89 Elegant and Spooky Halloween Nails Ideas for 2025

Complete your costume with the perfect Halloween nails. Getting a mani and pedi is a ritual, a time for catching up with friends and taking care of yourself. From a classic French tip to the deepest black or a fiery shade of red, it’s fun to swap colors, patterns and designs as the season (or your mood) changes. The same goes for nail length. 

Spicing up your Halloween nails is about more than just looking good. As reported by SELF, taking the time to look after your nails is an opportunity to invest in yourself and escape the bustle of everyday life. So take a moment for yourself as you prepare to get in character for the spooky season. No Halloween costume idea is complete without Halloween nails to boot!

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• Short Halloween Nail Ideas
• Acrylic Halloween Nail Ideas
• Halloween Nails for Kids
• Classy Halloween Nails

Short Halloween Nail Ideas

1. Purple Ombré 

You don’t need detailed art for festive Halloween nails. A gradient from purple to black creates an enchanting witchy look. For variety, alternate shades like green and purple, fading into black.

2. Shiny Ghosts

Show off your short nails with this glowing idea. Start with an iridescent white base (though any shade works). Add tiny matte-white ghosts — whether on every nail or just a few — for a playful, spooky finish.

3. Romantic Halloween Collage

Spooky can also be sweet. Add mini designs like two ghosts holding hands, a skeleton forming a heart, a tiny orange heart, or a smiling pumpkin. A blush-toned base makes this a fun choice for pink Halloween nails that balance cute and spooky.

4. Green Slime

While the typical Halloween colors are orange and black, green has a festive feel, too, if you pick the right shade. Ask for a cat-eye manicure in a shade of green that looks like slime. Your nail tech will use a magnet over special nail polish to create the illusion of texture. You can also just get chrome dip on top of a deep shade of green if your salon doesn’t offer that. 

5. Orange Bats

This simplistic Halloween nail look for short nails is perfection. Paint your nails orange and add teeny tiny bats fluttering across your fingernails. You can customize this to your preferences by choosing a different nail base color if you like.

6. Faux Stitching

Those fake wound pieces are always popular, especially for last-minute costumes. Using that as inspiration, stick with a soft nude base color and add teeny tiny red lines with a few silver flecks to look like wounds. This short, spooky nail idea isn’t gruesome, promise!

7. Slime and Stripes

Channel Beetlejuice energy with matte black, thin black-and-white pinstripes and slime-green accents. A bold but fun short Halloween nail combo.

8. Matte Black and Bats

Go dark and classic with this short Halloween nail idea. Paint your nails matte black, then add black bats with shiny black paint for a subtle contrast. 

9. Pink and Black Webs

A lot of these short nails can be done in a variety of colorways, like this pink backdrop with black or silver spiderwebs. 

10. Little Black Cats

Simple but adorable, these short nails are wholesome and pretty easy. Pick any soft color for the base, like pale pink or orange. After that dries, have your nail tech paint on a little black cat head on a few nails. You could also do the whole outline of a black cat if you like.

11. Bat Cutout

Instead of painting bats on top, try a cutout style: a bold base like purple or neon green overlaid with black, leaving the bat silhouette to shine. This design is perfect for anyone who loves experimenting with purple Halloween nails during spooky season.

12. Floating Eyeballs

While abstract from a distance, a closer look at these spooky nails reveals eyeballs. The backdrop can be nude or a soft center of pink that bleeds out into nude. Little white dots with green, blue or purple irises depict eyeballs.

13. Black and White Checkerboard

Even though black and white are always in style, there’s something about this design that works for a short Halloween nail. A simple black and white checkerboard on some or all of your nails feels oddly fitting. 

14. Ghoulish Galaxies

Start with a dreamy bluish-purple base. Overlay it with tiny black moons, stars or bats for a galaxy-inspired Halloween nail design.

15. Frankenstein Tips

This nail idea is quick and easy, leaving you with mostly nude nails and a pop of color. Shiny green French tips, along with a black stitch line on a few nails are reminiscent of Frankenstein. 

16. Ghoulish Shades of Green

Incorporate green into your short Halloween nails with a combination of deep, dark green and a few lighter green nails with some added details. For the light green nails, have your nail artist add some hints of darker green to create a marble-like appearance or that of oil-slicked water. 

17. Cherry Skulls

Instead of the usual black and white skeleton or skull, go for bright red tiny skulls on each finger for a fun short nail design.

18. Snake Skin

Choose any colors you like for this fun short Halloween nail design. A stencil is the easiest way to add snakeskin texture to your nails, in shades of red and white, black and silver or anything you like. 

19. Hocus Pocus Book

You’re probably going to be the only one with these fantastic short Halloween nails. A deep shade of chocolate brown, like old leather, with plenty of texture on each nail gives the look of stitching and evil eye on the Hocus Pocus book.

