In recent years the evil eye symbol has become a popular beauty trend from evil eye jewelry, tattoos and even evil eye nail designs. Today, evil eye trends are not limited to the traditional circular evil eye. Now actual eyes have become popular and typically symbolize good vibes, good fortune and great success. The evil eye is a unique style that has a bohemian flair with a global/eclectic vibe.
In this post I’ll give you loads of inspiration for evil eye nail design and will share a little history into the evil eye. Plus, if you’re like me and prefer to do your own nails, I’ve got you covered there too. There are easy ways to wear this nail style without going to a nail salon.
Recently I came across the cutest evil eye nail ideas on social media and Pinterest so I thought I’d share them today. I don’t go to a manicurist or nail artist so I wanted to give you a few easy ideas anyone can accomplish at home as well as more intricate evil eye designs you might want to leave to the professionals. Also, nail wraps and evil eye nail stickers are an incredibly easy way to sport art on your nails so I’ve rounded up a few options if you’d like to go that route!
Whether you have short or long nails, an evil eye manicure will give your nails a unique look! You can sport an evil eye with painted nails, nude nails and gel nails.
Popular Evil Eye Nail Trends:
- Nude nails with 1 eye on the middle finger.
- Blue base coat w/ an eye at the base of your nails.
- Classic French tips with original small evil eyes.
- Flecks of gold.
- Eyes only on ring fingers.
- Nude polish with blue tips and small evil eyes.
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The History and Meaning of the Evil Eye:
The evil eye is an ancient symbol believed to ward off evil and bad luck. It originated in Rome and Greece but many different cultures have adopted it as a symbol of protection. It is thought to shield a person against negative energy and bad vibes. The Mediterranean culture most famously adopted the symbol and the evil eye trend is most commonly linked back to Greece.
The amulet typically consists of an outer cobalt blue circle with an inner white circle, an inner light blue circle and then a black dot in the middle representing the pupil. Greeks believe that the evil eye is a curse between humans that typically comes from envy or malice. A person’s negative energy can be transferred to another person giving that person physical issues like nausea, headaches and/or sleepiness just to mention a few. The evil eye symbol is thought to protect a person from the curse.
Archeological excavations have shown this symbol of protection has been around for over 10,000 years!
The Evil Eye can be confusing because of it’s name. Let me explain a bit more… There is nothing evil about the “evil eye” we are talking about today. It is part of an ancient belief that if someone gives you the evil eye, wearing a little charm of an eye can actually protect you from someone looking at you negatively. The little eye that has become so popular today is a talisman used for protection against someone’s ill intention towards you. From my research, it is the type of superstition that only works if you believe it works. The little eye represents a protective shield against your enemies wishing harmful things for you.
As a Christian, wearing a cross is a more appropriate sign of belief and protection. However, wearing a little eye for decoration is a nod to a foreign culture’s belief. For me, the eye is simply a pretty symbol of self protection and awareness of things unseen. Do I believe it possesses power? No, but I respect the symbolism it holds.
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There are 2 types of evil eye symbols. The first is shown in the picture above. It is a basic eye that consists of circles. It is the original evil eye that is still seen today.
Below shows a modern take on the ancient symbol. An actual eye can be used to symbolize the evil eye but I believe it also can symbolize a person’s 3rd eye as well.
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Easy Evil Eye DIY Tutorial!
Evil eye nail designs are easy to do yourself!
The good news is the evil eye symbol is a basic design. A blue circle encompassing a white dot make it an easy design to recreate with a dotting tool.
What You’ll Need to Create an Evil Eye Manicure At Home:
- Dotting tool-I have heard a toothpick or bobby pin can also create dots but I’ve not tried these items.
- Nail Art Brushes (optional-for more intricate eyes)
- White Nail Polish
- Dark Blue Nail Polish
- Black Nail Polish
- Light Blue Nail Polish (optional)
- Base Coat (optional)
- Top Coat (optional)
How to Do A Basic Evil Eye Manicure:
- Prep your nails by removing the old nail polish, shaping your nails and pushing back the cuticles.
- Apply a base coat to protect your nails. I find this is a vital step in order to keep the color of the polish from bleeding into your nail and leaving behind a stain. Plus, a base coat can help the polish adhere better.
- Choose and apply your base color. Neutrals, white or even no base is popular but any color you prefer will work.
- On a paper towel, drip a few drops of each color side by side. This will make using your dotting tool easy.
- Using your dotting tool, paint a white dot. Allow to dry for a couple minutes.
- Next, paint a blue dot. I like to use a light blue polish for the blue dot.
- Last, paint a very small black dot in the center of the eye for the pupil.
- Be sure to let your dots dry before applying your top coat.
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Tips & Tricks:
- If you choose to do an actual eyeball rather than the traditional dot evil eye method, I recommend using a manicure brush.
- Lining the white eye in black and adding lashes requires a little practice but definitely makes for a great look.
- Gel polish will last longer and protect your design and you can easily apply a gel at home. I have THIS kit but I will warn you, I am on the hunt for better. The gel is easy to apply and looks amazing. The issue is that it doesn’t last more than 8 days on me and it is very hard to remove. I ended up wrecking my nails just from the removal process.
- For staying power, easy removal and a gel look, I highly recommend Essie’s Gel Couture set. I just discovered this line and love it. While it doesn’t look as amazingly shiny and thick as a gel manicure, it is close. Plus, this polish stays for over 8 days and can be removed with regular polish remover. No UV light is required and it is applied as you would a regular nail polish!
- While choosing a stark white base coat can look amazing and make your design stand out, it can be very tricky and tedious to make a white nail color look good around the cuticles. Any tiny imperfection shows when you use white.
- I like THIS video from O.P.I showing how to use a dotting tool and nail brush to make an actual eyeball on the nail.
- You can use actual gold leaf and apply it to the nails using a clear coat as the base for the foil to stick. Polish clear over the top to secure. This look is so beautiful and actually quite easy! Check out THIS tutorial to see what I mean.
Evil Eye Nail Wraps & Stickers:
I like to use nail stickers on a natural nail with a thick layer of gel top coat or regular top coat. Nail wraps are also a great option and are easy to use and last up to 2 weeks. I also recommend using “nail tattoos“. These nail designs work like a fake tattoo were you apply the design to your nail using water. They typically last until you remove them. Like nail stickers, you can apply a top coat over these. They lay totally flush to the nail which stickers typically do not.
The evil eye nail trend is such a fun way to add a little boho to your overall look. It’s an easy design to pull off yourself with so many different ways to accomplish the look! I hope you’ve enjoyed all the evil eye nail ideas from this post!
xx, Jenni
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