15 Purple Swirl Nail Ideas That Put a Playful Spin on a Regal Color (2024)

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  • Nails

ByTaylor Augustin

Published on 08/24/23 08:00AM

15 Purple Swirl Nail Ideas That Put a Playful Spin on a Regal Color (1)

The summer of Barbie pink has left us wondering: Where's the love for purple? Whether it's all-over lavender locks, shadow shades that beautifully bring out brown eyes, or an unexpected option for balayage, you can't go wrong repping the color of royalty.

We've been particularly enamored with using the versatile color on our nails. Our latest trend of choice: Purple swirl manicures, which bring together the nail art of the moment and the color we love. Ready to try it out for yourself? Scroll on for 15 of our favorite purple swirl nail ideas.

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50 Shades of Purple

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If you want to take your manicure to the next level, go for multiple shades of purple. It's fun and unexpected and works perfectly for swirly designs. To create this same look, follow Lauren's exact method and go in with OPI's Baby, Take a Vow ($12) for the base. Then, for the fun purple swirl moment, switch off between OPI's Abstract After Dark, Violet Visionary, and OPI ❤️ DTLA ($12 each).

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Minimalistic Purple

Seeking a purple moment that's more on the minimalistic side? Look no further than this masterpiece created by Alexandra Teleki. Go for a pinky-neutral base and choose two shades of purple, using them to draw swirls on the bottom corner and top corner of each nail. Keep the base visible in the center, and outline your purple with two thin, white, squiggly lines.

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Pastel Swirls

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Pastel shades will always be in style, and we love how these lighter hues look together. To copy this mani, start with a base coat (stick to something neutral). Then, grab purple, white, and blue polishes, painting swirls on each nail.

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Revolving Violet

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Turn heads with a revolving violet manicure. We think the matte base and chic white squiggles are what really makes this set stand out.

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Retro Waves

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We're always here for a retro moment, and when we saw these wavy nails, we immediately wanted to recreate them. All you need to do is go in with your favorite nude base color. Then, create French tips, alternating between purple and pink. To complete the look, take those same purple and pink shades and swipe on thick waves.

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Purple Squiggles

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You can't go wrong mixing and matching purple hues, and that's exactly what Phoebe Summer did with this fab mani. Unless you're confident in your nail art skills, we suggest heading to a pro to emulate this look. They'll be able to freehand the starry details with ease.

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Shimmery Purple Ripples

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Make the whole place shimmer with a sparkly mani. To copy this purple ripple effect, all you need is a sparkly purple polish and another satin purple shade that's a touch lighter. Coat your nails with the sparkle shade, cure it, then top it with swirls in the lighter hue.

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French Spirals

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Simple and chic, this set puts a playful twist on the classic French manicure. After creating a traditional French mani and letting it cure, go in with purple and two other polish shades. Paint them in swirly motions next to each other, going over the white tips and even the base.

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Billowing Purple Velvet

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One thing we like about purple is its versatility—it looks good on just about anyone and can be worn year-round. And this billowing purple velvet design might be one of the most beautiful on this list. Opt for a neutral base coat on the middle three nails and top with a swirly purple velvet polish. (Creator Brittney Ellen used Cirque Colors' Dream Within a Dream, $15, for this set.) Then, paint your outer two nails entirely purple.

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Periwinkle Swirls

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Who knew there were so many shades of purple? We're swooning over the subtle flow of this purple and periwinkle mani, and it's all too easy to do yourself. Start with a neutral base—like OPI's Put It In Neutral ($12)—then grab five purple shades for each nail, drawing them on in swirls.

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Purple Swoosh

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If you're drawn to abstract shapes and designs, this purple swoosh manicure is for you. We love how each nail is a touch different, but the color palette remains the same. Choose a purple, pink, orange, blue, and cream, then get to work, alternating your bases and swirls. (And tbh, we think this could work with any color palette.)

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Cartoony Purple

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This cartoony purple mani is giving pop art in the best way. If you love the look of these nails, all you need is a neutral-pink base coat to kick things off. Then, for the fun part, alternate between purple and two other shades of your choice in a swirly motion. Finish up by outlining the swirls with a thin layer of black.

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Abstract Purple

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Life is short—go for the abstract nails. We can't get over this abstract purple manicure (and think it especially looks great on the almond shape).

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Gradient Squiggles

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You can achieve this gradient mani in just a few simple steps. After coating your nails in a base color reminiscent of your natural nails, draw on horizontal squiggles in five shades of purple, going from darkest to lightest to create a gradient.

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Purple Whirls

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For this whirly mani, all you need are two shades of purple and a steady hand. Paint one hand in a darker purple and the other in a lighter hue. Then, draw some swirls in the opposite color on each, and you're done.

