Style & BeautyshoppingBeautyValentine's Day

10 Perfect Nail Polish Shades To Wear This Valentine’s Day

Heart confetti toppers, classic reds and pinks and more.
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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and whether you’re spending it with your significant other, your friends or your cat, we’re all about having an on-theme manicure moment.

Red and pink are classic choices for Valentine’s Day, but they aren’t the only option. “I always love the classic pink and red color scheme during Valentine’s Day, but I also love to incorporate white or nude into my manicures,” nail influencer Kelli Marissa told HuffPost. “There’s just something so romantic about a nude mani with pops of pink or red!” Nail influencer Lauren Phelps added that lavender is also a great choice for Valentine’s Day.

As far as simple nail art goes, Phelps recommends heart French tips, small hearts (“these can really elevate a nail look”) and abstract hearts for a more subtle look. Marissa recommends using striping tape and a sparkly polish to jazz up an otherwise basic manicure.

Here are our top picks for classic crémes and special effect nail polishes for Valentine’s Day and beyond.

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1
Ulta
Love-Note Worthy by Essie
This classic deep red with blue undertones is part of Essie’s limited edition Valentine’s Day collection for 2022. It’s inspired by a “cheeky secret love affair” and you’ll find silver decals of hearts, love letters and roses adorning the cap. The polish comes with Essie’s easy glide brush, which offers a quick, even application.
Get it from Ulta for $9.
2
Amazon
Rothko Red by Cirque Colors
Is it getting hot in here, or is it just your nails? This thermal nail polish shifts colors based on the temperature of your fingers, changing from a dark oxblood red in its cool state to bright crimson in its warm state. Rothko Red dries to a matte finish, which you can lean into with a matte top coat or you can apply a glossy top coat for a shiny manicure.
Get it from Amazon for $16.
3
Target
Grateful & Kind by Olive & June
This bright pink makes our hearts so happy, and it has a sweet name to match. It comes with Olive & June’s round brush, which fans out over the nail for an easy at-home application. Wear this shade on its own or part of an ombre, like this Chocolate Covered Strawberry one with pinks, berry shades and brown.
Get it from Target for $8.
4
Amazon
Snozzberry by Cirque Colors
Deep, dazzling and mysterious, this burgundy red jelly nail polish has iridescent flakes dispersed throughout for a unique effect. Snozzberry is opaque in two to three coats and its jelly formula is beginner-friendly.
Get it from Amazon for $14.
5
Ulta
Buns Up by Essie
For a quick mani when you’re short on time, this light beige nude quick-dry polish is perfect. It also makes a great base for nail art. The brand claims that its one-step color and shine formula takes just one minute to dry, and it has an angled brush that’s supposed to make it easy to apply using both your dominant and non-dominant hand.
Get it from Ulta for $9.
6
Target
Raise The Chocolate Bar by Nails Inc.
This deep brown chocolatey hue comes with a matching scent. Nails Inc.’s line of cocoa-scented nail polish is exclusively available at Target, with shades ranging from a creamy milk chocolate to dark chocolate.
Get it from Target for $7.99.
7
Amazon
Storm by Zoya
Whether your love is written in the stars or the romantic pinks and red of Valentine’s Day just aren’t your thing, this black nail polish packed with fine holographic glitter is a solid choice. Use it in a French manicure, paint some stars over top, or wear it on its own for an elegant look.
Get it from Amazon for $10.
8
Loud Lacquer
Aria by Loud Lacquer
Loud Lacquer founder Melody Hammer named this sheer lavender shade after her daughter. It’s sassy, sweet and has a subtle pink shimmer that’s best seen in the sunlight. It can be worn in one coat for a sheer wash of color or built up to full coverage in two coats.
Get it from Loud Lacquer for $11.50.
9
HB Beauty Bar
Crush by Orly
We’re seriously crushing on this confetti topper with red and pink hearts. It’s part of Orly’s limited edition Valentine’s Day collection, and can be worn over any color for an easy Valentine’s Day nail art look. Crush can be painted directly on the nail, or you can place individual hearts onto your nails using a toothpick.
Get it from HB Beauty Bar for $12.
10
Ulta
Bleu Iris by Orly
Roses are red, violets are blue –– and so is this soft cornflower crème. It’s part of Orly’s spring 2022 collection, Impressions, which is inspired by art from the Impressionist era. It comes with Orly’s rounded Genius Brush and patented Gripper Cap, the latter of which makes the polish easy to open and hold.
Get it from Ulta for $9.50.

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