In the manicure world, several staples will almost always be in rotation. For instance, it doesn’t get more classic than a French tip—regardless of the color. Black and white nails are also popular because their neutral tones lend themselves to many outfit pairings. And, because of its element of surprise, animal print (like tortoise or leopard) has also been around for several decades. One of the more unexpected animal patterns that still deserve your attention? Cow print nails.
Luckily, it’s a design that’s super easy to do yourself at home. “Traditional cow print is a white base with black blobs,” says celebrity manicurist Fleury Rose. “You can easily achieve this with a dotting tool dipped in black polish, and then customize the look using different color combos.” So this trendy manicure isn’t restricted to black and white, or even brown and white. If you’re feeling bold, you can even do a rainbow cow print.
Below, browse through 20 cow print nail designs.
Full Cow
@fleuryrosenails/Instagram
Commit to the cow trend with a full-on cow manicure. Rose created this look with a true white polish topped with black spots. To get this length and shape, ask for medium-length, almond-shaped nails.
Spring at the Farm
@disseynails/Instagram
This floral design blends cow print with white flowers and touches of pink and yellow. It’s bright and happy, which makes it a perfect spring manicure.
Funky Mix
@nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram
Cow print is a fun thing to pop into a mix-and-match manicure. This design pairs the print with flowers, squiggles, and smiley faces.
Rainbow Cow
@disseynails/Instagram
Remember: Cow nail designs don’t have to be in just black and white. For a vibrant manicure, these nails feature a different color combo of cow print on each nail. The more color, the better.
Rodeo Queen
@sugamama_nailz/Instagram
This bold square-nail look is perfect if you’re heading into your Western era. The design resembles a cowhide with a creamy white base and a brown for the spots. And the jewels? Perfect accents.
Moo Hearts
@nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram
This manicure dove deep with the cow theme. It features a mix of black-and-white cow print accented by lilac and a purple cow face on each hand. It also uses negative space as a design element, with hearts in the middle of the cow print.
Vache (That’s French for Cow)
@pinkbunnynailz/Instagram
This French tip design features cow print to add some spice to the mani. The tips are super clean and curvy, keeping the manicure classic—even with the print. Since you’re already working with a white base, adding black cow spots to it is a low-stakes way of trying out this trend.
Wavy Cow
@karajillianbrown/Instagram
To accent this fun manicure, I added cow print to one nail. It adds a bit of whimsy to the design, which features hearts, a star, and blobs.
Multi-Colored Moo
@myprettyset/Instagram
If the rainbow cow manicure is a little too bold for you but you still want to play with hues, this tricolor manicure is a great entry point. Its inherent whimsy is a bit more grounded, thanks to the blue, green, and brown polish used.
High-Gloss Brown
@disseynails/Instagram
This design features a brown cow print on a clear base for a soft-yet-graphic vibe. It allows you to get the pattern while still seeing the beauty of the natural nail underneath.
On the Side
@nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram
Bits of cow print are sprinkled throughout this fun abstract design. One nail per hand features cow print on half of the nail while another nail has a small cow-print circle. There’s also a brightness brought into the mani via peach, pink, and turquoise tones.
Mixed Animal Print
@nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram
This design blends tortoise shell with cow print and a deep green for chic, grounded vibes. And the short length of the manicure makes it as practical as it is earthy.
Milk Chocolate
@disseynails/Instagram
This cow-print manicure uses a milk chocolate brown shade to make the design. It yields a softer look than the traditional black and white, but it’s still neutral enough to match most outfits.
Neon Florals
@nails_and_beauty_by_daisy/Instagram
To match the black and white of the cow design, this nail features white flowers with black centers. And to add a wow factor, the majority of these nails are painted in a neon green. This would be a great mani to try if you’re hoping to make a statement.
Matte and Abstract
@nailsbymaki.nyc/Instagram
For a very neutral look, this design features a very light beige base. It has matte black cow print on some nails and a glossy finish with jewels and metals on others. Admittedly, the cow print is more abstract than realistic. However, the inspiration is definitely still there.
Clear Cow
@disseynails/Instagram
If you’re not totally sold on the black-and-white or colorful cow print designs, consider something more muted. This design features cow print on a clear base for a cool and minimal feel.
Red + Blue
@disseynails/Instagram
For a more artistic take on cow print nails, choose unexpected colors. This design uses a bright red as the base for chalky blue cow print. The contrast between the two colors creates a really interesting look.
Crescent Cow Print
@thehangedit/Instagram
Add even more interest to an already whimsical cow print nail design by leaving a bit of negative space at the base of your nail bed. This navy blue polish is so close to black that it requires a closer look.
Animal Print Party
@jaymarie_beauty/Instagram
To lean fully into the animal print manicure, choose a different print for each finger tip. Here, you can see cow print on the index finger, tiger print on the middle, giraffe on the index, and zebra on the pinky.
With a Cherry on Top
@sansungnails/Instagram
Take cow print nails to the next level by layering them with a cherry design. This mani is particularly special because it also uses negative space to balance out the print on pattern motif.
Read the original article on InStyle