20. Black and White Stripes

Beetlejuice shines through this simple, short Halloween nail look of vertical black and white stripes. You can always add an accent nail for more festive fun. 

21. Tiger Stripes

While not a classic symbol of fall, tiger stripe nails can still be tons of fun. Whether on an orange or nude background, tiger stripes are a simple addition to short nails. 

22. Drippy

Any color of your liking can be added to the tips of nude nails in a drippy style for an easy short Halloween nail. 

23. Eyeball

After getting a classic French set, have your nail artist add an ultra-realistic eyeball to a few nails. This somewhat creepy nail idea is sure to stir up conversation. 

24. Orange and Black Marble

Your nail artist will know exactly how to get that signature marbling effect for this black and orange short nail design. 

25. Tangerine and Gold

Don’t take Halloween colors so literally; instead, opt for more muted shades to get the same effect. Bright and bubbly tangerine looks beautiful next to shiny gold for these short Halloween nails.

Acrylic Halloween Nail Ideas

26. Orange Tips with Creepy Crawlies

A nude base with vivid orange tips is the perfect canvas for spiders, webs, snakes, or cat silhouettes. Long shapes really show off intricate details, making this one of the most versatile Halloween acrylic nail designs.

27. Ghostly Pups

Having acrylic tips gives you a larger surface area to work with for this adorable nail design. Dogs draped in white sheets like ghosts are the perfect mix of cute and festive. Plus, you can have your nail artist draw your own pup.

28. Scream for Ice Cream

Ice cream might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re planning acrylic nail ideas, but it should be. After painting your nails a shade of neon green that darkens into black on the tip, have your nail tech add a few spooky-themed cones on top. 

A ghost-shaped frozen treat like the ones you got from the ice cream truck as a kid. Or how about turning a scoop of orange ice cream into a miniature Jack O’Lantern?

29. Blood Droplets

All you need is one (or two) out of ten nails for this festive Halloween nail idea. Paint the majority of your nails deep, dark red, then paint one or two nude. Add droplets of that same blood-red hue to look like dripping or droplets of blood.

30. Cosmic Creamsicle 

For a slightly more abstract but equally eerie acrylic nail design, set the base as orange and cream. Add slippery black snakes, a giant evil eye and crescent moons with tiny stars to bring this design to life.

31. Mummies

Mummies don’t have to be spooky with this cute acrylic Halloween nail design. Paint your nails black, then have your nail tech add a few mummies peeking out or dancing around. 

32. Ghost French

Keep it subtle this year with this adorable Halloween nail look. Like a classic French tip, but the white tip is made a bit thicker and extends farther up one side of the nail. Add a tiny black dot or two for eyes so every nail tip looks like a friendly ghost.

33. Purple Sparkles

A bold and festive shade of purple makes a fun Halloween nail, and the light-to-dark ombré plus chrome top or sparkles make it even better. This design works on short nails too, but longer acrylics offer more room for the soft to dark purple ombré effect. 

34. Black Widow

You don’t have to have an actual black widow painted on your nail (unless you want to). Long, sharp nails are perfect for this minimalistic nail design. Black nails, shiny or matte, are always in style. Add a shiny silver spider web on one or two nails per hand and call it a day.

35. Orange Aura

Showcase the beautiful fall colors with this acrylic nail design. Set the base of your nails as a soft, subtle nude. You’ll want to select a few different shades of orange and red and have your nail tech create balls of color in the center of each nail. As it extends out towards the perimeter of your nails, it gets softer, sort of like an ombré effect. 

36. Vampire Nails

Matte black nails with glossy red, blood-like tips. Sharp, dramatic, and instantly vampiric. This set is a go-to for those who prefer bold black Halloween nails with a gothic edge.

37. Bone Nails

A skeleton one-piece is a classic last-minute Halloween costume, and it works on your nails, too. Long nails are essential to this Halloween nail design, which features an all-black base with a white bone painted on each finger.

38. Eerie Oozes

This acrylic nail idea is a work of art. While the majority of the nail is a soft shade of nude or white, the tips feature a dripping design that is an ombré of purple, orange, green and blue. Add a few tiny spiders and a chrome dust top to complete the look. 

39. Shimmery Colors of the Season

There’s nothing wrong with abstract acrylic Halloween nails. Use an ultra-sparkly silver base with bright orange blobs. Touches of black, like a star or a bat, are fun, too.

40. Bloody Tips

Skip precise droplets and instead paint large blobs of shiny red over nude nails. The abstract blood effect is chic, edgy and a little unsettling in just the right way.

41. Pumpkin Tips

Turn the tips of your French manicure into colorful pumpkin tops with this cute acrylic Halloween look. Nude nails are the perfect canvas for red, orange or green pumpkin tips.

