Manicure is an important part of every girl's look. Every year, the fashion for the shape and length of nails, as well as for the color design with varnishes, changes. Recently, manicure for short nails, made with gel polish, has been especially popular. The design of such a manicure can be very diverse, as can be seen from a selection of photographs.
Fashionable nail shape
Excessively long and sharp nails have long been out of date. The most popular nail shape is the soft square or almond. with a short nail plate. The optimal length of the free edge is about 3 mm, although you can lengthen it up to 5 mm in case you need to make the fingers visually longer.
The oval shape is also well suited for short nails, especially since naturalness and naturalness are in fashion. This shape looks best on medium to short length nails. The square shape can only be left for those with long fingers. Otherwise, this shape will visually shorten them.
Rules for performing manicure on short nails
Short nails are not only beautiful and fashionable, but also comfortable. But in this case, it is worth observing some rules for varnishing.
The classic red color of the varnish will look good on a short nail plate, besides, it is appropriate in any situation. And if the nails are very long, then this shade is best avoided so as not to create a vulgar look.
Graphics in the design of manicure looks good on short nails, but in this case, you need to take into account that the lines should be only vertical so as not to visually shorten the nails.
Horizontal stripes will make the nail look wider, which is not very pretty.
It is better not to do a french on short nails, as they will look even shorter than they actually are. It is allowed to make a subtle "smile" of the jacket only if the nail extends at least a millimeter beyond the finger.
Very light colors of the varnish do not look very nice, as these shades tend to "eat up" the space, which makes the nails seem very small. And shades of dark tones on a short nail plate look especially impressive.
Actual design colors
Gel polish on short nails in a natural color, with a simple design, as in the photo, in fashion, like everything natural. The most popular varnish colors are blue, turquoise, creamy, peach, muted pink and sand. All nails can be covered with these shades at the same time, or only one or two, combined with a brighter varnish.
Gel polish with a "cat's eye" effect has remained popular for several seasons in a row and looks spectacular on both long and short nails. With such a coating, the additional design will be superfluous, since the iridescent "cat's eye" itself looks very expensive.
In the winter season, metal or gold-colored varnishes are especially relevant, especially if you make a matte finish. In the warm season, this coating can be combined with pastel-colored varnishes.
If you want to give your nails a shine, then it is recommended to use powder, glitter, foil and shimmer. Such a manicure will look especially appropriate on New Year's holidays.
Manicure in neutral shades
The main trend in nail art for short nails is natural shades. Pastel shades such as light pink, light green, pale blue, beige and peach will help create the image of a delicate girl.
To diversify the design in neutral shades, you can make a reverse jacket, or glue a discreet decoration from small rhinestones, draw several laconic lines.
Manicure in neutral colors is the most relevant and in demand... It will suit any look and any setting, any dress or suit. In addition, the natural color of the coating simplifies nail care, and small chips will not be conspicuous.
Manicure in dark shades
Gel polish for short nails - a design, a photo of which can be seen below - is also relevant in dark shades. On a short nail plate, saturated colors last longer and do not lose their appearance over time. It is allowed to add a dark varnish with decoration in the form of sparkles, rhinestones or patterns.
Dark blue, wine burgundy shades, as well as black, dark green and purple colors will look best on short nails.
The coating can be left glossy, or it can be matte, then the nails will seem velvety and especially chic.
Red manicure
Coating nails in red is important at any time, which is important - this manicure is suitable for any situation. You can only cover your nails in red, or you can supplement it with another rich shade.
A popular addition to red lacquer is a matte finish, geometric lines, and a stretch of color. Red gel polish looks beautiful in combination with gold or silver designs.
If a red varnish is chosen as a coating, then the nails and hands should be in perfect condition. And the varnish itself must be applied very carefully, without leaving the nail plate, otherwise the manicure will look sloppy.
Nude manicure
Nude shades of gel polish for short nails are the best option for those who want their hands to look well-groomed, but do not want to spend a lot of time on manicure.
The main advantages of varnish in nude shades are its durability. and the fact that it never goes out of style. The shape of nails for a nude manicure should be rounded, since any other does not go well with such colors. If the skin of the hands is pale, the varnish should be lighter by one tone. If the skin is darker, then varnishes of a sand or beige-milky shade are best suited.
Solid nail design
Gel polish of one shade for short nails, can also make the image of a girl bright, but many consider such a manicure boring. To make sure that this opinion is wrong, just look at the photo of a single color design.