25 Burgundy Nail Ideas That Bring Autumn Energy to Your Fingertips

15 Purple Swirl Nail Ideas That Put a Playful Spin on a Regal Color (2024)

FAQs

What nail color goes well with purple? ›

Complimentary Nail Color

On the color wheel, the color directly opposite purple is green. You can wear yellow or blue-based green nail polish, depending on your purple dress' undertone.

What do purple nails mean on a girl? ›

Blue or purple nail beds or nails are a common sign of cyanosis, which is caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood. This type of discoloration can also occur on other parts of the body including the hands, fingertips, toes, nose, lips, and tongue. Cyanosis is often caused by exposure to cold temperatures.

How do you swirl nail polish colors? ›

Put 1-2 drops of each of the colors of your choosing onto the nail. Use a toothpick to create a swirling effect of your liking, and run it in the direction that creates your desired pattern or design. Be careful not to put too much product on in this step, as it may be too thick and smudge after a while.

What color nails with a purple dress? ›

For a warm - toned purple dress , go for a warm - toned nail polish like a rich burgundy or a sparkly rose gold . Additionally , you can also choose a contrasting color like a bright pink or a metallic silver to make your nails stand out against the purple dress .

What is the most popular purple nail polish? ›

Look no further than Essie Lilacism, the best-selling purple nail polish that is taking the beauty world by storm. This whisper-soft, satiny smooth lilac shade is not just pretty, it's super pretty (yes, there's a difference).

What is the best color match with purple? ›

Purple and the colour wheel

Colours directly opposite each other – or colours that “contrast” each other – are seen as complementary colours. They balance each other out. So what are the colours that compliment purple? Yellow, orange, and green are the most obvious ones.

What color nails means a girl is single? ›

Urban Dictionary states: “If someone has white nail polish on it means that they are single and available.” This is something that has gone viral, with the belief that the nail color indicates a particular relationship status.

What does purple nails say about you? ›

Purple Nails personality - Cool like a lilly

You enjoy challenging yourself and pushing your boundaries. However, if you lean towards lighter shades of purple or even lavender, your personality is characterized by gentleness, politeness, and a relaxed disposition.

What does wearing purple nail polish mean? ›

In addition to being a stylish and fashionable option, purple nails also have some symbolic meaning. Purple is often associated with royalty, luxury, and creativity. Wearing purple nails can be a great way to express your creativity and individuality while also feeling like a queen.

What is spin the nail polish? ›

Place nail polish bottles on each segment of the board. 2. Take turns to spin a polish bottle in the center of the board and follow the instructions you land on. 3. Repeat until everyone has a full manicure!

How do you blend two colors on your nails? ›

Lay two colors on a triangle makeup sponge so that they're almost overlapping and then press the sponge onto your nail a few times. Continue pressing the sponge until it's blended enough for you. It's very important to finish with a top coat which helps with any bubbles that can form.

How do you alternate 3 colors on nails? ›

Tip: Alternating 3 Colors

In my opinion, the best color combos are either all warm colors (reds, pinks, oranges, yellows) or all cool colors (greens, blues, indigos, purples). Another good way to do alternating colors is shades of the same color (like lavender, purple, dark purple).

Are purple nails trendy? ›

Are purple nails in style? As maximalist trends continue to lead in the manicure space, purple is certainly a colorful trend to play with in 2024.

What two nail polish colors make purple? ›

Mixing primary colors is a good rule of thumb to follow when mixing colors. For example, to make a purple polish, mix together a red and blue polish.

What color is purple and complementary? ›

The purple complementary color is yellow because purple sits opposite yellow on the color spectrum. This means that citrus shades are the perfect balancing purple contrast color. Look to yellow's close neighbors, orange and lime green, for more color palette options that bring out the best in purple.

What colors do not go with purple? ›

Bright orange and red are two examples of colors that can clash with purple and create a jarring and overwhelming space,' Artem Kropovinsky warns. 'Additionally, it's best to avoid pairing purple with too many other bold colors, as it can make the space feel overwhelming.

What two nail colors look good together? ›

Nail Colors that Go Together
  • Red, White and Blue. Pick a sparkly blue for the majority of your nails. ...
  • Mauve and Pink. This combo is not too surprising, but go with a sparkling or glittery mauve. ...
  • Berry Gold. A deep berry color is always classy and interesting. ...
  • Minty Orange. ...
  • Neon and Nude. ...
  • The Blues.
Jan 31, 2017

What color to wear with a purple dress? ›

Purple works great with all bright colours, whether bright radiant colours or pastel spring tones. If you want to combine purple with other colours, however, you should do this with finesse. The combination of purple and white always works and is a classic combination for spring.

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