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Say “I Do” with These 5 Perfect Engagement Nail Ideas

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A wise prophet once said, “I’m not superstitious. I’m just a little stitious.” That wise man was Michael Scott, and though he was not talking about a marriage proposal, it is perfectly fitting for someone starting to catch the vibe that a marriage inquiry is on its way.

Sound relatable?  

If so, you should probably make sure your nails are on point. After all, nothing is worse than having cracked or peeling nails when the spotlight is directly on your hand. Someone avoided this embarrassment by showcasing her cousin’s hand to announce her engagement on social media. 

Don’t make the mistakes of soldiers from the past. Give yourself time to regularly secure an engagement-friendly manicure. Engagement nail ideas point toward a specific manicure style that looks fashionable without taking the focus away from your sparkly new engagement ring. They complement the moment without stealing the spotlight. 

If you’re overwhelmed by picking these nails, read on to prepare for the perfect engagement set 💅. 

 

What Color Nails Look Best for Engagement Pictures?

Your engagement nails can be any color you want as long as you’re excited about them. That being said, popular engagement nail polish colors are:

 

5 Engagement Nail Ideas

Although plain colors are the most popular, there are tons of other styles to choose from. Here are a few you can eat your heart out over.

 

1. French Tip

Doing a classy engagement nail look is easy with a French tip. There are many ways to achieve this look and even new ways to spice it up (here’s one of our current favs on TikTok).

 

Materials Needed

 

How to Create This Look

 

1. Use the dehydrator and primer to prep the nail.
2. Start with your base coat and cure for 30-60 seconds.
3. Apply nude nail polish for a natural look (you can skip this step if your natural nails are already the right shade).
4. Cure for 30-60 seconds.
5. Apply white nail polish in one of three ways:
    • Free Hand: If your grip is steady enough, apply the white polish by hand, following your nail’s natural curve at the tip.

    • Scotch Tape: Lay a small piece of tape across most of your nail with the end free, then paint and pull the tape off, adding minor touch-ups as needed.
    • Nail Tape: Similar to scotch tape but thinner and less sticky, you can create a solid line without ruining your base polish.

6. Cure for 30-60 seconds once you’re happy with the French tip. Add a second coat if necessary and repeat the curing process.
7. Once everything is cured, add your top coat and cure a final time for 30-60 seconds.

     

    2. Ombre

    Ombre nails are a fun way to show off your nail art skills by blending two or more colors into a simple yet stunning gradient. For engagement nails, we suggest using a neutral color paired with a lighter hue of your choice. White to pink is very popular and is a great look!  

     

    Materials Needed

     

    How to Create This Look

    1. Use the dehydrator and primer to prep the nail.
    2. Start with your base coat and cure for 30-60 seconds.
    3. Apply the lighter shade of nail polish first.
    4. Create the ombre look using one of two techniques:
      • Sponge: Add a second nail color on the makeup sponge along with a small amount of the first color in bold swipes. Then gently stamp up and down on the nail until a gradient is showing.

      • Brush: Apply the second nail color at the end of the nail tip and use the brush to blend, using quick up and down motions.
    5. Cure for 30-60 seconds.
    6. Repeat this process until you have a smooth ombre.
    7. Add your top coat and cure for 30-60 seconds for the last time.

     

    3. Subtle Art

    Styles like swirls, thin lines, and small shapes (like hearts) can make your nails look beautiful without overshadowing your engagement ring. 

    As an example, check out these pink and silver glitter swirls. They’re Instagram-worthy without distracting from the ring. If you’re one of those lucky gals who already have a really good idea what your ring will look like—because, let’s face it, this decision is too important to leave to someone else—you can choose a similar metallic glitter for a more balanced look. 

    Materials Needed

    How to Create This Look

     

    1. Prep the nail with the dehydrator and primer.
    2. Start with your base coat and cure for 30-60 seconds.
    3. Apply Cover Blossom (or the color of your choice).
    4. Cure for 30-60 seconds.
    5. Using one of our gel brushes, apply a small amount of glitter to the top and bottom of your nail across from each other on the nail.
    6. Create a line connecting the two using our liner brush.
    7. Cure for 30-60 seconds.
    8. Add your top coat and perform the final cure for 30-60 seconds.

     

    4. Featured Nail

    Do you need something quick and easy that still looks incredible? Do a featured nail! Let your ring finger grab all the attention using glitter, iridescent, or chrome polish so your featured nail matches your ring. 

    Use our latest ✨glitter collection✨, the Leaf Collection, for this example. 

    Materials Needed

     

    How to Create This Look

     

    1. Use the dehydrator and primer to prep the nails.
    2. Start with your base coat for all your nails and cure for 30-60 seconds.
    3. Paint all but your ring fingers with the first nail polish, and then paint your ring fingers with the glitter polish of your choice.
    4. Cure for 30-60 seconds.
    5. Add your top coat and do the final cure for 30-60 seconds.

     

    5. Featured Nail: 3D Art

    3D art on nails is perfect for engagement photos, but they also take a lot of time and effort. Many choose to do flowers, use crystals, or make different shapes.

    Here’s a quick and easy tutorial on how to create a 3D flower. 

    Materials Needed

     

    How to Create This Look

     

    1. Glue the stone in the proper place and cure for 30-60 seconds.
    2. Place the acrylic bead next to the gemstone, wait for it to dry (turns matte), and push the end to meet the crystal using our nail brush.
    3. Still using the brush, pull out from the opposite end to create a petal.
    4. Push the brush side to side to open up the petal.
    5. Repeat Steps 4, 5, and 6 until the flower is done.
    6. Perform the final cure for 30-60 seconds.

     

    Create Stylish, Subtle Nails with VBP

    See what’s up on our YouTube channel and in blog posts, which are full of nail art styles our experts created and instructions on how to do it yourself. Make sure to tag us in your nail Instagram pics inspired by us. We love to see it.  

    P.S. We can also help when it’s time for you to wear white—we’ve got an entire wedding bells acrylic collection!

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