There is an abundance of bow nail art looks out there—from pink ribbon styles to airbrushed bows and french-tips with bow accents, all cool to save as you plan for holiday festivities, or if you’re just in the mood to jazz up your monthly manicure. Here, we rounded up the very best 15 bow nail art looks from nail artists on social media, plus tips and products to help you master everything from finely detailed ribbons to larger-than-life bow nail art.
1. French Tip Bows
Emily Gilmour of @emilygilmour.nails marries the classic French tip and bright pink bows in this stunning nail art look. The bows sit on the third and fourth fingers of each hand and have a 2D finish with a light pink hue surrounded by a dark pink outline. To recreate the bows here, opt for Orly Kiss the Bride ($10), outlined by OPI Spare Me a Frech Quarter ($12).
2. Jelly Bows
If you’re a fan of the jelly nail trend, you’ll love this bow nail art look created by Bri of @donebybrii. The base is a reddish-pink jelly polish, complete with white bow, heart, and star accents with mini rhinestones. Get the look with a sheer pink jelly polish like Nails Inc Glowing My Way ($8).
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3. Icey White Ribbons
Nail artist Chryssa Estalilla of @nailologist created this set of icey white ribbons painted on four of the five nails over a milky-pink polish. To give the look some dimension, she placed tiny pearls at the center of each bow’s knot. Opt for a pearly white polish like Essie Twinkle In Time ($9), plus pearl nail decals like these Self Adhesive Pearl Stickers ($7) to get the look.
4. 3D Coquette
Aistė Haas of @heygreatnails took coquette bows quite literally with this gorgeous 3D nail look. The base is a pearly, iridescent pink polish layered with 3D ribbons on the second and fourth fingers. She uses a builder gel to create the shapes—you can create a similar look with the Makartt 3D Gel Nail Art Sculpting Gel Nail Glue ($8), plus a pearly pink like Essie Nail Art Studio Special Effects Nail Polish in Astral Aura ($9), and a bubblegum pink for details, like OPI Makeoutside ($8).
5. Wired Bows
Take your bow nail art to the next level with this delicate wired bow look from nail artist Brittany of @borablueprint. She takes you through how to make tiny bows using a thin wire and tweezers and then places them on a light pinky-white chrome polish with 3D gel. We love the Zoya Nail Polish in Leia ($12) for recreating the look.
6. Bubblegum Bows
This airbrushed bow look by Emily Gascoyne of @em_g_nails is an eye-catching, edgier take on bow nail art. The pointer and third fingers don white bows on a cloud of bubblegum paint behind them, while some others are accented by a white heart. All of the nails have teeny pearls for extra dimension and a touch of sparkle. Essie In the You-niverse ($10) is the perfect poppy pink shade for recreating the look.
7. Something Blue
Utah-based nail artist Brooklyn of @bybrooklynn created this blue and white polka dot bow nail art look that’s simply darling. The base is a milky white polish, followed by a bright cobalt blue for the polka dot accents and hand-drawn ribbons. To get the look, opt for Orly Almond Milk ($9) and Londontown Cool Tones Nail Polish in Iconic ($16).
8. Fine Line Bows
Take a hint from this set by Stacey Lowrie of @sl_yournailgal if you want a dainty, fine-lined bow mani. The base of this look is a natural matte pink, followed by a magenta pink for the tiny bow art. Plus, each bow has a tiny rhinestone at its center for a touch of sparkle. To recreate the look, use a fine-line detailed nail brush like the KADS Nail Art Liner Brushes ($12) and small rhinestones, like the ones found in this Beadsland Rhinestones Set ($8).
9. Regal Ribbons
Deck out your French manicure with gold bow details, like this regal set by Hannah Leong of @han.polished. To get the look, start with a classic French manicure, let it dry, and then opt for a gold polish that will sparkle in the light to add hand-drawn bows on top, like Zoya Brooklyn ($12) or Essie Good as Gold ($7).
10. Black Bows
This look by Utah nail artist Halle Willardsen of @handsbyhal also decks out your classic French manicure with bows, but she edges it up a bit with black polish for a more contrasted finish. Use a pigmented black like Essie Licorice ($10) and a fine detail brush to mimic the look.
11. Mismatched Ribbons
Kylie Rae of @nailsby.kylierae got really creative with this bow nail art look, donning mismatched ribbons on different fingers. The middle fingers have a large, hot pink ribbon at the center of each nail, while the fourth has tiny ribbon accents in white and pink. The thumbs have a smaller bow at their centers, and the rest of the nails have a hot pink French tip. Londontown Summer Fling ($16) is the perfect pink with purple undertones to recreate the look.
12. Airbrushed Bows
Erika of @aurakanails created this airbrushed bow nail art look with a variety of pink polishes and gemstones. To get the look, use a jelly pink hue for the base like Cirque Colors Pink Lady Jelly ($13) and an icy light pink like OPI Let’s Be Friends ($8) for the accents.
13. Plaid + Bows
This mismatched bow nail art set by Utah nail artist Jenna Kelly of @nails_by_jenna.k is the perfect blend of a variety of shapes. We love the contrast of the hand-drawn pink ribbons on the third fingers and thumbs with the light green plaid lines and tiny flowers. To recreate it, opt for a milky cream nail polish for the base like Londontown Murray Me ($16), a red-undertoned pink like Zoya Liza ($12), and an olive-green like Zoya Shawn ($12).
14. Pick Your Ribbon
Tilly Merson of @morning.glory_nails took bow nail art to the next level with this ribbon manicure, showcasing a variety of bow styles and colors. From a bright periwinkle to a classic pink, white, and nude-colored, these hand-drawn bows are elegant and intricate. Use Olive & June Bold & Unshaken ($10), Essie Expressie Cold Brew Crew ($7), and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Pink Blink ($7) to get the look.
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