Have you ever heard the song about the “one eyed, one horned, flying purple people eater”? Well, that’s the theme for our latest manicure obsession! If it’s purple, then chances are good that we’d like to put it on our nails. Purple is a versatile colour that can look cheerful, royal, or gothic, depending on the shades, shapes, and combinations you choose.
Check out these 15 fun ideas for purple manicures of all kinds!
1. Purple glitter French manicure
Buzznet suggests replacing the regular white tips you’d usually paint in a manicure with a purple glitter polish instead. Your manicure will look bright for the summer or deep for the winter depending on the kind of sparkly purple you choose.
2. Purple nails with light lilac glitter tips
Choosing two different purples creates an awesome contrast. Try painting a darker purple base colour and a lighter lilac tip, just like these nails from Evelyn D’Grese.
3. Purple and grey “reverse” French manicure
Light grey pairs very well with darker purples because its slightly purple tones come through when they’re viewed next to each other. Try using the two to create this “reverse” manicure effect on a few nails, just like in this style featured on Pinterest
4. French tips with purple glitter accents
Polyvore suggests using sparkly purple to create little accent stripes right along the edge of your clean, white French manicure. If that’s not quit enough glitz for you, choose and accent nail and paint some sparkly purple zig-zagging stripes!
5. Purple nails with black tips
Chloe’s Nails shows you how to create a much darker nail effect using deep purple and black. This manicure instantly reminds us of Hallowe’en, so it’s perfect if you love the holiday but not the colour orange!
6. Matte deep purple with gold nail beds
A silky, deep matte purple looks classy and neat in itself, but pairing it with a shining gold stripe at your nail beds makes the tips of your fingers look even fancier. Check out these style from Nasty Dress to see what we mean.
7. Purple with darker purple angled tips
Who says a French manicure has to arc straight across the tip? If you’re already getting creative with colours, you might as well get creative with angles too! Try painting a light purple base with a darker purple diagonal tip.
8. Pastel purple French manicure
Since it’s springtime, we’ve been feeling pretty in pastels! Join us in that by painting your classic French manicure shape in a cute, light purple instead of white, just like this style featured on Pinterest.
9. Purple with white confetti
Chunky white confetti polish makes basically any style look a lot more fun! Blog Things suggests using it over top of a deep metallic purple that will shine through between the pieces.
10. Purple with black leaves
If you have lots of patiences like Olga Levchuk does, try painting detailed little black leaves over top of a purple base. One or two fingers will make an impact, so try framing the edges on the rest with glitter to balance the patterned nails with a simpler style.
11. Purple gradient nail with glitter
Laura Merino shows you how to create a gorgeous ombre gradient using a sponge and three different shades of purple. If you’re feeling fancy, top the look off with a layer of light glitter!
12. Purple caviar nails
Chic Profile still loves the textured caviar look, and we can’t disagree! We’re especially big fans if you use tiny metallic purple seed beads over a matching purple base.
13. Purple zebra manicure
MaBrownKCK suggests white and silver stripes swiped at differing angles over a purple base. The effect is that of an awesomely coloured zebra!
14. Purple ombre set
Instead of creating a purple ombre down every single nail, why not build a more gradual gradient across your entire hand? Nail Luxxe shows you how they chose different shades of purple for each finger, ranging from dark to light.
15. Dark purple matte with glossy purple tips
SloDive reminds you how gorgoeous it can look when you mix finishes, even if you choose two colours or shades that are the same! Try layering a dark matte purple under a shiny purple for contrast that catches the eye as you move your hands.