It doesn't matter if natural shades are chosen for manicure or bright colors. It must be remembered that in the cold season dark varnishes look best, and in the warm - any bright ones. In summer, manicure in bright green, yellow and orange tones looks especially advantageous.
The matt varnish finish is a classic that will always be relevant. Any color of varnish in matte finish looks expensive and impressive.
French manicure
French classic manicure was originally intended for nails with a long, free edge. But over time, it was adapted for short nails. the main thing, so that there is at least a small free edge, then such a manicure looks beautiful.
The white stripe along the edge of the nail should be thin, covering only the overgrown part, so as not to visually shorten the nail even more. Most often, a combination of white and pink shades is used, but you can also use white with peach, white and colored edges - light green, red, black, yellow, orange.
Reverse French
A reverse jacket is a type of moon manicure. With this design, the "smile" from the edge of the nail is transferred to the cuticle area, otherwise it is also called lunar. A reverse jacket will look especially good on oval-shaped nails.
You can choose any colors, but with the classic version, white varnish is taken to paint the nail along the cuticle, and pink or beige for the rest of the nail.
Such a manicure will visually make the nails longer. You don't need to grow a free edge to apply this design. The reverse jacket also looks good on short filed nails. But the “smile” should be subtle.
Classic colors for moon manicure are a light matte, white or beige shade, which is applied to the "hole", and a contrasting varnish with a metallic effect on the main nail plate.
Such combinations as look especially interesting:
- black and silver;
- burgundy and silver;
- black and gold;
- white and purple;
- white and red;
- beige and black;
- beige and gray.
Lunar manicure in natural colors will be appropriate both at work and on vacation, and executed in contrasting colors will attract the attention of others. In any case, such coverage will not go unnoticed.
Gradient and ombre
The transition of color from one to another can be both sharp and smooth. You can choose any colors, everything will depend only on imagination. what Not recommended to do is to use a contrasting horizontal stretch. Short nails with such a manicure will look even wider and shorter.
With the ombre color stretch technique, the transition is soft, two or more colors flow into each other very smoothly. The gradient is also similar to ombre, but when applied, only two shades are used: dark and light of the same color.
Manicure with rhinestones
When choosing a design with rhinestones for short nails, the main thing is not to overdo it and do not take too many stones or too large crystals. If the nails are very short, then for decoration it will be enough to glue one rhinestone to the base of the nail plate.
If the nails have a small free edge, then you can lay out rhinestones in a vertical line in the middle or on the side - this will make the nail visually longer. It is also allowed to make geometric shapes and flowers from rhinestones. The combination of small rhinestones and broths of a similar color looks beautiful.
Manicure with powder
Powder in manicure is used not only to strengthen the plate, but also for the original coating and design. Powder in beige color can hide nail defects from the eyes. And with the help of a white material, you can make an interesting jacket by laying out a smile line with this powder along the edge of the nail.
To enliven the manicure, one or two nails are covered with glittering powder; this design will be especially appropriate for a gala event or a party. Those who like to go to nightclubs can get their nails done with neon powder. Under the artificial light of a disco, such nails will emit a bright light.
Matte manicure
Matte gel polish is also popular on short nails, design options are shown in the photo. The effect of a matte finish can be done on all nails at once, or you can combine it with a glossy one.
Most often, a matte finish is applied to one or two nails. Nails painted in dark tones look especially impressive with such a coating: black, blue, burgundy, chocolate, rich green, purple.
It is not recommended to choose such a coating for those who have obvious defects on the nail plate, because they will become even more noticeable.
Geometric manicure
Manicure with geometric patterns remains in demand: randomly located thin clear lines, neat rectangles and triangles, rhombuses.For short nails, it is recommended to choose a pattern that will be located from the hole to the free edge.
Popular design in a geometric style is a vertical thin strip made in a contrasting varnish color. Most often, only the ring finger is decorated.
Striped manicure
To make a striped manicure and look fashionable at the same time, you should choose two colors: black and white. Such a manicure will look very stylish, fresh and fashionable. You can choose any of these shades as the main color; in any case, you will get an effective contrast.
Not recommended draw a horizontal strip on short nails so as not to make the nail visually wider and shorter... But if the nail plate is naturally narrow and the fingers are long, then this rule can be disregarded.
Volumetric and knitted pattern
Knitted voluminous manicure remains at the peak of popularity for several yearsespecially during the cold season. It is important to do it carefully so that it does not look bulky on a short nail.
