Nail art designs 2022 for short nails

If long nails are like the Regina George of high school, short nails are that one girl who gets overlooked through the entire semester only to make a jaw-dropping entrance at prom with her ~makeover~. The glasses come off, the frizzy curls settle down and everyone realises that plain jane was beautiful all along. With the clean girl aesthetic taking over 2022—giving great PR to short nails—looks like prom night has finally arrived. From micro french to the Italian manicure, nail art designs for short nails are here to let you pair pretty with practical, check it out:

Nail Art Designs For Short Nails

1. Micro French

Don’t have as much nail length to pull off a classic french manicure? Try micro french. The neutral base topped with a barely-there stroke of colour along the edges of your nails makes for a perfect ‘less is more’ look. Want to move away from the classic white? Opt for metallics and neon colours to make a statement.

2. Italian Manicure

The Italian manicure is a nail-painting technique going viral on social media for making short nails appear longer. The trick is to leave just a little bit of space between each side of the nail and the polish while painting your nails which creates the illusion of elongated nail beds.

3. Skittles

If one accent nail isn’t adventurous enough for you, paint each nail a different colour to bring out your playful side.

4. Monochrome Ombre

Want a softer version of the multi-colour manicure? Dip your claws in different shades of one particular colour to achieve an ombre effect across your nails.

5. Flower Power

If the surface area isn’t enough to accommodate hand-painted floral designs, opt for intricate pressed real flowers instead!

6. 3D Gel

Take the embellished euphoria nails a step ahead with some 3D gel art for a one-of-a-kind look.

7. Half Moons

Play around with negative space by painting on some colourful diagonal crescent moons.

8. Simple Lines

Keep it simple yet stunning with clean lines on the sides of a nude base.

9. Glazed Donut

Long nails or short, the glazed donut trend suits all! Get the glow by applying a coat of soft white polish topped with chrome dust for that frosted finish. You can also opt for other subtle colours like baby pink, periwinkle or butter yellow.

10. Check It Out

One of the easiest nail art designs to pull off on short nails is checks! But who said it has to be only black and white? Hop on the trend bandwagon and indulge in some Barbiecore pink.

11. Mismatched Maximalism

If the minimalist clean girl aesthetic isn’t your vibe, take the more flamboyant route by incorporating some colourful mismatched nail art.

Also read about 10 Celebrity Nail Art Designs That Will Inspire You To Ditch The Mundane Manicures

Keeping up with your nails can be a lot of work. It pays off knowing you have snap worthy fingers to show off. While manicures can be costly and time-consuming, they are a great way to kick back and relax. Dragging your friends with you to the nail salon is a fun way to make the time even more enjoyable. A girls day can be just the right medicine to relieve stress. The end result of having gorgeous polish is just an added bonus. To save some money, you can plan one of these days at home. Gather your friends and pull out the polish.

Whether you go to the salon or stay at home, one of the classic cuts for nails is the short look. These designs are a great way to get away from the hassles of long manicures and still look good. Almost every woman knows the pain that comes with a broken nail. They also know when going from short nails to long ones the hassles of having to change your habits, including testing and typing. For perfectly polished fingers with less hassle to go through, try out one of these fun designs.

1. Simple Cuticle Designs For Short Nails

The cuticle design is trendy right now, with new designs to try every day. These pink and white nails have added flare. The metallic cuticle strip and pearl embellishments make for a classy look. This short manicure is perfect for even the fanciest of events. These picture perfect nails will be a great pairing for any summer wedding or big event.

2. Trendy Mermaid Inspired Nails For Women

If you ask me what my spirit animal is I will tell you it is a mermaid. These coral nails are stunning and trendy. The glitter look makes them pop, and the color choice is one of the hottest colors of the season. While coral and glitter may never go out of style, the design may. Try this manicure out while the look is hot.

3. Marble Style Nail Design- Short Manicure Ideas

These marble nails give us yet another reason to love coral colors. This chic look would be great for just about everything, including an everyday go to design. You can experiment with different colors to match your mood and your outfit.

4. Fancy Short Nail Designs For Weddings

This 3D manicure is beautiful. It uses a lot of the trendiest nail designs right now, including matte polish and cuticle designs. The geometric look comes together to create a look that would be perfect for a wedding, whether you are getting married, part of the party, or even just a guest.

5. Matte And Glitter Short Nail Ideas

Here is a look that proves the saying ‘opposites attract.’ The pairing of flat matte nails with the shiny glitter polish added in make a perfect contrast. The simplicity of this design makes it an easy one to do at home. You can even make your own matte polish by mixing clear polish with a matte eye-shadow.

6. Simple Manicures- Matte And Rhinestone Nails

For this look, the matte polish is contrasted by a rhinestone cuticle design that really pulls it all together. The pink and gray make for a chic color scheme that would be a great day-to-day nail design. You can try one of these pretty manicures in any color you choose.

7. Metallic Nail Art For Short Nails

These mirrored nails can be done in your favorite metallic color. You can use polish, gel or a powder to do these easily at home. All you have to do is paint your natural nail. If you decide to opt for a powder, a quick search will leave you with some great tutorials so your nails turn out perfect.

8. Easy Nail Designs You Can Do At Home

This cuticle polish looks great, and would be simple to do yourself. The manicures you can do at home using this design leaves you with an array of possibilities. Just change up the colors for a new and fresh look every time. Pair the polish with your outfit to pull your whole look together.

9. Simple Dot Ideas For Polished Nails

These classy nails are another idea that you could easily do at home. The minimalism of this design gives you a manicure that would be stylish every day. You can rock this look as you head into the office knowing your short nails are ready to work it.

10. Short Nail Geometric Designs- Manicure Inspiration

Geometric inspired manicures are perfect for those who prefer short nails. They can really make your style extra trendy. You can do the same design on all your nails, or try a different one on every nail.

11. Do It Yourself Highlighter Nail Design

These highlighter nails are beautiful and super easy to do yourself.

12. Easy To Do Polka Dot Manicure

Polka dot manicures with glitter are a classic look you can do on short nails at home.

classic French manicure

@Alyssa Leibner

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