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Forget orange and black. Halloween nails this year have split into two very different moods, and Pinterest search data backs both up: soft, playful "spooky cute" pastels on one side, refined "gothic glam" moodiness on the other. No cartoonish gore either way, both are more considered than that. We've got a genuinely strong range for both, so here's how to find your mood. Spooky Cute This is the biggest Halloween nail trend of the year. Baby pink, lavender and soft white bases carrying the season's classic motifs, ghosts, bats, pumpkins, rather than black and orange doing the heavy lifting. Peek-a-Boo is our newest and it's exactly this trend: a soft pink base with white bandage-wrap detail and playful black eyes peeking out. Halloween Glow pairs soft pink and creamy white with stars, ghosts, moons and bats, with a glow-in-the-dark twist. Spooky Sketches keeps it simple, hand-drawn Halloween illustrations in black line art over a soft pink base. Want to build your own combination instead? Our Ghost Garden and Little Haunts decal sheets both bring cute ghosts, pumpkins and playful detail (60+ stickers each) to press over any plain base. Shop Spooky Cute Shades     Gothic Glam The other big direction this year: matte black, deep reds, moody ombre and delicate spiderweb detail. Refined and a little dramatic, not heavy or over the top. True Blood fades from a bold crimson into deep near-black, genuinely dramatic. Vixen Red is the classic, fiery dark red if you want one strong colour rather than a gradient. Snake Charmer pairs a subtle pink snakeskin texture with black snake and star illustrations, softer than it sounds. For decals, Black Snakes or White Snakes add graphic detail to any dark base.     The trend crossing both moods: spiderweb Spiderweb and lace has been the single most-searched Halloween nail look on Pinterest for three years running, and this year everyone wants it delicate rather than heavy, one fine web says more than webs on all ten nails. It genuinely works in both moods. Pink Widow is the spooky cute take, a soft pink-to-white ombre with a delicate white spiderweb and glitter centre accent. Black Widow is the gothic glam version, mixing solid black, fine glitter black, and sheer wraps printed with spiderweb detail. Same motif, two completely different moods.     Bonus: if you want something a bit different Halloween Glow genuinely glows in the dark after time in the light, and both Neon Orange and Acid Yellow do the same trick if you want something bold rather than moody or cute.   Can't decide? Mix them There's no rule that says you have to commit to one mood. Try spooky cute on one hand and gothic glam on the other, or run Pink Widow and Black Widow side by side for the spiderweb trend both ways at once. If you loved our Black Cat Energy tutorial, that look sits right at home in either mood too. Laura + Bek Halloween Nails FAQs Do I need a UV lamp for these Halloween shades? Yes, all the shades and decals above are from our Semi-Cured range, which needs a UV or LED lamp to cure, and wears 2+ weeks. If you'd rather skip the lamp, check our UV-Free range for a lamp-free option, though the Halloween-specific prints above are Semi-Cured only for now. ⸻ Can I mix decals from different sheets? Yes, all of our Halloween decal sheets (Ghost Garden, Little Haunts, Black Snakes, White Snakes) mix and match freely. There's no rule that says you need to stick to one sheet. ⸻ Which is more beginner-friendly, spooky cute or gothic glam? Both are equally easy to apply, since the pattern is baked into the wrap itself for most of these. If you're newer to decals specifically, starting with a solid colour like Vixen Red or Peek-a-Boo (patterned wrap, no separate decal step) is the simplest entry point. ⸻ How long will these Halloween shades be around? They're seasonal, so once Halloween wraps up, expect some to retire and make room for the next seasonal drop. If one's caught your eye, it's worth grabbing sooner rather than later. ⸻ How do I remove them without damaging my natural nails? Always use oil, never peel. Peeling can take layers of your natural nail off with it, which works against everything you're trying to do by wearing wraps in the first place. Written by Laura & Bek Founders of LA-BEK, an Australian brand creating semi-cured gel nail wraps and UV-free gel nail wraps designed to make salon-quality nails simple, at home.  

