.

Halloween nail ideas

Typical Halloween nail ideas include basic colors like white, black and bright orange, so you’ll see a lot of that in the rest of this article. But there are also fun new designs and unique color choices, so you definitely don’t need to stick with the Halloween themed colors.

Black and white smiley manicure

Starting off safe with a simple black and white gel manicure. This is spooky-ish primarily due to the dark, true black nail color. The cheeky smiley nail gives it a fun and slightly Halloween edge.

Orange to nude ombre background manicure with detailed drawings

Did someone say Nightmare Before Christmas? Because this design is definitely giving NBC vibes. The designs are intricate and definitely play to Halloween’s strengths, but I also love how the nail technician used a slightly different orange color than typically seen in some Halloween manicures.

A play on an orange french tip with intricate spooky nail designs

A bright orange set of french tips on one hand and solid background on the other coupled with beautiful black nail designs is a true homage to Halloween. This design is beautiful and fun, while also pushing the boundaries of Halloween.

Scream inspired “bloody” french tips

If you’re a fan of scary movies, check out these Scream inspired manicure ideas. The artist kept things simple on the four nails with one in the center to make the full design pop.

Black and white witch-y nails

Are you going as a witch to a Halloween party? Because you should probably try these nails. They echo the famous witch stocking pattern, coupled with a solid black nail.

Dripping blood french manicure

A french manicure, but make it spooky. This unique play on the classic french manicure uses faux blood drips over the nude base to create a Halloween-esque french tip.

Deep purple manicure with cobweb design

Skip the traditional Halloween colors and opt for a fun dark purple solid color. This will make you stand out from the rest of the basic witches out there.

Try these Halloween manicure ideas at your next appointment

Bring up this list when Halloween is near, and make sure to tag us when you share the results on Instagram.