Halloween Nails: 5 Ghost, Pumpkin and Dark Fall Styles
From playful ghosts to polished dark autumn color, these five manicure directions match the nail looks in our Halloween pins. Use the palette and one or two motifs from a direction to make it your own.
All 5 ideas
- Glossy black ghosts and orange pumpkins
Use glossy black on two nails, warm orange on one and sheer nude on the others. Paint one white ghost and one small pumpkin as accent motifs. A fine web or a few stars can connect the set, but leave at least one nail simple so the art remains legible.
- Warm fall pumpkin accents
Pair burnt orange, caramel and soft cream. Keep most nails solid or sheer and add a tiny pumpkin to one or two accent nails. Shorter, rounded shapes make this cozy Halloween-to-fall style easy to wear beyond the holiday.
- Nude, black and metallic
Begin with a translucent nude base. Use fine black French tips, a tiny web or crescent, and restrained silver or gold stars. Leave visible negative space and repeat the metal shade across the set for a chic finish.
- Burgundy and tortoiseshell after dark
Alternate deep burgundy nails with one amber-and-brown tortoiseshell accent. Add a narrow gold line or dot where the two colors meet. The pattern brings the fall texture, while the dark red keeps the manicure seasonal without relying on novelty motifs.
- Dark celestial web
Try charcoal or black cherry with one fine spiderweb, a moon and a few tiny metallic stars. Keep each motif on a different accent nail and use a glossy top coat to bring out the dark colors. This is the moodier option shown in the Halloween edit.
See the visual directions
These images illustrate the manicure directions described above. Adapt the palette, motif scale and number of accent nails to your nail length and shape.
Before you start
These are design directions, not claims about a salon result. Use products according to their instructions and test detailed motifs on a practice tip before painting your full set.