Rhinestone Nail Design Ideas That Will Bling Out Your Hands

Every at-home nail enthusiast should know the basics of rhinestone nails. Whether long or short, any set could benefit from the reliable shine of a well-placed rhinestone. Recent nail trends like the popular Korean "diamond nails" — which makes it look like your whole nail is a single rhinestone or diamond — remind us of just how versatile rhinestones are. 

Rhinestone nails are always in season, and as such, they are a staple in any nail tech's or at-home nail artist's toolkit. There is no limit to how you can incorporate rhinestones into your next set and they're also such an affordable addition. On Amazon, you can find a rainbow assortment of hundreds of rhinestones for nails under $10. As long as you also have a resin-based adhesive to keep the rhinestones from falling off your nails, the sky is the limit.

Instagram and Pinterest are the best places to look for nail art ideas, but they can be overwhelming. So, we've compiled some easy-to-try, celebrity-approved rhinestone nail art ideas for you to try out.

Kylie Jenner is no stranger to trendy nail art and some of her sets have been trendsetting in their own right, like this nude pink set that sees adjacent nails join together to form a rhinestone heart. This is the perfect rhinestone nail design idea if you're looking for something more minimalistic and flirty. The nail artist behind this particular manicure, Chaun Legend, shared on Instagram that he used Tammy Taylor Nails Gel Color in the shade Cashmere Beige for the base. He then created half a heart shape on the middle and ring fingers of each hand, using what look like simple clear rhinestone crystals.

If applying rhinestones to your nails sounds intimidating, there is a tool for you. For more precise handling of crystals, celebrity nail artist Jenny Bui — famous for her Swarovski-swathed sets — can often be seen using a crystal pen in her video demonstrations of her crystal-placing technique. Her nail supply brand, Jenny Secret, sells its own pen as well. Especially if you have long nails or an acrylic set, a crystal pen comes in handy for mess-free and precise rhinestone placement. 

At the 2019 American Music Awards, Lizzo's mini bag and crystal nails stole the show. If you're all about the bling, you'll want to try this rhinestone cluster nail design. Since you're using silver rhinestones, the look goes with any color outfit and makes a glamorous statement. The singer-songwriter paired her set with a quarter-sized white Valentino purse and a tangerine orange off-the-shoulder ruffled dress, per People.

According to PopSugar, Lizzo's go-to nail artist, Eri Ishizu, is responsible for this set. Ishizu shared the products she used to create this set in an Instagram post: She used OPI glitter polish as well as OPI top and base coats. But this manicure is all about the stones, or in this case, bubble rhinestones. Bubble rhinestones have a smooth rounded shape instead of the traditional angular shape, giving off a cooler and sleeker look that really pops. Bubble rhinestones are also sometimes called mermaid tear rhinestones and they can be found in a variety of colors on places like Etsy.

Megan Thee Stallion might be the ultimate nail art inspiration. Her sets never disappoint. While she is a bigger fan of character art than rhinestones, according to Allure, the Houston hottie's set from the 2020 holiday season combines both a theme with rhinestones. This set she posted on Instagram is almost uncharacteristically simple as well, which makes it easy to re-create at home. A bow with a little accent rhinestone at the center is perfect for the season, but you can try this look year-round. Just glancing at her IG pic, you can tell her artist painted gift bows onto her nails and applied an iridescent rhinestone in the middle of each nail. If your nail art skills aren't that advanced, you can find a suitable decal alternative to add rhinestones to yourself — you'll find an amazing array on Etsy.

The key to pulling off rhinestone nails, whatever the design, is to make sure those stones stay on at all costs: If the wrong thread or object gets caught on the crystal, it can fall off your nail and ruin your manicure. Harper's Bazaar says the secret is using a gel-curing UV light to ensure the gel adhesive you used sets and those gems stay put. While using a curing lamp might sound intimidating, if you're a fan of having fun new styles on your nails every few weeks, the UV light will eventually pay for itself.