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Outline Nails

Outline nails are just what they sound like: a line you draw around your nail. To create them, you need to draw on the edge of the nail, not on the entire surface. By applying the art, you can show the natural beauty of your nails while still adding an element of fun and style. These simple designs are perfect for those who want to give their nails some attention without having to spend too much time or money doing it. There are many reasons why outline nails are so popular, but one of the most important factors is that anyone can do them. This makes them a great option for beginners who have never tried this type of design before.
The best thing about outline nails is that they can be worn alone or paired with another manicure style, like French nails! This elegant manicure design looks lovely on both long and short nails and won't interfere with any of your existing designs. Doing this is possible by applying two different nail polishes; one color for your base coat and another for the outline. The most popular colors are black, white, red, blue, green, and yellow. But there are many more options available today than just those colors. Drawing the outer edges of nails, you may want to use glitters, crystals, and more than one outline. Whether you are a minimalistic type or want to add many details with bold designs, outline nails work well. Here there are some inspirations for you.

The Best Outline Nail Art Ideas

What Are the Most Popular Outline Nail Designs

Outline French Manicure
Rainbow Outline Nails
Ombre Nails With Outline
Flame Outline Nails
Outline Comic Nails
Glitter Outline Nails
Matte Outline Nails
Neon Outline Nails

Heart Outline Nails
Wedding Outline Nails
Rhinestone and Outline Nail Design
Diamond Outline Nails
Pastel Outline Nails
Minimalist Nail Design With Outline
Chrome Outline Nails

Outline Toenails

How to Choose the Best Colors for Outline Nails

The colors you choose for your outline nails are just as important as the actual design itself. You want to choose colors that complement each other and work well with your skin tone. For example, if you have pale skin, you should look for more muted and pastel colors. And if you have darker skin, bolder colors will look better on you.
Choose your base color carefully. You want something that will show up on your nails but not be too intense or bright. Think of it like blush for your fingers! If you use a lighter color as your base, you don't need to worry about how opaque it is or if it dries quickly—you just want something that will give the shape of your nail some definition without being overwhelming.
Choose one or two contrasting colors for the outside edges of each nail (this is where the "outline" part comes in!). If you're choosing two different colors, try using one darker than the other so that there's more contrast when compared side by side against each other rather than both being equally light in tone.
If you expect the outline nail design to be fun and happy, an excellent method is to play with shades of one color as your base coat and outline hue. Otherwise, go wild with various tones for even more impact. In addition, many choose to go with more colors than usual, resulting in a vibrant play of colors perfect for summer and beyond. To make the design perfect for formal settings like the office, you can simply use a neutral or almost clear base coat and accentuate that with a pop of color.
Popular colors include black, white, and gray, but you can also use bright colors like red or orange to add a little bit of flare.

Here are some colors that go well together for outline nails:

Nude nails with white outline
Pink nails with white outline
White nails with red outline
Nude nails with black outline
White nails with black outline
Nude nails with red outline

White nails with pink outline
Pink nails with black outline
Pink nails with blue outline
Tan nails with white outline
Brown nails with white outline
Blue nails with white outline

Long Outline Nails

Neon Outline Design for Nude Party Nails | Minimal Nails - NB2967
Neon Outline Design for Nude Party Nails | Minimal Nails - NB2967

Outlined Pastel Nails | Modern Nails - NB2966
Outlined Pastel Nails | Modern Nails - NB2966

Coffin Nails with Neon Outlines | Minimal Nails - NB2964
Coffin Nails with Neon Outlines | Minimal Nails - NB2964

Outlined French Peach Fuzz Butterfly Nails | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1827
Outlined French Peach Fuzz Butterfly Nails | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1827

Outlined French Nails with Holly Leaf Design | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1654
Outlined French Nails with Holly Leaf Design | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1654

Gold Outlined Maple Leaf French Nails | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1510
Gold Outlined Maple Leaf French Nails | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1510

French Nails with Outlined Leaf Design| Nature-inspired Nails - NB1438
French Nails with Outlined Leaf Design| Nature-inspired Nails - NB1438

Embellished Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB879
Embellished Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB879

Outline Neon Cross Nails | Halloween - NB876
Outline Neon Cross Nails | Halloween - NB876

Pastel Neon Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB873
Pastel Neon Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB873

Tips for Outline Nail Designs

If you have short nails, this is especially important not to choose a color that overpowers the natural color of your nails. You don't want to see only the color you've chosen as an outline; you want to see both!

