15 Fall Nail Art Designs You Can Actually Do Yourself

It's no secret that I am obsessed with nail polish. From summer neons and winter metallics to springy pastels and moody autumn hues, there's no shortage of seasonal inspiration in my personal collection. But while I may fancy myself a connoisseur of lacquers across the color and price spectrums, let's be honest: I'm no expert. Fortunately, I have a few on speed dial and make a point of connecting with a handful of pros each season to get the details on what's in, what's out, and what's doable at home. 

For fall, I am most curious about nail innovation and design. With this in mind, I sought advice from celebrity manicurist Brittney Boyce, Olive and June nail trend expert Olivia Van Iderstine, and product founders Ann McFerran and Paulina Galoostian for the latest and greatest in fall nail art that amateurs like me can actually do themselves. 

Keep reading for their distinct POVs on fall's most popular shades, tools, and techniques, and get ready to shop their picks. Trust me—your nails are about to have their most stylish season yet thanks to these fall nail art tips and tricks. 

Inspiration

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(Image credit: @oliveandjune)

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(Image credit: @nails_of_la)

"I have a collection [that's] a collab with Sara Tan, beauty director and co-host of [the] Gloss Angeles podcast," shares Boyce, the founder of Nails of LA. "We created this abstract, modern art design with thin, bold curves on a glass french tip using Orly's Builder in a Bottle. It became one of my most-liked Instagram posts and became known as the Sara Tan look. Since then, other nail artists actually tag me to show their interpretation of the design."

Key Design Elements

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(Image credit: @oliveandjune)

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(Image credit: @nails_of_la)

For fall, Boyce predicts that bold, hyper-saturated colors will continue to trend. "We're seeing really bold blues, sage greens, warm berries and plums, and approachable oranges," she explains. "It's not quite the tropical, almost-electric orange we saw during summer, but a welcoming, autumn-harvest orange."

In terms of current designs, Boyce is seeing a lot of gilded nail art, which is inspired by the embellishments and hardware seen on the runway. "I love this French drip that looks like gold dripping down the nails and nail art that uses gold foil as an accent," she shares.

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(Image credit: @nails_of_la)

Boyce also likes to use gold for half-moon nail art, which looks great for fall.

DIY Advice

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(Image credit: @oliveandjune)

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(Image credit: @nails_of_la)

When it comes to doing nail art at home, practice makes perfect. Start simply and use washi tape to create guides, then see what happens. Boyce recommends keeping a dry brush handy to dip into acetone-based nail polish remover to clean up any mistakes—you can always re-do it. 

Also, Boyce is a big fan of following nail art tutorials on social media. "Just remember that not all 'hacks' actually work," she cautions. "Some do, like the silicone-stamper hack to create the perfect French tip, but not all." 

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(Image credit: @oliveandjune)

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(Image credit: @nails_of_la)

According to Boyce, nail tools make all the difference when creating DIY designs. "I do a lot of my freehand nail art using a striper brush," she shares. "You can get either a thin accent line or a thicker line, depending on how much pressure you apply." Boyce also recommends adding Orly's dry brush, detailer brush, and Thumb Palette to your kit.

Favorite Designs for Fall

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(Image credit: @oliveandjune)

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(Image credit: @nails_of_la)

A diagonal cutoff is also really easy for DIY. "It looks modern, geometric, and clean," explains Boyce. "You can use washi tape to create the outline and then mix and match color combinations to achieve a fun look."

If precision isn't your forte, then Boyce recommends trying half circles and swirls since they don't have to be perfect to look good.

Finally, Boyce is a fan of the French tip year-round. She likes to experiment with different variations of the classic design using a silicone nail stamper to create a cool marble effect. 

Up Next: Here They Are: 21 Chic Nail Colors We'll Be Wearing Exclusively This Fall

This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Drew Elovitz
Director of Content Strategy

Drew Elovitz is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but has spent the last decade living and working in New York City. She earned a master's degree in media and popular culture from New York University, then began her career on the internet as the Twitter voice of Barbie. She worked previously at Who What Wear as the director of content strategy and also spent several years leading the social media teams at Teen Vogue and Entertainment Weekly. You'll find her byline on the site around topics such as celebrity fashion, must-have basics, beauty favorites (particularly nail polish), and wellness tips and tricks. Her personal style tends to favor the classics: She loves crisp white button-downs, sneakers, and skinny jeans—and no look is complete without a great pair of oversize sunglasses and a trusty leather jacket. After she finishes reading the entire internet every day, she can be found dining out at her favorite restaurants, trying new beauty treatments, or indulging her historical-fiction habit.