Nailed It
15 Dark Galaxy Nail Designs That Are Celestial-Chic
These manis are otherworldly.
by Carolyn Steber
As the weather gets colder, it feels right to ditch the pastel polishes in favor of something a little more mysterious, like the gorgeous glitter of a dark galaxy nail. This nail trend has over 40 million views on TikTok, where creators are showing off fingertips that look like an actual snapshot from space.
Dark galaxy nails range in color from blacks and dark blues to purples, reds, and even rich greens. If you can imagine the hues of the night sky — or floating in a faraway nebula — then it fits the bill.
You can DIY a galaxy-inspired mani at home with a quick swipe of black or blue holographic polish, or you can hit up your fave nail artist to create an otherworldly design on your fingertips. Lean into the outer space vibes with glittery French tips, chrome finishes, or other fun add-ons, like a 3D gemstone or an alien painted onto an accent nail — the universe is your oyster.
Whichever route you take to rock the look, you’ll see that dark galaxy nails are positively mesmerizing. Keep scrolling for some stunning manicure designs that are so celestial-chic.
1
Dark Night
Whether you’re craving a dark and stormy nail design for Halloween or just want to embrace the darker fall evenings, go for a black ombré base nail and then add silver specks of glitter to your tips. Use the sheer base as a canvas for celestial designs like twinkling stars and crescent moons, and you’ve got yourself a set that looks just like the night sky.
2
Galactic Glitter
The aura nail design can evoke a storm on a faraway planet when you paint a dark base with an airbrushed, periwinkle-colored center. Up the ante even more by adding flashes of silver chrome on top that look like bolts of galactic lightning. A few 3D add-ons, like acrylic bubbles or rhinestones, will make your nail art even more other-worldly.
3
Deep Space
To mimic the flashy colors of a nebula, go for all-over black polish and then add drops of purple glitter to your fingertips. From there, you can play around with the design — this mani features shadowy heart shapes in the middle of the nail bed — or let the galaxy-inspired glitter do the talking. The final result will look just like the deepest reaches of space.
4
Purple Planet
Take a look at a photo of a nebula — like the Cat’s Eye or Orion — and you’ll see a stunning array of colors, including purple, red, and green. Let that inspire your next manicure by swiping on glittery shades of deep violet and turquoise for galaxy-like swirls. For extra celestial shine, add a few touches of silver.
5
Sweetly Space-Age
To add a touch of coquettecore femininity to your dark galaxy nails, paint sweet details like pink ribbons and silver stars on top of your base. The purple and pink aura-style background of this mani gives the celestial vibes you want for the trend while the bows add a little something extra.
6
Beam Me Up
What would your galaxy nails be without an alien or two? If you want to add a cute and kitschy touch to your look, paint a different space design on each fingertip, like an alien face, a starry night, and plenty of glitter. This set also features a UFO — complete with green-colored beams —on each thumb.
7
3D Supernova
Dark and moody galaxy nails look good all on their own, but they look even better when you take a maximalist route. Take, for instance, these 3D acrylic squiggles, which look mesmerizing on top of the holographic base. It’ll make for an extra unique manicure that you’ll want to stare at all day.
8
Blue Ombré
If you prefer lighter-colored manicures, you can still rock the galaxy nail trend — just copy this design that has a dark base and a pastel blue ombré. To recreate the look at home, apply a deep blue polish then use a sponge to dab a lighter shade in the middle. For an extra flash, trace a blue metallic line around the outside of your nail.
9
So Celestial
Don’t worry, chrome stans: You can still enjoy that eye-catching metallic finish with a galaxy manicure. This set features an array of celestial hues — including fuchsia, blue, orange, and pink — underneath a sparkly chrome top coat. The end result? A purple space scene that’s absolutely dazzling.
10
Galaxy Green
If you’re a fan of space documentaries — and if you’re constantly wondering if aliens are real — then you’ll appreciate this perfect take on the type of glittery galactic green found only in deep space. Make sure you have multiple shades of green on hand as well as some black. And glitter, of course.
11
Drops Of Jupiter
Get inspired by this mani with its dark base, aura nail details, and flashes of gold. Use metallic chrome to trace your cuticles, or draw twinkling stars for celestial accents (or both). It’ll look like a stormy scene that the James Webb telescope would stumble upon in a galaxy far, far away.
12
Shine Bright Like A Diamond
This set is further proof that the aura nail trend can easily become a galaxy manicure — you just have to use the right nail polish colors. Opt for black and blue, then add an eye-catching texture with silver beads adorning the middle of each nail bed. If you have a celestial-inspired tattoo on your fingers, that helps, too.
13
Through The Telescope
For an extra-detailed galaxy manicure, imagine what you’d see through a telescope —and then get that scene painted onto your nails. On top of your base, add moons, sparkling planets, sheer nebulas, and stars of all shapes and sizes. Dark blue glittery nail polish is the perfect backdrop for your space scene.
14
Starry Night
If you want a celestial design that’s easy to recreate at home, simply grab a holographic or glitter nail polish that has every color of the night sky. Galaxy manis are all about that glitter, so the more you can fit on your nails, the better.
15
Out Of This World
Dark galaxy nails can make for the perfect moody backdrop for a maximalist mani that features a vast array of 3D add-ons, like chains, skulls, rhinestones, and gems. This manicure has slightly spooky vibes that will be perfect for Halloween.
