15 Bow Manicure Ideas To Try This Season
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3 months ago
Tie up your next manicure with a cute ribbon
Will we ever get sick of bows? Not likely. When we’re not fastening them to our clothes, hanging them on our walls or tying them in our hair, you’ll catch us painting them on our nails. And now, bow nails are set to be one of the season’s biggest manicure movements.
What Are Bow Nails?
Girly, dainty and oftentimes pink, bow nails are essentially a manicure that focuses on interweaving ribbons into a nail look.
Now, we know what you’re thinking: we have seen this before. But not quite in the same way you’re likely picturing. Bows have been a huge staple for the last year or so, both in beauty and fashion, thanks to the rise of TikTok-fuelled microtrends likes coquette and balletcore. Bow nails isolate this key feature, but branches away from its predecessors with contemporary styles and colours that don’t always follow the hyper femme aesthetic.
@yodeebs Loving bows 🎀 #gelxnails #bownails #nailinspo #nailsathome ♬ original sound – ems
And this season, bow manis are high in demand. In its Autumn 2024 Report, Pinterest revealed that searches for ‘bow nail designs’ had sprung up by a huge 2,220 percent – making it the most popular nail trend for fall.
This is backed up by TikTok stats. The number of videos on the topic has surged in recent months, totalling 53 million posts tagged under #bownails and a further 23.5 million under #bownailart. So it’s safe to say this will be a popular mani for AW24.
How To Ask For Bow Nails In The Salon
Bow nails come in all shapes and sizes, so make sure you have a clear idea of the style you like before requesting this manicure. Make a note of the colour palette, themes and whether or not you want 2D or 3D bows.
You can also bring in references images from Instagram or Pinterest. Show these to your nail technician so they have a better idea of what you’re after.
How To Recreate The Look At Home
Tackling bow nails at home? As you would at the salon, the first thing you’ll want to decide on is a colour palette. Nudes, pinks and pastels fit the coquette theme, but don’t feel limited by these choices. You can just as easily create a stunning bow-themed manicure with black, blue or red nails.
As for creating the bows themselves, you can simply apply a few charms to the surface of the nail. If 3D adornments aren’t your thing, then you can try painting the outline of a ribbon. A quick tutorial from TikTok user @gelnailsbymonicaa shows the breakdown for this look:
@gelnailsbymonicaa I LOVE bows 🫶🏼🎀✨ #bows #coquetteaesthetic #coquette #nailart #bownails #nailtutorial #fyp #capcut ♬ My Love Mine All Mine – Mitski
- Start by painting the base with your chosen colour.
- Then, using a fine nail brush, paint the loops of the bow. It should look something like an infinity symbol.
- Paint the tapered ends – these can be flowing or straight ribbons.
- And for a finishing touch, you can add a small gem or pearl to the centre of your bow.
Manicure Inspiration
Manicurists are getting more and more creative with bow nails. While you’ll still see the classic tenets of coquette and balletcore – pinks, pearls and dainty almond shapes –there’s also plenty of experimentation to try. Think chrome and glass finishes wrapped up with neat bows, French tips topped with ribbons and the rise of soft goth/dark coquette. There’s a bow for everyone, it seems.
Read on for 15 of our favourite ways to wear bow nails this season.
1. Milky Minimalism
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2. 3D Bows
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3. Bows & Pearls
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4. French Tips
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5. Glass Nails
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6. Soft Goth
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7. High Coquette
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8. Blue Bow Nails
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9. Mix & Match
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10. Dark Aura Nails
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11. Ballet Slippers
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12. Pink Chrome
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13. Bridal Bows
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14. Leopard Tips
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15. Jelly Nails
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Featured image: @bunnymei.nails on Instagram
