Diwali Nails Ideas That Will Make Your Celebration Shine

December 16, 2024

Written by Tran Khue

Diwali Nails Ideas That Will Make Your Celebration Shine

December 16, 2024

Written by Tran Khue

Each fall, people around the world celebrate the Festival of Lights, known as Diwali. This beautiful event lasts for at least five days, but the cleaning and decoration in preparation starts well before. Part of the traditions include placing colorful rangoli patterns on the floor and lighting homes with candles and diyas, or oil lamps. Some like to prepare with something new to wear or a gorgeous manicure. Altogether, the decorations make everything feel alive with love and warmth. Whether you’re exploring this festival for the first time or looking for fresh ideas, here are Diwali nails ideas that will shine brightly on your fingertips. Not to worry, we found Diwali nail designs for every skill level!

Diwali Nails Ideas

Diyas and Lanterns

It’s the Festival of Lights, so you can expect to see small oil-filled lamps burning brightly and people launching flame-filled paper lanterns into the sky. Here is hand-painted nail art from an artist familiar with Diwali customs. The diyas, or oil lamps, are shaped from clay and baked in a kiln so they can be painted in vibrant colors.

If you’d like to try your hand at drawing rangoli patterns or decorative diyas on your nails, there’s no need to buy a bunch of polish colors you will rarely use. Instead, invest in a set of painting gels or line art gels that come with precision brushes in the bottle.

Painting Gel

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Glazed Nails with Confetti

The festival is celebrated by various cultures and even people who aren’t native to India. There are no rules when it comes to Diwali nails so you can interpret them however you feel. This cheerful set started with a blush pink base glazed with chrome powder, then decorated with nail stickers and confetti, followed by a glossy top coat. It’s bright, colorful, and perfect for a party!

What is Diwali and What Does it Mean for Your Manicure?

Diwali started in India. Its name means “a row of lights”. It’s observed by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs, but not all for the same reasons and not always in the same way. For example, the Hindus honor Prince Rama, the incarnation of the god Vishnu, coming out of exile. When they light lamps, it’s to light the path for his return. Some also commemorate Ganesha, the wisdom god who removes obstacles.

Meanwhile, Jains celebrate it as the time when Lord Mahavira achieved nirvana. He is a key figure in their religion. The Sikhs remember it as the victory of Guru Hargobind escaping from prison with fifty-two other princes. And Newar Buddhists enjoy Diwali as a time to worship the goddess Lakshmi who provides prosperity.

In summary, no matter why anyone celebrates Diwali, it’s typically a time of joy and togetherness. People contemplate the inner light in all by decorating with lamps and candles and lighting up lanterns and fireworks. So, if you’re interested in doing Diwali nail art, one of the best themes would be something that involves light. This could be glitter polish, cat eye gels, a chrome finish, rhinestones, and crystals, or simply a brightly colored design.

When should you have your Diwali manicure ready? Each year it’s celebrated at a different time, anywhere from the middle of September to the middle of November. The calculations are based on the lunisolar calendar, but the information is easy to find online so that you’ll be ready on time.

Cat Eye Nails for Diwali

Shimmery cat eye polish is a delightful tool for decorating nails for Diwali. It’s very customizable and fun to use. We have an extensive selection of colors and styles for this holiday and throughout the year.

Cat Eye Gel Collection

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Glitter and Chrome Nails

If you have chrome powder and glitter on hand, you can quickly whip up a Diwali nails look in time for the festivities.

When using chrome powder, have you struggled with achieving a flawless mirror finish? A one-step solution would be to apply chrome base gel first since it creates a sleek surface underneath the powder. If you don’t have chrome base gel, pay extra attention when you buff the nails, use a ridge filler if necessary, and then apply a no-wipe top coat before polishing with the powder. Start with a small amount of powder and add more as needed.

Dotticure Nails for Diwali

You’ll likely see a lot of dotted decorations during the festivities. They appear on the diyas and in the rangolis. You may also see stripes of color like the jhalars.

Imagine the patience needed to create this dotted design!

Sparkles in the Night Sky

Diwali nails can be as simple as a coat of glittery polish. Add confetti if desired and seal it with a top coat. This is a fun idea that adds to the festivities without taking up too much time from other preparations.

Rangoli Nails for Diwali

The colorful mandalas you’ll see decorating homes are made with various materials like sand, limestone, rice, flour, and petals. What’s interesting is that some of these materials feed insects, which is a kindness, and others keep them from entering the home.

The repeating, intricate patterns are said to stand for the happiness of the household and bring good luck. Various designs may have other meanings based on the folklore and religious beliefs of the area.

Rhinestones

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LED Light-Up Nails

What happens if you take the Festival of Lights to heart? Then you might attach tiny LEDs to soft gel extensions and create a charming manicure that literally glows in the dark.

Gold and Pearls

Elevate French tips with a luxurious new look. Here, gold outlines a pearly polish accompanied by studs and pearls on a glossy nude base. This festive style suits other holidays or anytime you want stunning nails.

Emboss Gel - Gold

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Fallback Black

As the artist says, “When in doubt, go black”. Although this may seem an unusual color choice for a festival of lights, the look is lightened up with glittery lines and little hearts.