When you think of clear nail designs a boring manicure may come to mind. But let us assure you these nails are anything except dull.
With a clear base on those nails you get a canvas where you can put literally any design of your choice and it’ll look as unique as it can be. All you need is some clear polish, decals, gems, glitter, and a bit of inspiration of course!
So here we are today with 50 of the trendiest clear nail designs that are sure to evoke you to get a salon appointment soon.
Clear Nail Designs
Less is more! Keep scrolling to get to know what we are talking about!
1. Pastel Stars
Recreate these cute little stars on your bare nails with all pastel colors available. Draw the shapes using a fine brush or use stencils instead.
2. Glitter Tips
Clear nail designs don’t need to be transparent throughout obviously. Grab your favorite glitter polish and paint the tips only for a chic French manicure.
3. Delicate Margins
Keep it minimalistic by adding fine lines along the margins only. With a bit of practice, you can create 2-D nails that’ll seem to come straight out of your favorite comics.
4. Space Nails
It is impossible to skip space nails when enlisting clear nail designs. Add some swoops and waves leaving most parts of the nail bed exposed and voila!
5. Swoops of Gold
Ladies looking for something extra easy can copy this idea by adding gold nail tape in varying directions on their nails. Don’t forget your clear top coat!
6. Flower Power
Use those clear nail beds as your canvas and draw tiny little flowers or a single big one on each finger. Roses, lilies, daffodils, the choice is yours!
7. Pearl Nails
Though this design comes in the semi-transparent category it would be unfair not to give it a shot. A clear polish, pearl powder, and an applicator are all you need.
8. Extra Bling
Go wild by adding all the gems, charms, studs, and glitter you have got at home on the nails. Keep in mind to seal all pieces neatly in place to avoid losing them.
9. Matte Stiletto Nails
These stiletto nails are to die for! Alternate matte transparent ones with colored nails and see jaws drop all around you.
10. Silver Foil
Add a transparent coat and place the foil over your nails when they are still a bit tacky. Remove the foil and you’ll end up with a unique design on each nail.
11. Black Beauty
Paint the nail beds black keeping the tips clear or turn it the other way around. Whatever pattern you choose, this manicure is sure to make a style statement worth remembering.
12. Clear Butterflies
Just like flowers, this clear nail design featuring teeny tiny butterflies on bare long tapered square nails is sure to grab some attention. How about creating a single big butterfly?
13. Icy Snowflakes
Winter is near and this design is ideal to welcome the season with style. Use silver or white polish and draw some lines and dots to mimic delicate snowflakes.
14. Marble Nails
Mix thinner with a tinted lacquer and add swirls and lines to turn your nails into little pieces of marble. You can also use the water marble technique instead.
15. Leopard Print
Get some black polish and a fine dotting tool and add irregular u shapes. Continue doing so and soon you’ll find a leopard skin print on your nails.
16. Mix and Match
Whether you are drawing lines, adding dots, or painting the tips of your clear nails, use multiple tones of a single color creating a funky mix-and-match design.
17. Dot It Up
This nail idea is the simplest of all. Use different nail colors and dotting tools to place the dots all over the nail surface or at the margins only.
18. Tiny Snakes
Grab some green nail polish and draw slithering snakes on those clear nails. Add black eyes and tiny red tongues and get ready to be praised.
19. Checkerboard Nails
Use whatever color you like with a transparent polish to recreate this checkerboard clear nail design. How about painting only half of the nails?
20. Abstract Pattern
Bring out your inner artist and draw some intricate abstract patterns on those transparent nails. Lines, circles, faces, the options are endless!
21. Half Moon Design
Paper reinforcement stickers are all that you need. Place them on the cuticle and paint the remaining nail bed with a matte color or do it the other way around.
22. Splash and Splatter
Messy is dressy and these nails prove it! Use a toothbrush to splatter some colors on those transparent nail beds and have some fun creating a muddled pattern effortlessly.
23. Color Pop
Use vibrant neon shades to contrast sharply on your transparent nails. Paint one side of the tips only or add irregular lines instead. Whatever you like!
