If you're looking for a color that's close to pink but just as fun, might we suggest purple? The color of royalty (plus Taylor Swift and Prince) adds a unique touch to any beauty look—including a manicure. From hyacinth to lilac, lavender to plum, there are countless shades to choose from. And when it comes to art, nothing stuns more than purple flowers, butterflies, or French tips. So, step up your mani game this season by rocking a regal hue that will get you compliments left and right.
Keep scrolling for 35 purple nail designs we plan on copying stat.
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Abstract Plum
Go for something abstract and fun in the form of a plum mani. With swirly designs and negative space, this nail art is impossibly chic.
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Purple Tonal
Paint each fingertip a different shade of purple to create this mixed berries-like look—the brighter cousin to "box of chocolate" nails.
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Ametrine-Inspired
If you're a fan of crystals and gemstones, try on these ametrine-inspired nails for size. With a light purple polish complemented by gold outlining, this stunning set brings forth balance and creativity—just like the gemstone.
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Purple Crushed Velvet
Magnetic nails aren't just for the holidays. Reminiscent of crushed velvet, these sparkly purple nails have a major shine payoff we can't help but obsess over.
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Pink and Purple Swirls
Name a better color combo than purple and pink... we'll wait. With lilac and blush hues in curvy shapes, this mani is bound to put a smile on your face.
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Purple Metallic Chrome
Metallic with floral details? Yes, please. With a vibrant purple chrome base and understated flower and gem details, this one has us counting down the days until our next nail appointment.
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Purple Daisies
Silky smooth in design, this chic set includes purple, white, and yellow hues. We love how the daisy nail art adds a feminine touch.
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Purple Heart-Shaped French Tips
Love a classic French but want to take it up a notch? Go for heart tips instead. These lilac purple nails are the subtle type of fun your manicure needs.
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Gold-Lined Hearts
You can't go wrong with gold, especially when it's daintily outlining purple hearts. Set against a nude-pink background, these nails are beyond dreamy.
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Retro Swirls in Shades of Purple
There's just something about squiggly nails that brings smiles to our faces. With color gradients in multiple shades of purple, you'll love how this mani makes you feel.
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Glazed Lavender Donut
Spice up your nails with this light lavender chrome set. Reflecting pinks and purples when in the light, you won't be able to take your eyes off them.
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Glitter Florals
Don't let anyone tell you money can't buy happiness—because if you go to the salon and walk out with a glittering garden, you'll be beaming. This set displays a sparkly purple backdrop with floral designs in various purple hues.
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Purple Marble
We're in love with this marble set with lots of purple dimensions and an almost cloudy-looking texture.
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Minimalist Negative Space
Negative space nails are probably all over your Instagram feed, but this jewel-toned mani is one of the best looks we've seen yet. Eccentric purple shapes set against a sandy-nude background bring the look together in a picture-perfect way.
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Gradient French Tips
A French manicure in gradient shades of purple and chic pearl details? This set is about as elegant as it gets.
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Milky Lavender
If you love the milky nail trend, you need to try out this milky lavender manicure. Keeping it plain and simple with a solid shade of lavender, it's anything but boring and a sensual look we plan on trying out ASAP.
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Mauve and Berry Swirls
Raise your hand if you're trying to channel your inner Maddy from Euphoria. If you're a fan of the show, you probably remember her swirly nails—and this take on the look, in shades of deep berry and mauve, takes the cake.
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Purple-Blue Shift
We have never met a chrome mani we didn't like, and this purple set with a blue shift might just be one of our faves of all time. The shift is subtle (yet packs a punch) and will look beautiful on any nail shape.
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Two-Tone French Tips
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: French manis never fail. But if you want something a little bit more out there, go for a two-toned French look like this one, which features two beautiful purple hues.
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Sparkly Rhinestone Flowers
Rhinestones are always a good idea, especially when daintily placed on each nail. This sparkly floral mani rests against a pinky-nude base and is the intricate design you have to try.
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Simple and Solid
We love an elevated Plain Jane moment, and this periwinkle mani delivers just that. Not quite purple, yet not quite blue, this quirky color is a total stunner.
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Glam Galaxy
These galaxy nails are out of this world. Swirls of lavender, violet, and grape swirl across the span of long square nails, creating a purple lover's dream version of the Milky Way.
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Complementary Colors
Take a trip to the tropics with these vacation-ready nails, complete with 3D art. On the color wheel, purple and yellow are opposites, making them complementary and eye-catching when paired together.
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Perfectly Plum
When in doubt, a simple manicure in a deep plum (with a glazed donut-like finish, no less) looks stunning.
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Lavender Haze
Dreamy and romantic only begin to describe the vibes of this detailed look. Itty bitty bows gather the lavender bouquets at the stems, adding a coquette touch.
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Faded French
This isn't your average take on the salon classic. Faded French designs feature a glitter polish fading down towards the cuticle, with a bold crescent layer on top—like this purple number.
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Geometric Mismatched
Inspired by the famous Italian design house Pucci, this geometric mismatched set resembles not only one of the brand's prints but also a moody stained-glass portrait.
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Pressed Florals
Pressed petals (in this case, those of a yellow and purple pansy) get a new lease on life when paired on a shimmery glitter base coat.
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Groovy Love
If you thought heart nails were reserved for Valentine's Day nails, then think again. This groovy set takes us back to the '70s, especially with the vibrant hot pink and purple color choices.
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Creamy French
The most minimalsitic of manicurists will adore this take on a French manicure, which simply swaps out the typically nude or pink base color for a creamy lilac.
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Dark Aura
Dark aura nails are the perfect compromise for the mysterious and moody crowd who want to participate in the aura nail trend without compromising their color preferences. We love how the deep plum-black polish outlines the purple center.
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Striking Smilies
Orchid purple and key lime make a striking match, especially when adorned with metallic smiley faces.
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Airbrushed Sherbert
Airbrush nails are works of art, and this rhinestone-finished set is truly a testament to that. This artist blended pink, purple, and yellow on each nail, making each nail look like a one-of-a-kind painting.
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Sunset Clouds
Remember that skies don’t always look blue. All about pink clouds and celestial stars, this look captures the sky at dusk on a hot summer's night.
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Purple Ombré
Pack in a punch of bright colors with this ombré nail art that resembles cotton candy-stained fingertips, only more chic.
FAQ
Are purple nails in style?
As maximalist trends continue to lead in the manicure space, purple is certainly a colorful trend to play with in 2024.
What other nail colors go with light purple polish?
You can create any color combination you like for your manicure. However, colors that tend to complement light purple include deep purple, periwinkle, black,