How to Do Blush Nails (Or Ask for Them at the Salon)

How to Do Blush Nails at Home

Nail polish only Paint your entire nail with a light base color. Popular options include milky-white or light pink colors, like Essie’s Marshmallow or OPI’s Lisbon Wants Moor. While your base layer is still tacky to the touch, add your “blush” color. Try a soft pink shade (like Sally Hansen’s Heart of Stone) or a dark magenta (like Essie’s Swoon in the Lagoon). Dab a circle of the darker nail polish into the center of your nail with a sponge or eyeshadow blush. Continue tapping the polish and diffusing it toward the outside of the nail. To achieve the diffused, gradient effect, use a lighter touch as you move away from the center. Wait 1-2 minutes for the nail polish to set before applying a top coat.

Nail polish with powder blush Apply two layers of a light rosy nail polish shade. Wait until the polish is no longer wet but not completely dry—if it’s slightly sticky to the touch, you’re good to go. Use a small eyeshadow brush to apply your favorite powder blush to the center of your nail—try a bright pink or mauve blush. Hold your brush perpendicular to your nail and gently tap the blush into the center. If needed, use the brush or your fingers to diffuse the blush toward the edge of your nails. Clean any stickiness off of your brush after each nail to prevent clumps. Seal your blush in with a layer of clear polish.

Nail polish with cream blush Apply two coats of white or light pink nail polish. Let each coat dry for a few minutes. Coat a small brush with a pink cream blush and tap off any excess. Apply the blush to the center of the nail and gently tap it outward to create a fading effect. If desired, use a powder blush to blend out the edges and soften the gradient look. Apply a layer of quick-drying top coat over your nails to lock in the blush.

Gel polish only Use an at-home gel manicure kit with UV light and follow user instructions for setup and use. Apply one thin coat of a sheer gel polish shade and cure it with the UV light. Paint on a second coat of sheer polish. Before curing it, apply your darker “blush” polish to a makeup sponge or brush. Dot your makeup sponge or brush to create a small circle of the darker polish in the center of each nail. Gently feather the color out from the center toward the edge of the nail. Use a lighter touch and less polish as you move away from the center in order to create the “blushing” gradient effect. Cure your polishes again. Then, apply a gel top coat and cure a final time.

Gel polish with blush Apply a gel base coat and cure it according to the instructions of your UV nail lamp. Apply 1 thin coat of nude gel polish and cure. Apply another coat, then use a makeup sponge to tap a pink cream blush into the center of the nail. Gently the sponge around the dot to create a fade toward the edge of the nail. Once you’re happy with the gradient look, cure the polish and apply a top coat. Cure your nails a final time. If you’d rather have your natural nail color as a base, apply a thin layer of clear base coat and directly apply the blush before curing.

Blooming gel polish Apply a light pink or sheer nude polish to your entire nail. Cure this layer with a UV manicure lamp. Paint a layer of transparent blooming gel polish onto the entire nail. Without curing the blooming gel layer, place a dot of pink or plum gel polish into the center of the nail. Wait 1-2 minutes for the circle of polish to “bloom.” When it blooms, you’ll see the edges of the circle start to spread toward the outside of the nail. You can use a fan brush to help it along. Once you’re satisfied with the look, cure it with the UV lamp. As its name suggests, blooming gel polish helps any layered colors spread and “bloom,” so it’s often used in nail art to achieve marbling or watercolor effects.

How to Ask for Blush Nails at a Salon

Bring photos of your desired blush nail look to the salon. Search Google or Pinterest for queries like “blush pink nails,” “Korean blush nails,” and “blush nails TikTok trend.” Find 2-3 photos that are similar to the nail art you want and show them to your manicurist. Different manicurists can have different interpretations when doing nail art, especially when it comes to viral trends. By providing a visual, you can be certain you’ll get exactly the look you want!

Blush Nail Color Variations

Pop of Pink Blush Nails Rather than the subtle, pastel pinks traditionally used for blush nails, this look features a bold pink shade against a barely-there background color. For this classic yet eye-catching design, use a sheer nude color for the base—like OPI’s Samoan Sand or Tiramisu for Two. Finally, add a bright pink polish at the center that gradually spreads out to the edge of your nail bed.

Barely Blushing Blush Nails This variation on blush nails is very similar to the traditional look, but it uses your natural nail as the base instead of a polish. Paint a shiny base coat over your natural nail. Dab a warm pink polish into the center of the nail. This subtle-yet-stunning take on the blush nail trend screams glamor and elegance!

Be a Peach Blush Nails While most takes on the blush nail trend use cooler, more traditional pinks, this peachy variation uses warmer, more orange hues. Instead of classic pink, use peach-toned nail polishes to recreate the blush nail trend (e.g., layer Essie’s Peach Side Babe on top of the brand’s Pastel Peach). Add the final fruity punch with floral or fruit-themed nail art decals.

Sparkle & Shine Blush Nails This glitzy variation uses star and sparkle-shaped nail decals on top of the traditional blush nail look. Use any color combination for your base and center polish colors. Let your polish dry completely, then apply fun nail art decals—try tiny white star decals for the sparkle effect! Seal the polish and stickers with a layer of top coat.

Heartthrob Blush Nails Start with classic pink shades for this romantic spin on blush nails. After applying your polish in the blush pattern, wait for your nails to dry completely. Then, apply a bright white heart decal in the middle of each nail before finishing with a top coat. The finished look is a traditional, double-pink-hued blush nail made extra sweet with a heart decal on top. Date night look, anyone?

French Blush Nails This chic yet fun look combines trendy blush nails with a classic French manicure. After painting your blush nails, add a French tip by drawing a thin line across the tip of the nail. Use a classic white polish for the tip, or zhuzh it up with a contrasting polish color like blue, purple, or even black.

Let’s Go Barbie! Blush Nails Instead of more muted or nude blush colors, twist on blush nails uses a center dot of Barbiecore hot pink. Use a pale, pastel pink polish for your base layers. For your center “blush,” use a hot pink polish shade that brings everyone’s favorite doll to life! Other good color choices to channel Barbie include bubblegum pink, pastel purple, or even baby blue. For an extra Barbiecore touch, add some Barbie-themed nail charms.

Groovy Gal Blush Nails While blush nails usually come in light pinks and nudes, this variation uses your favorite vibrant colors and keeps the 1970s vibes going with floral decals. Start by choosing your favorite funky color combo, like dark magenta polish with a turquoise shade. Use your lighter polish color as the base and the darker one for the center “blush” color. Top it all off with daisy decals and nail art rhinestones.