12 Smiley Face Nail Designs That Will Put a Grin on Your Face

Channel all the happy vibes.

Demure bubble bath nails and edgy metallic nails have their time and place, but sometimes you just wanna tap into a bit of nostalgia, embrace color, and get happy. Enter: smiley face nails, which are every bit as cheery and upbeat as they sound. This upbeat mani captures the essence of that sunshine-y, ’70s hippy aesthetic—which very much enjoyed a comeback in the ‘90s and is back again. Digging it? Let these cheerful smiley face nail ideas inspire your paint job.

Classic Yellow Smiley Faces

It began with those classic yellow smiley faces, so you can’t go wrong with a handful of them. This bubbly design features splotches of yellow with a singular happy face on each nail.

Good Vibes Mani

Bring on the good feelings and happy vibes and forget all your worries. This cute smiley face manicure features buttery yellow faces on a pale pink backdrop and the center nail reads "No bad vibes."

Bright Colors and Smiles

Bright colors and happy faces go hand in hand, as proven in this joyful mani. It also features glittery silver tips and white starbursts for some texture and dimension.

Tangerine Flower Smilies

Keep it super sweet with a tangerine-hued manicure, then add some pale yellow daisies to a few nails. Instead of white centers, though, these buds feature adorable smiley faces.

Slime Green Smiley Face Nails

For a wow-moment, opt for an in-your-face base color like this slime green, which has a chrome-like finish with golden-y undertones. A few simple smiley faces painted with an inky black completes the look.

Pink & Orange With Negative Space

How groovy is this pink and orange manicure? Along with a few hidden smiley faces, it features some flower power accent nails and swirling designs.

Melty Smiles

A spin to the happy smiley face nails trend is melted smiley faces, which nod to that famous melty emoji. It’s a cheeky way to get into the trend if you don't want to take it quite as literally.

Melting Rainbow Smiley Faces

For another spin on the melty smiley face trend, consider this groovy manicure featuring dripping rainbow faces and perfectly outlined stars. It's the contrast of happy colors and uncertain faces for us.

Happy Smiley Stars

Smiley face flowers are cute, but what about some stars? This very '90s manicure showcases a smattering of happy-go-lucky stars in a fusion of playful colors.

Minimalist Smiley Face Nails

Keep your smiley face manicure ultra simple by staring with a clear base. Add a round smiley face in the center of each nail—try a different color for each if you're feeling like tapping into the rainbow—and add a glossy topcoat.

Hot Pink & Yellow Smiles

Talk about a statement-making mani. This high-contrast combination of hot pink and bright yellow is sure to keep you in good spirits wherever you wander. Outlining the faces in black helps them pop.

Neutral Toned Smiley Mani

On the other end of the spectrum, stick to a neutral color palette for your smiley face manicure. Greige and cream come together in a dynamic way thanks to a fusion of patterns, including squiggles, checkerboards, and obviously smiley faces.

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