With the help of a volumetric design, you can perform a festive manicure, for example, a wedding. And a knitted pigtail can be depicted on nails on a regular weekday. Any colors can be selected, except very dark ones, as the picture will be lost. The pigtail can be done on all fingers at once, but it is better to stop at 1-2 nails.
Dotsom dot manicure
Dots allows you to make a fun nail design very quickly and easily. That is why this tool has been popular for several seasons.
The ball at the end of the dots can be very small or large, depending on what size the dot is needed. For short nails, it is better to take small dots. The drawing looks interesting from a combination of dots of small and medium volume, you can use different colors of varnish at the same time.
With the help of dots, it is easy to depict a flower, from the dots you can draw the reverse smile of a jacket, or completely cover the nail plate with multi-colored dots. It all depends only on your own imagination.
Manicure using ribbons
Gel polish for short nails with design ribbons, as in the photo, popular enough among girls, as it is performed quickly, but it looks interesting. The tape has an adhesive surface on one side and a colored one on the other side. Such a strip can be of different widths and in any color. The price is quite affordable, so you can buy a large set immediately.
With the help of the tape, you can not only diversify the design of manicure on short nails, but also visually make them longer.
It is necessary to attach thin strips to the nail vertically or diagonally.
Delicate manicure for short nails
Fashion trends often replace each other, but gentle manicure in calm colors will never lose its relevance. Natural shades of varnish look best on short natural nails.
Especially in demand for manicure in pastel colors.... And for decoration, you can use a matte finish, small rhinestones, powder or sand, geometric patterns. In this case, the shape of short nails should be round or almond-shaped. If you want to keep the square shape, then you should soften the corners so that the shape looks as natural as possible.
Drawings on short nails
Gel polish on short nails with various patterns is a current design, its variants can be seen in the photographs. Many people mistakenly think that designs on short nails will make them even shorter, but this is not the case. A short length is not a reason to give up a fashionable manicure with a pattern.
If the nails are square, then it is best to make the graphic design in a bright color. Combinations of white and black, pink and black, red and white look spectacular - that is, colors that contrast to each other.
Delicate, natural shades of varnish look good on oval-shaped nails. And the drawing can be done with ribbons or paint in silver or gold.The vertical position of the pattern will make the nails look longer than they actually are.
Wedding manicure
It is not necessary to increase the length for a wedding manicure. The spectacular design is easy to perform on short nails, and the long-lasting gel polish will allow the girl not to worry about chips.
Most often, pastel shades of varnish are chosen for wedding manicure, such as white, beige, light pink, sand. Ideally, if the color of the varnish will overlap with the color of the dress, with its color accessory or with the bride's bouquet.
Rhinestones, beads, ribbons and voluminous flowers are used as decorations. But all this should not be too much on the nails so that the manicure does not look defiant. The best option is a French manicure, with a classic jacket or the opposite.
Winter nail design
For the winter version of the manicure, it is recommended to choose colors such as blue and its shades, gold and silver, white and gray. It is allowed to use various decorations: beads, rhinestones, balls, sparkles - this is especially true during the New Year's Eve.
Dark colors of varnishes, decorated with white lace or snowflakes, as well as shiny details, look especially good on short nails.
You can use shimmery powder, rub-in, flakes and pieces of foil. Geometric design looks interesting and festive in winter on short nails. Light lines on a dark background can be complemented with small sparkles, similar to shimmering snow.
New 2024
Fashion for nail design often changes, but for several seasons natural manicure has been firmly in the first place. Various decor is allowed, but it should be neat, not flashy. Sequins and rhinestones are best used in a festive manicure, and when creating an everyday one, opt for a less bright finish.
Pastel colors have a rich palette, although many people think that it is only beige and pink.
The most relevant tones in 2024:
- light pink;
- soft green;
- blue;
- beige;
- pale purple;
- light turquoise;
- lilac with a gray tint;
- lavender color;
- light yellow.
Also, dark tones do not lose their relevance, which look most advantageous on short nails. Gel polish on short nails of a rich color with different designs, as in the photo, is best used in the cold season.
The most popular are shades such as burgundy, blue, black, green and chocolate. They look especially impressive in combination with contrasting white or beige varnish.
The pace of life of a modern woman often does not allow wearing long nails, especially if you have to work a lot at the computer. Therefore, short nails are not only a tribute to fashion - but also practicality and convenience. And covering with gel polish will allow you to forget about manicure for a couple of weeks, while it will remain as neat as on the first day.
Interesting video clips about gel polish coating for short nails
Homemade manicure lesson with gel polish:
Lunar manicure at home: