Beauty

13 Vampy Nail Ideas Perfect For A Moody Manicure

Time to put the neon shades away.

by Jordan Murray
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

As the skies turn gray and the temperatures drop, that can mean only one thing: It’s time to bring out your fall styles. The autumn season brings a ton of change when it comes to what you wear, but your beauty routine gets a switch up, too. Think: more moisturizing skin care, moodier makeup, and — my personal favorite — darker manicures.

If you’re ready to put down the neon and pastel nail polishes, now is the apropos moment to rock vampy nails — the ultimate style for cold-weather months (and Halloween season, obviously). And vampy nails can mean a whole slew of different mani styles, so you’ve got options. “Vampires have transitioned from scary cryptids to hot neighbors — thank you Twilight and True Blood! So any nail design that evokes a certain sexy, alluring darkness can be categorized as vampy,” says Sonya Belakhlef, a celebrity nail artist. That means dark purples, glossy blacks, rich maroons, and wine-colored hues are all fair game — basically, anything that makes you feel like you’re a character from The Craft. From there, you can also have lots of fun with your nail shape, artsy designs, and different textures and finishes.

At-home manicure lovers, be warned: Deeper nail polish colors can be pretty unforgiving, says Belakhlef. “Make sure you have a clean-up brush in case you flood your cuticle,” they tell Bustle. “Sally Hansen has a great one available at most drugstores, or if you need a brush with a longer handle, Orly has great options too.”

If you’re looking to spice up your manicure game, keep scrolling for some ultra-chic vampy nail designs for inspo.

1Jelly Red

This deep red jelly manicure — complete with tortoiseshell print accents — is fully fit for a vampire.

2Classic Burgundy

If you prefer simplicity, you can never go wrong with a classic wine-hued polish.

3Chrome Tips

Chrome nails are everywhere right now, and the eye-catching finish looks fab on dark French tips.

4Matte Maroon

Matte maroon nails scream vampy — and they’re incredibly easy to DIY. Simply paint a matte top coat over your go-to nail polish for the ultimate fall look.

5Tiger’s Eye Accents

Switch up a traditional burgundy manicure by adding a couple of tiger’s eye-inspired accent nails. Because tiger’s eyes are the vampiest gemstone, obviously.

6Deep Ombré

Ombré nails are always cool. Belakhlef notes that long stiletto or coffin nails with a deep red ombré are particularly vampy.

7Optical Illusion

If you want to add some extra flare, try out this optical illusion red and maroon nail art.

8Shimmery Purple

Belakhlef says dark purple is another great option for a vampy mani. This shimmery set is serving goth princess.

9Vampy French Tips

Pair two dark nail polish colors for a very vampy French manicure that’s perfect for the fall season.

10Half Moons

“Black square nails with purple half moons are very vampy,” says Belakhlef. Vampires thrive in the moonlight, after all.

11Swirled Shadows

These stiletto-shaped black nails with a shadowy, smokey effect scream The Vampire Diaries.

12Chrome Hearts-Inspired

For a vampy take on the Chrome Hearts-inspired nail trend, rock the look with a rich burgundy base.

13Triangle Tips

Consider raven-colored nails with different finishes in one set, like these glossy triangle tips atop a matte base.

This article was originally published on