Purple Nails: 12 Designs, from Lavender and Lilac to Dark Purple

Purple nails cover a wide range of shades, from pale lilac and lavender to smoky mauve, bright violet and deep plum. That range makes purple easy to wear all year: pastels in spring, violet against a summer tan, and dark purples once the winter coats come out.

We'll start with the purple family and the shades that flatter warm or cool skin. Then come 12 purple nail designs, and tips for applying pale lilacs and dark purples cleanly.

Shades of purple nails, from lilac to plum

• Lilac and lavender. Pale purples with a lot of white in them, and the natural choice for spring.
• Mauve. Purple muted with grey and a hint of pink or brown. It's the most understated purple.
• Violet. The brightest purple, leaning slightly blue, like the flower.
• Plum and aubergine. The deep end of the range: plum has a red, berry cast, and aubergine is darker, almost black in dim light. Both are autumn and winter shades.

Which purple suits your skin tone?

Every purple mixes red and blue, and the balance sets its undertone. Purples that lean blue, such as lavender, are cool; those that lean red or pink, such as plum and pinkish mauves, are warm.

• Cool undertones. If silver jewellery suits you best, choose blue-leaning purples: lavender, cool lilacs and inky dark purples.
• Warm undertones. Plum, berry and pinkish mauve flatter golden and olive skin. For a pale purple, pick a lilac with some pink in it, since greyish lavenders can wash warm skin out.
• Neutral undertones. Most purples will work, and mid-tone violets and mauves are the safest bets.

Skin depth matters too. On deep skin, rich violets and plums glow and a well-pigmented lilac makes a bright contrast, while very chalky pastels can turn ashy.

12 purple nail designs to try

1. Short lavender nails

Lavender is one of the easiest purples to wear on short nails. As a light shade, it hides small differences in length and shows little wear at the tips, so the manicure stays neat for longer. Paint 107 Lavender, a radiant everyday shade, as close to the cuticle as you can without touching the skin, and each nail will seem longer.

2. Milky lilac nails

Milky lilac is a very pale lilac, as if mixed with milk. If your nails are thin or split easily, wear it in B018 Lilas Vendôme, a light lilac builder gel.

Work a thin slip layer into the nail and cure it, then float a bead on top, keeping it off the cuticle. Turn your hand upside down for a few seconds to shape the apex, then cure. Our guide on how to use builder gel covers the full method and infills.

3. Mauve nails for the office

Mauve's grey cast brings it close to a neutral, so it goes with navy, charcoal and camel. On short to medium oval nails, it's discreet enough for a client meeting.

Nails that break easily get colour and strength in one step from B017 Mauve Impérial. This smoky mauve builder gel reads as a pale lilac-mauve on the nail, which hides regrowth far better than a deep purple.

4. Violet nails for summer

Violet comes into its own in summer, against tanned skin, white linen and a blue sea. Because purple and yellow sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, one yellow accent nail makes violet seem even more vivid. For every day, a softer floral purple such as 106 Violet is easier to wear, and works on toes with sandals.

5. Plum nails in an almond shape

Almond nails taper to a rounded point that lengthens the fingers, and a glossy plum gives them depth for autumn evenings. Dark shades outline the nail sharply, so file all ten to match before you paint. Lighter and pinker, 105 Sloe is a soft plum-pink that also works in spring.

To file the shape, keep the sides straight to where the nail leaves the finger, then angle each side towards the centre and round the tip. Almond needs some free edge, so on very short nails an oval is the better choice.

6. Purple French tip nails

A lilac French tip is a fresh update on the white version. Over a cured sheer pink or nude base, draw the tip in 022 Lilac with a fine liner brush, from each corner to the centre.

A smooth curve takes practice, so tidy the line with a clean flat brush before curing. Add a second thin coat just inside the first, capping the free edge, then cure and seal with top coat. Keep the tip to a millimetre or two on short nails, so it doesn't shorten them.

7. A lavender accent nail with nude

One lavender nail among nudes is the gentlest way to try purple, and discreet enough for a strict dress code. Paint the ring fingers in 107 Lavender and the other nails in a pinkish nude, since beige or peachy nudes can clash with a cool lavender.

8. Lilac and white daisy nails

Daisies on lilac are a spring favourite, and a dotting tool is all you need. Over two cured coats of 022 Lilac, dot five white petals in a ring. Cure them before adding a yellow centre, so the colours can't bleed, then cure again and seal with top coat.

