Nail care has come a long way since the first manicure salon opened in New York in 1878. First considered part of the medical and hygiene industry, manicures were only for the rich who favored short, round nails as a symbol of wealth. Despite it’s origin, manicures are now widely available, inexpensive and more creative than ever.
Innovation in the nail care field has seen manicurists push the limits of what can be realistically done to nails. Bubble, sculpted and embellished nail art are seen both on the runway and in your barrio. Themed nail art is an especially popular trend and is designed to express individual style.
What better way to express that style than with nail art specifically designed for Latina-themed manicures?
These creative Latina-inspired manicures have your girls asking where you got your nails did.
1. The perfect match for your concha craving.
Credit: topknotnails / Instagram
Is there anything better than a fresh-baked concha? How about getting those pretty pastel pastries without worrying about your diet? This concha nailsart offers just the sweet manicure you need. These handpainted nails come courtesy of TopKnot Nails in Portland Oregon.
2. Nails fit for a queen—specifically the Queen of Tejano music.
Credit: naildbycassiechaos / Instagram
Selena has been an icon since she first stepped up to the microphone. Show your devotion and immortalize the superstar with your next manicure. These nails, designed by San Antonio’s Cassie Chaos, add even more glitz and glamour to iconic images of the Queen of Tejano music.
3. Nails for you Dominican dolls.
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Show your love for your Dominican roots with this manicure featuring the country’s muñecas sin rostro. These colorful dolls are created without facial features to showcase the diversity of the Dominican people. This lovely nail art comes from master nail technician Ami Vega.
4. Manicures like this will protect you from the Mal de Ojo.
Credit: amivnails / Instagram
Your mama, tías and abuela have been warning you about the dangers of the Evil Eye all your life. Now you can take the protection of the Mal de Ojo with you wherever you go. This killer mani is another masterpiece to come out of Ami Vega’s New York shop.
5. A mani that’s just plain ingenious.
Credit: amivnails / Instagram
These nails completely capture the vibe of Mexico and the Southwest. Based on the beautiful artwork of ingenous_, these nails feature colorful depictions of cacti, Day of the Dead-styled skulls, and a tiny Frida. Furthermore, this mani is another incredible handpainted work of art by Ami Vega.
6. Let’s Taco-bout these nails.
Credit: nails_by_kait_ / Instagram
Do you wish that everyday were Taco Tuesday? With this manicure, it can be! First of all, we’ve gotta taco-bout this mani’s punny message. The colorful palette and handpainted artwork is courtesy of the creative Nails by Kait.
7. Rep these raspas next time you hit the salon.
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This mani will take you back to those summer days outside the refresqueria. You can practically taste the sweetness when you look at these gorgeously embellished raspas. Nail artist Ka Yee is responsible for this refreshingly unique manicure.
8. A perfect offering for Día de los Muertos.
With these nails, you can celebrate Día de los Muertos every day of the year. This manicure features traditional imagery, like sugar skulls and flowers, to observe the festival of the dead. These hauntingly beautiful nails are the creation of irienailsllc.
9. This manicure is meant for Mass.
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No doubt, your overly devout grandmother will gush over these works of art. Catholic iconography and bling collide to create the baddest mani this side of Sunday Mass. With this mani, making the sign of the cross never looked so good.
10. These nails will match your cutest Pueblo dress.
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Delicate florals, lace, and embroidery are mainstays in Mexican fashion and art. So, we’re not surprised to see these images make their way onto our manis. This Pueblo-inspired design comes to us from the artists at Florida’s s Nail Art Lounge.
11. Where this sweet mani when you get all dolled up.
Credit: nails.15_beautyinyourhands / Instagram
These sweet Mexican rag-dolls will take you back to your days as a little girl. You’ll never be alone when you display these darling dolls on your nails. These cute memories of our childhood were created by Nails 15 in Baja California.
12. Inspired by the beauty of Mexican ceramics.
Credit: missbettyrose / Instagram
Your friends will think they wandered into a Mexican market when they see you sporting these clean and colorful nails. Looking like the ceramic tiles you’ll find adorning our cities, this manicure uses delicate handpainted brushwork to replicate the look. This nail art was created all the way in Sydney, Australia by Miss Betty Rose.
13. When you want to wear your heart on your sleeve (or at least your nails).
Credit: rosebnails / Instagram
In Mexican Folk Art, there are a few images that are essential to depicting the genre. The Sacred Heart, crosses, skulls, and cacti are all essential to an authentic piece. With those guidelines checked, this mani is a true work of Mexican Folk Art. Miami’s Rose B Nails is the artist behind this handpainted masterpiece.
14. Show you’re crazy about cacti with these nails.
Credit: lluvia_stampingnail / Instagram
Cacti can be found across the Southwest United States, down through Mexico and across Latin America. Whether we’re growing succulents in our gardens or grilling up napoles, cacti have become a symbol of our cultures. This stamped manicure is a true Mexicana original designed by lluvia_stampingnail.
15. Rock these if Guadalupe is your homegirl.
Credit: alicemcnails / Instagram
Ever since La Virgen appeared to Juan Diego, she became the OG homegirl. Hand-painted to perfection and decked put in dazzling embellishments, these nails are the perfect tribute to the Queen of Queens. The nail tech behind this heavenly design is London’s Alice McColm.
16. You need these for your next night of Loteria.
Credit: chachacovers / Instagram
Are you feeling lucky? Well, maybe you’ll feel a little more fortunate with nails like these. Everyone’s favorite game is now an awesome manicure. Featuring Loteria images like La Sirena and El Corazon, the decals for this mani were created by Cha Cha Covers.
17. Because Avocados are life.
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Daily reminder that avocados are the good kind of fat so eat up, gente. We’ve had the delectable Latin American native as guacamole and sliced inside a torta but we’ve never had it on our manicures. These cutie ‘cados were hand painted by Colorado nail technician Melinda X Vang.
18. This mani will make you feel like you’re on a Mexican vacay.
Credit: amivnails / Instagram
During these cold winter months, we could use a vacation to somewhere warmer. However, if you can’t sneak away down south, your nails can at least say “I’m ready for Spring Break.” Yet again, Ami Vega brings a Latinx-vibe to nail art with her hand-drawn chilis, maracas, and tacos.
19. A manicure to that will have you singing “Recuérdame.”
Credit: chachacovers / Instagram
We still haven’t gotten over the feels from Disney’s Coco. It’s cool, though, because we can turn our manis into makeshift ofrendas to honor Mama Coco and the familia. These decals from Cha Cha Covers make us go “Un Poco Loco” over this look.
20. Man-Go get this mani, ASAP.
Credit: nail_paintings_by_rupa / Instagram
Vibrant and irresistible. Do you think we’re talking about the fruit or describing this cool mani? The build-up of greens, red and yellows create nail art almost good enough to eat. This delicious artwork comes all the way from Bangladesh where Nail Paintings by Rupa creates next level manicures.
Read: The Very First Latina Disney Princess Might Be Coming To The Big Screen — And This Megastar Could Have A Role In Its Creation
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