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20+ Glitter Nail Art Ideas to Make Your Manicure Sparkle

Shine bright like a diamond.

Nail polish, Nail, Manicure, Nail care, Finger, Cosmetics, Skin, Hand, Service, Material property,

Essie.com/GoodHousekeeping.com

Glitter might make you think back to doing crafts in elementary school, but glitter nails can be surprisingly sophisticated. A little sparkle is really all you need to glam up an otherwise dull manicure, or to take your nail art to the next level.

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Glitter Overlay Nails

Gold glitter overlay and metallic tips make a French manicure sparkle. You can do this with just about any color — just make sure the tone of both finishes matches if you want that monochrome look.

See more at Olive & June »

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Simple Striped Nails

The simplest way to upgrade a plain mani is with a few gold glitter stripes! We love how each one is oriented differently on the individual nails, which totally modernizes the look.

See more at Olive & June »

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Brilliant Buff Nails

Just because you're keeping your manicure neutral doesn't mean it needs to be boring. Sparkly shades in taupes and nudes look elegant and glamorous at the same time. Use Essie Luxeffects Top Coat in "Set in Stones" ($7, amazon.com) for the glitter effect.

See more at Essie »

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Metallic Reverse French Nails

A modern twist on the traditional French mani, this metallic design puts the contrasting secondary color at the moon of your nail instead of the tip. The best part: It only takes three steps to accomplish.

See more at Good Houskeeping »

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Glitter Gradient Nails

If you have a hard time making each nail look the same, this ombre design is perfect for you. Since it's not supposed to be totally precise, your nails can vary without it looking unintentional.

See more at Birchbox »

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Here Comes the Bride Nails

Got a bridal shower to go to? Try bride-and-groom nail art that as sparkly as it is impressive.

See more on Julep »

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Wacky Dotted Nails

If you aren't ready to take on complicated nail art, this design is an easy way to fake an impressive manicure without all of the hard work.

See more on Chelsea Queen »

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Dripping Gold Nails

Start with a thicker coat of glitter polish near the tip of your nail and gently swoop it toward your cuticles to get this purposely-messy (and oh-so chic) look.

See more on A Polish Addict »

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Triangular Nails

Like a half moon or a reverse French, use tape to mark off where you'll paint your glitter polish. Go for unconventional color combos — this uses a warm pink and muted green — so it really stands out.

See more on Nailed It »

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Beam Me Up Nails

These may look like nail decals, but Maria from So Nailicious is actually wearing two coats of silver holographic polish like the Color Club Holographic Hues Nail Polish in "Harp on It" ($12, amazon.com) for a funky, multi-dimensional look.

See more on So Nailicious »

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Subtle Shimmer Nails

Simply swipe on a few layers of your favorite glitter polish to give new life to a boring or chipping mani. Instant glamour!

See more on Nailescapades »

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Glimmering Geometric Nails

With a little patience (and a lot of time), you too can achieve this mermaid-inspired manicure from Katy at Nailed It. The decals look like fish scales!

See more on Nailed It »

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Perfect Pyramid Nails

This requires a diligent hand and plenty of patience, but the payoff is a delicate, glittering pyramid. Use big, bold pieces of glitter like these from Nicole's Diary ($12, amazon.com) for maximum impact.

See more on The Nailasaurus »

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Glitter Galaxy Nails

This may look like it would take hours to replicate, but it's actually just a 30-minute process that involves using several different shades.

See more on Chalkboard Nails »

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Puttin' on the Glitz Nails

Double the glitter, double the fun. Pick contrasting colors for a dramatic effect or similar shades for a subtler look.

See more on The Nailasaurus »

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Sweet Sunset Nails

Pay tribute to the prettiest part of the day with this gorgeous gradient mani. After you follow Sammy's tutorial for ombre nails, add a light layer of delicate gold glitter like the Sally Hansen Big Glitter Top Coat in "Gold Flecks" ($5, amazon.com) to emulate a beachy sunset.

See more on The Nailasaurus »

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Flame-Dipped Nails

Inspired by Hunger Games' Katniss Everdeen, Erika from Chloe's Nails used tape and a fiery glitter to create this daring accent nail.

See more on Chloe's Nails »

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Dotty Nails

Use a dotting tool to get perfectly-placed polka dots on your glitter nail polish. Bonus: This manicure would be just as fun and chic with the colors reversed.

See more on Chalkboard Nails »

Sam Escobar Contributor Sam's enthusiasm for makeup is only rivaled by their love of all things relating to cats.

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