If you're going for a full-coverage manicure, don't apply too dark of a base color. This will make it difficult to see the outline on top.

Always make sure your mani is freshly done before applying an outline. Otherwise, you could end up with smudges or streaks on your nail bed.

For best results, use a thin brush when applying outline nail polish so that it doesn't get messy around the edges of your cuticles or hangnails.

If you're looking for a bright color that really pops, don't choose something that's too saturated. The reason is that when you use an intense color like this, it can appear dull or even muddy when it's on your nail.

If you want something more subtle, try going with a pastel shade instead of a bright one. But if you want something bolder, we recommend using two or three different hues in one manicure!

Make sure there is enough contrast between the two colors, so they don't blend together into a single color block. This could cause an unpleasant effect and make your manicure look unfinished.

Short Outline Nails

Outlined French Nails for Office | Professional Nails - NB2752
Outlined French Nails for Office | Professional Nails - NB2752

Outlined Short Nails for Work and Office | Professional Nails - NB1709
Outlined Short Nails for Work and Office | Professional Nails - NB1709

Bakhtiari Nails | Persian | Tribal - NB305
Bakhtiari Nails | Persian | Tribal - NB305

Milky Pink with Glitter Outline
Milky Pink with Glitter Outline

Minea.nails

Rainbow Pastel Color Outline Nail Art
Rainbow Pastel Color Outline Nail Art

Belyyhome

Minimalist Outline Manicure Design
Minimalist Outline Manicure Design

Belyyhome

Chrome Outline Design with Hearts
Chrome Outline Design with Hearts

Belyyhome

Glossy Blue Comic Nails
Glossy Blue Comic Nails

Melificentnailartistry

Pink Love Heart Nails
Pink Love Heart Nails

Nailartbychlo

Outlines and Stipes on Modern Nails
Outlines and Stipes on Modern Nails

Irina_rain

Nail Design and Art / Outline Nails
Neutral Nails with Outline French Tips for Workplace | Professional Nails - NB3040
Neutral Nails with Outline French Tips for Workplace | Professional Nails - NB3040

Neon Outline Design for Nude Party Nails | Minimal Nails - NB2967
Neon Outline Design for Nude Party Nails | Minimal Nails - NB2967

Outlined Pastel Nails | Modern Nails - NB2966
Outlined Pastel Nails | Modern Nails - NB2966

Black French Outline Nails | Minimal Nails - NB2965
Black French Outline Nails | Minimal Nails - NB2965

Coffin Nails with Neon Outlines | Minimal Nails - NB2964
Coffin Nails with Neon Outlines | Minimal Nails - NB2964

Pink Nails with Black Outlines | Minimal Nails - NB2963
Pink Nails with Black Outlines | Minimal Nails - NB2963

Outlined French Nails for Office | Professional Nails - NB2752
Outlined French Nails for Office | Professional Nails - NB2752

Outlined Tips on Peach Fuzz Nails with Hearts | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1888
Outlined Tips on Peach Fuzz Nails with Hearts | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1888

Outlined French Peach Fuzz Butterfly Nails | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1827
Outlined French Peach Fuzz Butterfly Nails | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1827

Peach Fuzz Outline Nail Design | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1775
Peach Fuzz Outline Nail Design | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1775

Peach Fuzz Nails Gold Outline Design | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1738
Peach Fuzz Nails Gold Outline Design | Color of the Year 2024 - NB1738

Gold Outlined Office Nails | Professional Nails - NB1716
Gold Outlined Office Nails | Professional Nails - NB1716

