28 of the prettiest ombre nail designs on Instagram

Forget ombre hair (or don't, because it's oh-so pretty), we're moving on to gradient nails next. Yup, whatever your nail shape, or length, we've got you covered with our edit of the best ombre nail-art designs.

The colour fade manicure is a super-flattering way to give the illusion of longer nails - thanks to the clever gradient effect. Not to mention it also comes in handy if you're torn between two different shades of polish - hey, why not wear both?

Plus you can create this cool effect at home. So, if you can’t make it to the salon you don’t have to give up hopes of your dream ombre mani. Of course, it’ll always look more sleek if applied by a pro but if you have to do a DIY job, all you need is a cosmetic wedge to dab on the gradient colour for a simple two-toned look. Finish with a good top coat and you’ll have everyone ooohh-ing and ahhh-ing at your nail art technique.

We've trawled the internet to bring you a definitive round up of the cutest ombre nail designs out there, from one of our favourite nail studios in London, Townhouse, who have totally mastered the glitter ombre nail, btw. To Mei Kawajiri, Instagram’s most viral nail artist who counts the likes of Gigi Hadid and Ariana Grande as clients.

Fancy getting in on the ombre? From acrylics, to gels, nudes, to neons and coffin, to almond, don't book your next nail appointment without scrolling through our list of Instagram's prettiest designs first.