24. Gradient Nails
Use different tones of a single color while painting only half part of the nails resulting in a one-of-a-kind gradient that is impossible to ignore.
25. Irregular Blobs
Use clear gel polish to create irregular blobs on those extra-long nails. Paint the blobs in a semi-transparent tinge or choose a bright hue instead.
26. Evil Eyes
Place a dot of dark blue followed by dots of white, light blue, and black respectively. There you have it! Mysterious eyes protecting you from all evil!
27. Fruity Fun
Copy this yummy clear nail design by using Fimo slices or stamping kits to place little pieces of fruit on those transparent nail beds. Add some glitter and done.
28. Rainbows
Grab all seven colors of the rainbow and add fine lines along the tips only. Don’t forget to add some white clouds too as you’re going to love them.
29. Ombre Look
Create a light to dark gradient by dabbing any color on your nails using a sponge. Remember to cover only a part of the nail beds keeping the remaining portions clear.
30. Jelly Nails
Jelly nails are in full swing and it is not difficult to understand why. Buy a good quality jelly nail polish or create one at home by mixing some pigment with a transparent lacquer.
31. Red Rage
Go crazy by adding the shiniest red rhinestones and gems available while painting the margins in a hot red color too. Seal everything in place with a top coat.
32. Blue Waves
Bring ocean waves on your clear nails by choosing varying shades of blue and drawing undulating lines in a diagonal direction on the nails.
33. Cracked Glass
Although this design seems complicated, the trick is quite simple. Cut foil in sharp shapes and add them to the nails with multiple layers of jelly nail polish.
34. Melting Smileys
When you can’t think of anything else, draw some crooked melting smileys on a transparent base coat using different nail colors. You can also opt for perfectly round ones.
35. Holographic Nails
Talking about clear nail designs and skipping holographic nails? Not fair! Rub some iridescent holographic powder on your nails and get ready to rock.
36. Lightning Bolts
Express your inner thunder by drawing lightning bolts using a yellow lacquer on transparent nails. Just draw two diagonal zigzag lines and fill them in.
37. Dripping Drops
Make different colors ooze out from your cuticle by drawing dripping drops of paint using a dotting tool. Use a single color scheme or opt for a multi-colored pattern.
38. Minimalistic Hearts
Keep it simple and classic by drawing single hearts on each nail near the corners. Draw two dots and connect them at the base. Voila!
39. Halloween Vibes
Get Halloween-themed nail decals, place them on each individual transparent nail, and finish off with a matte top coat. Easy-breezy!
40. Crystal Clear Nails
Create your favorite nail shape using clear acrylic powder or opt for synthetic nails instead. Just add a top coat and nothing else.
41. Transparent Tips
If the above-mentioned crystal clear nail design seems too boring, paint your nail beds in a bright tone sparing the tips for a contrasting look.
42. Geometrical Shapes
Express your love for geometry by drawing squares, triangles, and circles on those bare nails. Keep the shapes hollow or fill them in.
43. Smoke Effect
Mix acetone with black/gray polish and place irregular swipes creating a smoke effect on your acrylic nails. Eye-catching!
44. Mickey Mouse Theme
One big dot and two tiny ones together create an adorable Mickey Mouse silhouette on the nails. Can’t get any simpler!
45. Love Letters
Draw the folds of a letter with black nails polish and add a heart on top. Do the same on other nails or highlight their margins only.
46. Pink Lips
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with hot pink lips instead of typical hearts this time. Use nail stickers or a stencil on a clear base coat and that’s it.
47. Inverted French Manicure
Instead of painting your tips create an inverted French manicure by adding white lines along the cuticle only. Unique isn’t it?
48. Accent Nail Design
Another clear nail design idea that is a must-try this New Year. Keep one or two tone nails crystal clear while painting the others choosing any design you like.
49. Cute Cats
Draw a round face, two triangular ears, a nose, two eyes, and some mustaches on those clear nail beds and you won’t find any cats cuter than these!
50. Stamped Pattern
Lastly, get a nail art stamping kit and transfer any pattern you like on your clear nails. Simple and stylish, what more to ask for?