33 Best Star Nail Designs
We wear our nails in fun ways to feel like stars, but what about stars on our nails?
Today we’re checking out 33 of the best star nail designs that will help you make an astronomical first impression!
1. Shooting Stars and Comets
There’s nothing quite like seeing a shooting star to make a night feel special. Draw little stars with comet tails on your nails to make your fingertips look extra inspirational.
A compilation post from InStyle showed off some confetti-based shooting star designs that anyone can pull off. Mix up the colors and show off the streaks!
2. Heavy Contrast
We incline to use a dark background to highlight lighter shades of stars, but you can use contrasts of all types to make a starry statement!
Flip the script and make the stars darker on a lighter background, using pastels or creams to your advantage. As long as those shapes are visible, you’ve done well.
3. One Simple Star
No need to cover every square inch of your nails with stars. Just one big, bright star on the accent nail of your choice can draw eyes and inspire others.
4. Gems in the Night Sky
Stickers and paint designs are cool, but gems and jewels add another dimension of intrigue to your starry nails. Try out some small designs at first and use these gems sparingly.
5. Marvelous Moons
The full moon guides our path at night and is the perfect accomplice to a sky loaded with stars. Use all ten fingernails to make a unique scene that prominently features the moon in full.
6. Glistening Glitter
If we could reach up into the night sky and grab a handful of space dust, it would look like glitter! Use glitter of all colors and granularity to bring life to your favorite space scenes.
7. Metallic Masterpiece
A chrome backdrop can be a great way to showcase some starry designs!
This is a very bold look, so maybe not one for the office. Use your star-tinged metallic talons to make a strong statement at your next party or music festival.
8. Don’t Forget the Clouds
Recreate that moody stars-through-the-clouds look by painting some rudimentary dark cloud shapes and carefully sprinkling sparkles in between them.
This works better with darker shades of grey and navy blue.
9. Old-Fashioned Yellow Stars
We get so caught up in reinventing the wheel that we forget the classic yellow star looks. Symmetrical shape, five even points, and rich yellow-gold color. Nothing wrong with that!
10. Celestial Symbols
Search online for some spooky occult symbols that will give you a mysterious and mischievous vibe. Mix some stars in there and you have a very cool look perfect for Fall and Winter.
Just don’t cast the wrong spells on anybody - they may not find it very funny.
11. Ice-Cold Winter Skies
Lay down a pale blue base coat and create a sparse winter sky look that will give you shivers (in a good way)! A bit of glitter can also help you achieve a frozen-over look around the edges.
12. Easy Ombré
The purple-to-black gradient on these Starlite press-on nails are the ultimate expression of a starry ombré look! The glossy finish and long coffin shape tie the whole look together.
13. Starry Tips Only
Taking inspiration from the classic French manicure, this look focuses on just a strip of glitter at the top of each nail. It’s not explicitly starry but definitely gets the point across.
14. Astrology with Attitude
If you’re someone who takes their horoscopes seriously, it may be smart to design your nails with your preferred zodiac symbology. The designs look cool, and it may grant you a much-needed stroke of luck.
15. Light-Up Lilac Skies
Some of our favorite nail designs use unusual combos, like these ultra-popular purple Euphoria nails with glimmering stars. This just goes to show how versatile the star nail theme can be.
16. Moon Cycles with Stars
We mention crescent moons earlier, but why not represent every phase of the moon on each nail to create a very cool statement? It’s been done before, so try it yourself.
Just remember to throw a few stars in the mix to make a more authentic look.
17. Celebratory Stars
Attending a wedding or a big bash for a coworker’s promotion? Rock some little silver stars to remind the guest of honor that they were born to shine!
18. Set the Stage Nude
Subte starry silhouettes can look fantastic on a light cream base coat or a barely-detectable beige, according to TrendSpotter.
See how minimal you can make your star statement look, and the results will wow.
19. Get Nerdy With It
So many awesome books, movies, and shows are making sci-fi cooler than ever, so showcase your favorite characters and logos from the series of your choice.
20. Silver and Gold Combined
It’s usually a battle between these precious metals, but why not use a bit of both to create an extra-luxurious mixture of sparkling stars?
21. Galaxy Deluxe
Realism is not a necessity when designing starry nails, so go crazy with all the gloss, glitter, and neon patterns you want. Even use a chrome finish to make it shine!
Come up with your inspiring vision of the galaxy and express it on each finger.
22. Space Dust Sparkles
A navy-blue backdrop is a perfect canvas for some light sparkles and stars, making your nails look like a scene from a storybook!
23. Cool Constellations
With a light backdrop and some intricate handiwork, you can map out your favorite constellations on your nails for a super original look.
Cosmo suggested you pick the star maps that match your zodiac signs.
24. Badass Asteroids
Some asteroids are bigger than our own Moon! These big hunks of rock are floating through space and look super cool when drawn in contrast with sparkly stars.
See if you can capture the craters for authentic representation.
25. Magic Meteor Showers
Believe it or not, meteors are constantly falling into the earth’s atmosphere. They just burn up too quickly for us to tell! Showcase some fierce designs that highlight this fiery phenomenon.
26. Trips to Mars, and Beyond
The moon is so 1960s. We’ve got our sights set on Mars now, so draw your best version of the Red Planet, even if you aren’t quite ready to leave Earth behind.
27. Big-Bang Black Nails
Nothing looks cooler than a pitch-black sky dotted by bright stars. Emphasize this classic visual theme by stretching out the points of the stars far and wide.
28. Amatuer Astronomer
Some of the best star designs aren’t trying to look super fancy. Keep it low-key with some press-on nails that don’t overcomplicate things, like this best-selling Lucky set.
29. Milky Way Maps
If you’ve ever looked through a high-powered telescope or watched a space documentary, you’ve seen the swirling shapes of the Milky Way - mind-blowing stuff!
With some well-placed glue and multi-colored sparkles, you can replicate the shape of this magnificent galaxy on your nails. Expect many oohs and ahhs.
30. Solar System Chic
Do you love the psychedelic rings of Saturn? How about the cool blues of Neptune? Do you wish Pluto got more respect?
Focus on your favorite planet of the solar system or draw all nine (then add the Sun) to complete the collection across all your fingertips!
31. Elegant Eclipse
It’s very rare to see an eclipse in person, and they are visually stunning events you don’t want to miss. Depending on where you live, it could be once in a lifetime.
Luckily they’re pretty easy to recreate on your nails with the right colors and a steady hand. Try them out using a dark background and some glossy yellows and whites in the fore.
32. Sputniks and Shuttles
Humankind hasn’t been exploring space for that long, and we’re still trying to figure out transportation. Grab some stickers that show your appreciation for the Space Shuttle, or even some funky UFO designs if you believe in aliens!
33. Sunny Skies
With so much talk about the space, let’s not forget the most important star of all: the sun!
This marvelous star lights and heats our whole world, so the least we can do is design the occasional accent nail that represents its rays.
Conclusion
That should be enough starry inspiration to last you lightyears! Stay tuned to our social media pages and sign up for our email newsletter for more inspo and updates.
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