Showstopping Short Nail Designs

Add a geometric touch to your nails with this innovative design. A stylish way to play the Uno reverse card, this manicure combines a cutout half-moon design with bold color that's well deserving of compliments. Negative space at the bottom helps this design last for the long haul, even as your nails grow out.

To achieve more precise lines, use tape and an art brush. Paint nails one solid color to achieve an attention-grabbing effect, or switch it up by rotating shades between nails. Think primary hues like red, green, blue, or yellow.

The ombré trend has reached far beyond the hair salon, but it still has the same effect — natural length. Easy to achieve at home, this sleek ombré helps nails appear naturally longer. Use a light color to create the base; we're talking multiple hues of sage, lavender, baby pink, or blue for a romantic aesthetic. Next, use an art brush to paint on dainty flowers using white polish.

Select whichever flower you like, but ensure that your mini rose is true to detail, or you'll distract from the look. For the most realistic, eye-catching effect, flowers should be less than half the size of your nails. Paint a glossy top coat over the final result, and voilà!

Animal lovers will go head over heels for this adorable look. See those cute polar bears peaking around the corner? They not only enliven your nails, but draw attention to the edges, visually lengthening nails from root to tip. To create those sweet faces, you'll need an art brush with white and black polish.

Start by painting a quarter-circle at each corner. From there, add the ears, eyes, and nose by applying black dots. The base color can be anything of your choosing, as long as those details are clearly visible. Add a top coat to the bears to give them a glossy touch, and prepare for compliments.

With any print, a little goes a long way. Since a vibrant design instantly catches attention, it doesn't take much to get your message across. AKA: short tips are king. Go wild by selecting a pattern of your choice, from trendy animal print to feminine florals. Apply it only to accent nails, painting the others solid, complimentary colors.

This approach makes even more of an impact, and it's easy to achieve. Use an art brush and tinfoil to dab, smear, and spread the design of your choosing, or use stickers for a realistic effect.

This shimmering style is a contemporary take on the classic French manicure. A reverse approach to the mani, it adds dimension and texture to your nails. When painting, always leave the sides and cuticles bare to let that sparkle shine through. Use solid white or black polish, then apply two coats of shimmering polish on top, creating a U-shaped effect.

Use a nail buffer to create a smoother surface area, and get to work. It's like a disco ball for the fingers.

A smiley-face mani is simple to do, but it can instantly transform the look of your tips. All you need is three basic nail polish colors — nude, black, and yellow. Use a dotting tool or bobby pin to carefully dab on those circular faces, then switch to a thin brush to paint on the eyes and mouth with a single stroke.

Lines should be of medium thickness throughout, so take your time. Once they're dry, you've quite literally sealed the deal with a smile.

Take a mod approach to nail design with this '70s-inspired creation. Those pretty tips involve plenty of painting, so start simple. Give each color a more vintage vibe by mixing it with brown. This dulls down the vibrancy while still showing off the root color, giving nails a true retro edge. After letting your base dry, paint the lines of each shape, then fill them in.

Add fruits to flowers or flowers to fruits; it's all about creativity, so there's no right or wrong way to achieve this look. Colors, however, should play on the era: pink, lavender, blue, green, and yellow were popular in the '70s, and now they've made a name for themselves on your nails.

This trend is making a major impact, and it's suited to nails of any length or shape. Rather than sticking with the standard neutral color scheme, however, up the ante with a splash of color. Whether you go for velvety red, vibrant olive, or delicate purple, it's an updated take on the tortoiseshell that we're loving.

The right hue adds depth to an already unique look. Paint nails the shade of your choice, then create the shell marks using two polishes: sheer and opaque. This gives tips a taste of realism while extending their lifespan.

This luxe look is one way to step your manicure up a notch. With a one-of-a-kind vibe that's only limited by your imagination, appliqués provide countless possibilities. For this design, paint nails any solid shade of your choosing. Apply each gem one by one using nail glue. It might take time, but it will be well worth the results!

After you've applied those last gems and let the glue dry, paint over them with a thick, gel-like topcoat. This helps gems stay in place while giving nails a glossy finish.

Metallics always turn heads, giving nails a luxe touch that's impossible to resist. All it takes is a simple stripe to make an impact, creating contrast between the two colors. With the stripe angled downward to match your nail shape, it also has a lengthening effect.

Paint nails a matte shade of black, burgundy, olive, or navy. Then, use tape to create clean lines, applying metallic polish on top. This metallic shade provides a stylish base for your primary color to shine through — with mesmerizing results.