Valentine’s Day is right around the corner yet again, and some of your clients are probably looking for beautiful nail art fit for the day of love. We typically see a lot of red and pink nails around this holiday, but what about those who want something a little darker? For these clients, an edgy set of black Valentine’s Day nails is the perfect option.

Black has become one of the most popular colors for nail designs in general, but it’s also gaining more traction every year for Valentine’s nails.

Nail artist Brenda Hernandez (@lilahsnailsandmakeup) says a lot of people don’t automatically think of the color black when creating Valentine’s Day nails because, for some, it portrays heartache. But for others, it may just be about representing a fun holiday in their favorite color.

“Valentines can be in the color black, green, yellow, and so on,” Hernandez says. “People like being different.”

Besides being a break from the norm, artist Jaden Vlach (@jvnailjourney) points out that black is also simply a timeless color that matches with virtually anything. “You can dress black up with pretty much any color,” she says, referring to the red in her design, “and it goes well with any holiday.”

So if your client asks for one of these bold designs, how do you come up with a stunning set of black Valentine’s Day nails?

Products for Creating Black Valentine’s Day Nails

Depending on the design you have in mind, you may need an array of tools and products. Vlach recommends fine liner brushes for hand painting. You can also use a stamping kit to execute some popular designs like roses and kisses. Heart-shaped inlays, like the ones Vlach used in her red and black design, can be another good option for adding depth and dimension to a set. Be sure to use your blackest black polish, too.

Ideas for Black Valentine’s Day Nail Designs

To come up with her designs, Hernandez likes to take her client’s preferences into account and then let ideas flow to her. “I was always spontaneous as a young girl,” she says, “so when a customer tells me to use their favorite color—in this case, black was the main color—ideas just come to my mind and I start putting it together.”

If your client is giving you some creative liberty, you have tons of options for designs. An extremely popular trend for Valentine’s Day is tiny hearts. This is a versatile design because you can go minimalistic and put a single tiny heart on one nail or go for multiples, and either way looks adorable. You can achieve these tiny hearts by stamping if you want them all uniform, or by hand-painting for a little extra character.

Black French tips are another popular choice in black Valentine’s nails because they create a bold and classy look. Try adding design elements in another bold color, such as the red in Vlach’s design. And adding some celebratory glitter or gems is never a bad idea! Just having fun with the look is the best way to create something that satisfies your client’s desire for a daring set of black nails for Valentine’s Day.