Outlined Short Nails for Work and Office | Professional Nails - NB1709
Outlined Short Nails for Work and Office | Professional Nails - NB1709

Outlined French Nails with Holly Leaf Design | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1654
Outlined French Nails with Holly Leaf Design | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1654

Gold Outlined Maple Leaf French Nails | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1510
Gold Outlined Maple Leaf French Nails | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1510

Simple Outline Leaves Nail Art | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1460
Simple Outline Leaves Nail Art | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1460

French Nails with Outlined Leaf Design| Nature-inspired Nails - NB1438
French Nails with Outlined Leaf Design| Nature-inspired Nails - NB1438

Outline Neon Cross Nails | Halloween - NB876
Outline Neon Cross Nails | Halloween - NB876

Outline Nails with Gold Foil
Outline Nails with Gold Foil

Novikova.nailstudio

Outline Nail Design with Leaves
Outline Nail Design with Leaves

Merkyri.nails

Glossy Neon Outline Design
Glossy Neon Outline Design

Merkyri.nails

Mismatched Outline French Nails
Mismatched Outline French Nails

Amanda.sudolll

White and Nude Outline Nail Design
White and Nude Outline Nail Design

Amanda.sudolll

Milky Pink with Glitter Outline
Milky Pink with Glitter Outline

Minea.nails

Teddy Bear With Chrome Outline
Teddy Bear With Chrome Outline

Korelviktoria

Colorful Neon Outline French
Colorful Neon Outline French

Cdanails

Rainbow Pastel Color Outline Nail Art
Rainbow Pastel Color Outline Nail Art

Belyyhome

Minimalist Outline Manicure Design
Minimalist Outline Manicure Design

Belyyhome

Chrome Outline Design with Hearts
Chrome Outline Design with Hearts

Belyyhome

French Nails with Outline
French Nails with Outline

Lucy_smirnova_nails

Summer Outline Nails
Summer Outline Nails

Lucy_smirnova_nails

Zebra Outline for Summer
Zebra Outline for Summer

Dashenkanails

Outline Leaf Nail Designs
Outline Leaf Nail Designs

Project_paznokcie

Glossy Outline French Tips
Glossy Outline French Tips

Nailartbychlo

Comic Outline Nails
Comic Outline Nails

Nail_sunny

Nude Nails with White Outline
Nude Nails with White Outline

Nail_sunny

Outlines and Stipes on Modern Nails
Outlines and Stipes on Modern Nails

Irina_rain

Outline Red Nails
Outline Red Nails

Alexandracojan.trainer

French Nails with Gold Leaves | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1455
French Nails with Gold Leaves | Nature-inspired Nails - NB1455

Embellished Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB879
Embellished Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB879

Pastel Neon Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB873
Pastel Neon Graveyard Nails | Halloween - NB873

Bakhtiari Nails | Persian | Tribal - NB311
Bakhtiari Nails | Persian | Tribal - NB311

Bakhtiari Nails | Persian | Tribal - NB305
Bakhtiari Nails | Persian | Tribal - NB305

Abstract Shapes with Foils
Abstract Shapes with Foils

Novikova.nailstudio

Matte Goose Nails
Matte Goose Nails

Merkyri.nails

FAQs:

1- Nail polish in the base color of your choice
2- Nail polish in contrasting colors for the outline
3- A base coat and topcoat
4- A thin brush or striping tool
5- Nail polish remover, cotton pads, and a nail file
6- Tape or stencils (optional) to help with straight lines or geometric shapes.
1- Prep your nails by cleaning, shaping, and applying a base coat.
2- Apply a base color of your choice, letting each coat dry completely before adding the next.
3- Use a thin brush or striping tool to apply the lines or outlines. Slowly drag the tool over the edge of the nail, taking care to keep the line as even as possible. You can use contrasting colors to create patterns and designs.
4- Seal your design with a topcoat to protect it and make it last longer.
5- Allow your nails to dry completely before using your hands to avoid smudging or ruining the design.
It is important to practice and have a steady hand when doing outline nail designs, as it requires precision and patience to get the desired result.
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