13 Halloween Nail Ideas That Aren’t Tacky

Since temperatures started dropping, I’ve been mulling over Halloween costume ideas and picking out a pumpkin garland to decorate my living room with. If you are a Halloween girlie like myself, Halloween nails have also been at the forefront of your mind.

Holiday nails are our most exciting styles of the year, but it can be hard to come up with an on-theme design that is not tacky. If you’re in the market for Halloween nails beyond just candy corn and jack-o-lanterns, we tapped celebrity nail techs for their recommendations for the best, original Halloween nail ideas.

The Best 2024 Halloween Nail Ideas

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Bloody Nails

“This look by Nailing Hollywood artist Hang Nguyen is the perfect mani for Halloween lovers,” Nailing Hollywood CEO Mazz Hanna says. “The two red tones complement each other beautifully and work really well for the fall.”

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Subtle Spooky Nails

“This subtle manicure by Nailing Hollywood artist Morgan Dixon has just the right amount of Halloween nail art accents for short nails,” says Hanna. “It’s all about creating visual balance when working with nail art on short nails.”

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Tortie Pumpkins

Muted browns and tortoise shell-inspired nails have been all the rage this fall. This style by Hang Nguyen brings the trending style together with a subtle Halloween vibe for what Hanna calls the “ultimate trendy Halloween manicure.”

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Spider Tips

The nails trends of today are all about experimentation, like the many versions of a French mani. These spider tips by Dixon are no exception. “The negative space in this spiderweb mani by Morgan Dixon creates the perfect balance between subtle and bold.”

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Pumpkin Chrome Tips

Nailing Hollywood artist Laura Malarkey has the best solution for Halloween nails. “Really lean into the pumpkin spirit! This literal pumpkin nail look can take you from early Fall pumpkin beers through spooky season and right into Thanksgiving.”

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Snake Nails

Whether you’re going as Medusa or Draco Malfoy, these snake nails by Malarkey are a great example of chic Halloween nails. “This snake mani by Laura is edgy and bold which makes it perfect for Halloween,” says Hanna. “I love that the nail art only takes up space on a few nails which makes it eye-catching but still balanced enough for everyday wear.”

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Fairy Nails

From Chappell Roan to Saltburn core, there will be plenty of fairy and divine-being inspired costumes this Halloween. These fairy-core butterfly nails by Nguyen are the perfect accessory.

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Evil Eyes

“This is the perfect Halloween mani for those who love minimalist nail art,” says Hanna on Hang’s evil eye-inspired nails. “The black micro-French and negative space behind the eye make this a beautifully balanced manicure.”

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Giddy Ghosts

Ghost nails are always cute, and this minimalist style from nail atelier Vanity Projects puts a light, fun spin on ghost nails for Halloween. I mean, look at those little guys!

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Quintessential Spooky Nails

You know about quintessential Pookie; now introducing, the quintessential spooky mani. This Vanity Projects style combines the gore of realistic bloody nails with the cutesy nature of hearts. It’s all tied into silver spider webs and makes for the perfect it-girl Halloween nails.

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Mummy Moment

Vanity Project puts a trendier spin on the traditional mummy Halloween nails. Even though the design isn’t on all of the nails, it’s still a great everyday nail. Plus, there’s a perfect spooky surprise when you look closely.

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Scream Queen

Whether you’re going as Sid and Billy or just love a good Wes Craven moment, these Scream themed nails from Vanity Projects will have you saying, “Please don’t kill me Mr. Ghostface, I want to be in the sequel!”

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 Black Cat Nails

For all the black cat lovers out there, these Vanity Projects Halloween nails might just be for you. These Halloween nails combine just enough negative space with adorable kitties, bats and ghosts too!