42. Green and Black Flames

Choose your direction: green flames on a black base or vice versa. Either way, a fiery and fierce Halloween nail design.

43. Neon and Chrome

Purple and green are a funky pairing for this acrylic Halloween nail look. Paint your nails moody purple, with a chrome dip finish, before adding festive designs in a shade of neon green. 

44. Jason Nails

One of the creepiest Halloween movies to watch this time of year, let Jason inspire your acrylic Halloween nails. Nude nails with splatters of red to look like blood pair perfectly with an accent nail featuring his classic white mask.

45. Green Hello Kitty

Everyone’s favorite little cat makes the cutest accessory to these acrylic spooky season nails. Starting with white nails, your nail tech can make Hello Kitty green and part ghost for a festive twist. Her signature bow helps to identify her.

46. Rick and Morty

Though there’s nothing strictly Halloween about the show but the creepy and sometimes spooky plot lines of Rick and Morty undeniably suit the season. Have your nail tech create a montage across your hands for a colorful and eye-catching acrylic Halloween nail look.

47. Scream Nails

Everyone recognizes that classic open-mouthed ghost or ghoul face and it goes perfectly with an acrylic nail set.

Halloween Nails for Kids

48. Black Cats

This adorable Halloween nail design for kids is fairly simple; you might even be able to do it at home with the right tools. Paint your child’s nails black (or orange) and, using a small paint pen or brush, add a little cat face on some of the nails. Eyes, a cute button nose and the outline of ears on top bring it all together. 

49. Bunch of Pumpkins

A handful of Jack O’Lanterns makes for fun and festive nails for kids. Paint her nails orange, then add in different pumpkin faces on each finger. 

50. Alternating Festive Colors

Skip designs and just alternate polish in orange, green, purple, and black. It’s one of the easiest ways to highlight the full spectrum of popular Halloween nail colors without much effort.

51. Slime Green

A few coats of slime green is a fun and easy kids Halloween nail idea. Plus, it’s not too spooky or over the top. 

52. Stick-On Decals

Keep it simple for your kids' nails with a pack of store-bought decals. Everything from pumpkins to ghosts, evil eyes and witches' hats is easy to press onto a nail base of their choice. 

53. Candy Corn

Candy corn is a polarizing subject, but one thing is for sure: it’s an obvious symbol of fall. Turn your kids Halloween nails into a sweet fall treat by using orange, white and yellow nail polish. 

54. Boo!

Spell out “Boo!” across three nails using your child’s favorite colors. Fast and festive.

55. Metallic 

Paint your kids' nails in the shiniest silver or gold nail polish you can find. Something about metallics works for all seasons. You can always add a French tip design using a black line.

56. Little Black Bugs

This kids’ Halloween nail idea is just the right amount of creepy and crawly. Paint their nails a shade of bright green, then add the outlines of teeny tiny black bags. 

57. Pink Spiderwebs

This bright Halloween nail design isn’t just for kids. Add an accent nail of light and hot pink spiderwebs for instant joy.

58. Glow in the Dark

Turn even the most basic ideas into fun nails for kids with glow-in-the-dark polish. They can choose any color for the base, and pumpkins, ghosts or even just smileys are extra cute under the black light.

59. Patch Work

With a thin paintbrush and some black or white paint, you can add festive stitches to any nail color. This makes for an easy and fun Halloween nail design for kids.

60. Ghostbusters

Even if your child hasn’t seen the movie, the friendly ghost design is perfect for Halloween. White ghost faces with little black eyes make this look silly rather than scary.

61. Teeny Tiny Eyeballs

Have some fun making these kid Halloween nails with your child. No need to paint the base of the nail, just add a circular eyeball right in the center. Don’t forget to add a colorful iris and little red lines to make it more realistic. Skip the eyelids for this Halloween craft idea. 

62. Neon Backdrop

Neon is just as much a staple of Halloween as orange and black. For fun and easy kids Halloween nails, paint them a variety of neon shades, then add a black accent of your choice like a spider, bat or cobweb.

63. Two Tone Purple

Mix and match fun festive designs using a bold, shiny purple and a soft, pastel lavender for cute kids Halloween nails.

64. See Into the Future

Channel the psychic with her crystal ball with these multi-colored nails. Stick to shades of purple and soft blue as you mix them for an ombré finish. Add some sparkles, stars or a chrome dust finish for extra pizzazz.

65. Teal and Sea Moss

Mix up the perfect blue-ish green hue to top with chrome dust for shiny, mermaid-inspired kids Halloween nails. 

66. Sequined Tips

It doesn’t get any simpler than this kids' Halloween nail look that can be done at home. On nude or plain nails, simply add a French tip of just gold glitter. You can, of course, do this over colored polish if you prefer. 