Gel dots spread a little before curing, so make them slightly smaller than you want and cure each nail as soon as it's done. On short nails, one daisy on two accent nails is plenty. More dotting-tool ideas are in our simple nail designs for beginners.

9. Purple ombre nails

A purple ombre fades from light at the cuticle to dark at the tip, and it needs some length to show. Over one cured coat of 022 Lilac, brush Lilac onto the half nearest the cuticle and 108 Pacific, a rich purple, onto the tip third.

Blend where they meet with a clean, flat brush, wiping it after each stroke, then cure. Repeat the blended layer once for a smoother fade and stronger colour. Short nails can take a simpler version: paint each finger a different purple, from palest on the thumb to darkest on the little finger.

10. Purple chrome nails

Purple chrome gives a mirror-like finish for the party season. Cure two coats of Pacific, then a thin layer of Diamond Top Coat, a no-wipe top coat. Rub silver chrome powder over it with a silicone applicator until the surface turns metallic, then brush off the excess, especially from the free edge. Seal with a second layer of top coat, capping the edge, and cure.

Chrome shows every bump underneath, which makes a smooth base essential. For a pearly, glazed version, rub pearl powder over 022 Lilac instead.

11. Dark purple cat eye nails

A silver cat eye over dark purple catches the light as your hands move. Start with two cured coats of an aubergine or other dark purple gel polish, or Pacific for a brighter result. Then cure a thin coat of 006 Silver Moon, a magnetic gel polish, and apply a second.

Working one nail at a time, hold a cat eye magnet just above the wet coat for a few seconds, then cure straight away. Seal with Diamond Top Coat. Other magnet positions, such as a diagonal line, are in our cat eye nails guide.

12. Purple and silver nails

A silver accent brings out the cool side of purple and matches silver or white-gold jewellery. Use Pacific or a deeper purple on four nails and B033 Argent Sterling, a metallic silver builder gel, on the ring finger. Keep that layer thin so the accent sits level with the others. Builder gel is filed off rather than soaked, so that nail takes longer to remove.

How to apply purple gel polish

Both ends of the purple range need care: pale shades show brush marks, and dark ones show any mistake at the cuticle. Start from well-prepped nails and a thin, cured base, following our step-by-step guide to applying gel polish at home.

Light purple nails: how to avoid streaks

Pale lilacs contain a lot of white pigment, so the first coat nearly always appears patchy. A thick coat won't fix it: it can wrinkle and may not cure all the way through. Build the colour in two or three thin coats instead, curing each one for the time given in your gel's instructions.

Roll the bottle between your palms to remix the pigment, and wipe one side of the brush on the neck so it holds less gel. Paint in three strokes, centre first, and let each coat settle for a few seconds before curing.

Dark purple nails: how to keep a clean line

Deep purples usually cover in two thin coats, but they show any gel on the skin and any wobble at the cuticle. Start each coat just short of the cuticle, ease the gel towards it, then pull the brush down to the tip.

Clean any gel off the sidewalls with a small brush before curing. Gel cured on the skin causes lifting, and uncured gel on skin is the main cause of gel allergy. Cap the free edge with every layer, because a chip on a dark shade is easy to spot.

Frequently asked questions

What colour goes with purple nails?

On the nails, purple pairs with nude, white, silver and other purples, while gold suits the warmer plums. With clothes, grey, navy, camel, cream and denim are the easiest matches, and yellow makes a bold contrast.

Are purple nails in style?

Yes. Purple returns every year in some form: lilac and lavender in spring, violet in summer, then plum and dark purple through autumn and winter. Milky, chrome and cat eye finishes give it a more current feel.

What is the best purple nail colour?

The best purple matches your undertone: lavender and lilac for cool skin, plum and pinkish mauve for warm skin. If you're unsure, a muted mauve suits most skin tones.

What is the best purple for autumn?

Deep purples such as plum and aubergine are the natural autumn choice, alongside dark coats and knitwear. For something quieter, Mauve Impérial is a smoky mauve that pairs well with camel and grey.

What is the difference between lavender and lilac nails?

Both are pale purples, but lilac usually leans slightly pink, like the lilac blossom, while lavender leans bluer or greyer. Brands use the names loosely, so judge a shade on your nail rather than by its name.

Our gel polish and builder gel collections carry every Elegelli shade used here, and our 30 gel nail art ideas suggest more ways to wear purple.