Classy Halloween Nails

67. Spiders

This minimalistic nail idea is so simple that you could do it yourself. Stick to a nude nail base and add a spider to each hand. You don’t need one on every nail, and there are some nice decals at Walgreens or Target to take the skill out of it. A little spider web never hurt either. 

68. Red WineTips

French-tip Halloween nails get a moody spin by swapping the typical white tip for a blood-red wine. This works for Thanksgiving nails too, since it’s just a pop of fall color. 

69. Brown French Tips

Another fun fall nail variation, these brown French tips are the epitome of classy. A warm hue of chocolate brown looks stunning next to a soft nude. Get a little extra fancy by adding chrome dip on top for a shimmery effect.

70. Soft & Mystical

Halloween nails don’t all have to be bold shades of black, orange or green. These soft pinky nude nails get a festive twist with tiny gold accents like twinkling stars and a crescent moon. 

71. Plain and Shiny

This classy nail design is simple but festive and looks great all throughout the fall and Winter. Choose a dark hue like charcoal gray or even navy blue then add chrome dust on top for a little extra sparkle. 

72. Marble Mummies

You can still rock classy Halloween nails with a touch of fun with this marble mummy design. Choose a soft base color, like a mauve or pastel purple, then create a marble effect with white or soft gray paint. After that dries, add decals or little dots for tiny mummy eyes. 

73. Glazed Donut: Fall Edition

Choose a red-orange polish with brown undertones to capture autumn warmth. Top it with a chrome dip for a glossy finish that shines like a glazed donut.

74. Shades of Brown

A solid nail color is always classy and in style, perfect for Halloween nails. Choose a shade of warm chocolate brown or a deep sienna for a fall-themed mani that isn’t too bold.

75. Plain Orange

Go for these classy spooky season nails by selecting a shade of orange that suits you best. Consider adding a matte finish for a little extra fun.

76. Frankenstein Green

A solid coat of shiny green that’s not quite neon can make for a classy nail look. Pick a color that reminds you of Frankenstein and rock it all over your nails.

77. Copper and Mint

Take a more muted approach to fall colors with copper and mint nails. Whether you put both colors on the same nail or opt for an accent nail, this classy nail look is subtle and beautiful. Gold foil elevates the whole thing.

78. Pumpkin Spice

Instead of bright, true orange, pick out a softer shade with notes of brown. Go all over with your pumpkin spice paint for classy Halloween nails, and maybe add a chrome dip for extra fun. 

79. Nothing But Navy

If solid black nails aren’t your thing, an ultra-dark navy has the same moody effect. These dark, rich polish colors make classy nails for Halloween. 

80. Ombré Red

Choose a subtle shift from cherry red to wine red for a classy Halloween nail look. 

81. Crimson and Chrome

Paint nails in a bold crimson shade and dust them with a thin layer of chrome powder. The glossy, reflective effect turns a classic red mani into something special for Halloween.

82. Martini Mani

Nails for Halloween don’t have to be all French tips or solid colors. This adorable design is perfect for fall through winter and looks even better on short nails. Paint your nails olive green and add a deep red dot to resemble an olive.

83. Foggy White

Fog and fog machines are classic decorations this time of year, so channel that with this sophisticated nail look of foggy grayish-white polish. 

84. Inverted Moon

Have a little fun with this slightly abstract yet still classy nail idea. Leave a half moon of negative space at the base of your nail, then paint the rest orange. Add a dot of copper polish or a sequin at the top of the dome to look sort of like a pumpkin.

85. Silver Star

Keep it simple and neutral with this delicate and classy Halloween nail design. Nude or soft white nails each get adorned with a single silver star. 

86. Autumn Leaves

Stay away from spooky vibes with this cute nail look. On wine-red nails, have your nail artist add gold flakes or paint on softly falling leaves for a festive Autumn design. 

87. Red Outlines

Start by painting your nails a bright, berry shade of red. After that dries, go over the top, leaving an outline of the brighter color, with a deep burgundy in the middle. These nails are subtle but festive. 

88.  Maroon and Gold

Add a subtle hint of gold to your nails by painting a shimmering half-moon at the base of your nail. This pairs beautifully with a deep maroon. 

89. Smoke and Mirrors

A metallic silver nail base gets a subtle, spooky finish with a hint of dark gray or navy “smoke”. This classy Halloween nail design takes on an almost marble-like finish. 

There’s a lot of planning to do with Halloween around the corner, from costumes to Halloween decoration ideas. Fall errands are the best, whether you’re running to the store for your favorite festive Halloween snacks or planning your couple's look for a Halloween date idea. 

A lot of these Halloween nail ideas can be done at home with the right tools, but some of the more detailed looks might require a true nail artist. If you’re going to try at home on yourself, friends or your kids, think of it like Halloween painting ideas and have several brushes, paint colors and a comfortable setup. 

For even more fun Halloween ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!