Halloween nails don't have to mean orange and glitter. This one's a bold, glossy red with a black cat perched on almost every nail, cute rather than creepy, and genuinely one of the easiest looks in this series to pull off. This is the fourth post in our Nail Art Tutorials series, the looks we actually wear, broken down step-by-step so you can recreate them at home. Catch up on Violet Moonlight, Night Black and Gold Strip Nail Art and Quiet Luxe if you missed them. Let's get into it. The look at a glance Base: Lipstick Love Semi-Cured Gel Nails, a saturated hot pink-red jelly with serious colour payoff Accent: Black Cats Nail Art Decals, over 50 black cat designs on one sheet, mix and match Finish: Gloss Top Coat, seals everything in and gives that glassy, wet-look shine Time: Around 10 minutes on top of your standard application Skill level: Beginner-friendly, no freehand, no brushes, just tweezers and a steady hand You don't need a cat on every nail. Leave one or two plain and glossy for contrast, that's part of what makes the look feel playful rather than busy.   What you'll need Lipstick Love Semi-Cured Gel Nails Black Cats Nail Art Decals Precision Tweezers: for clean, controlled decal placement Gloss Top Coat: to seal and protect the finish UV LED lamp: to cure your gel wraps and top coat Cuticle oil and a wooden cuticle stick/tweezers for prep     Step-by-step: how to create the Black Cat Energy look Step 1: Prep your nails Start with clean, oil-free nails: Push back your cuticles (our full guide if you need a refresher) Wipe each nail with a prep pad or rubbing alcohol File and shape if needed Good prep is what turns a 5-day mani into a 2-week one. Don't rush this bit.   Step 2: Apply your Lipstick Love wraps and cure Apply your Lipstick Love Semi-Cured Gel Nails as normal: Match each wrap to the size of your nail Press firmly from cuticle to tip Smooth out any air bubbles File away the excess at the tips Cure fully under your UV LED lamp If you're new to semi-cured application, our Semi-Cured Gel Nails How To tutorial walks through the whole process.   Step 3: Choose your cats The Black Cats sheet has over 50 designs, cats playing with yarn, sitting cats, peeking cats, all sorts. Pick out a handful of your favourites before you start placing them, it's easier than choosing on the fly. Decide how many nails you want a cat on. We left one or two nails plain and glossy, and gave the rest a different cat each, mixing up the poses so no two nails match exactly.   Step 4: Place your decals Using your Precision Tweezers, gently lift a cat decal from the sheet and position it wherever feels right on the nail, centred, off to one side, whatever suits that particular design. Press it flat with an orange stick or the flat edge of your tweezers, working from the centre outward to smooth out any air. Trim the excess at the edges with small nail scissors. Repeat across both hands, mixing up the cat designs as you go.   Step 5: Seal with Gloss Top Coat Apply a thin layer of Gloss Top Coat over every nail, making sure you go all the way over the decals. Press the brush flat against the nail and sweep from cuticle to tip in one smooth pass.   Step 6: Final cure and enjoy Cure under your UV LED lamp as directed on the top coat. A little cuticle oil around the edges to finish, and your Black Cat Energy set is done.   Why this look works Lipstick Love does the heavy lifting. It's a bold, saturated red-pink that reads as dramatic on its own, so the nail art on top doesn't need to be complicated to make an impact. One decal sheet, endless variation. With over 50 cat designs on one sheet, no two sets ever look quite the same, and you don't need to plan out a pattern in advance. Leaving nails plain is part of the design. Cute rather than creepy comes from restraint, a cat on every nail would be a lot. A cat on six or seven, with the rest left glossy, reads as playful instead of overloaded.   Quick recap Apply Lipstick Love wraps as normal and cure fully Pick a handful of favourite cat designs from the sheet Decide which nails get a cat and which stay plain Place decals with Precision Tweezers, mixing up the poses Press flat, trim the excess and repeat across both hands Seal with Gloss Top Coat over every nail, including the decals Final cure and enjoy Around 10 minutes on top of your standard application. Lasts 2+ weeks. Genuinely one of the easiest looks in this series. Shop this look Lipstick Love Semi-Cured Gel Nails Black Cats Nail Art Decals Precision Tweezers Gloss Top Coat Or browse the full Semi-Cured range and Nail Art range for more colours and decal styles to mix and match. Laura + Bek   Black Cat Energy Nail Art FAQs How long does this look take to do? Around 10 minutes on top of your standard application. If it's your first time working with decals, give yourself closer to 15–20 minutes so you're not rushing the placement. ⸻ Do I need to put a cat on every nail? Not at all. Leaving one or two nails plain and glossy is part of what makes the look feel playful rather than busy. Anywhere from three to seven cats across both hands works well. ⸻ Can I use the Black Cats decals on UV-Free wraps instead of Semi-Cured? Yes, the decals work on our UV-Free wraps too. Keep in mind UV-Free wears for 7–10 days rather than 2+ weeks, so the overall wear time will be shorter, but the application process is much the same. ⸻ Do I need to plan out which cat goes where? No. Part of the fun is picking a handful of favourites and placing them as you go. No two sets need to look the same. ⸻ Will the cat decals stay put through normal wear? Yes, sealing them under a thin layer of Gloss Top Coat and curing under your UV lamp locks them in for the full life of the set, typically 2+ weeks with proper prep. The top coat step is the one to never skip. ⸻ Can I use a different base colour instead of Lipstick Love? Absolutely. Black Cats decals will pop against any base, orange, black or a soft neutral would all work if red's not your colour for Halloween. Lipstick Love is just our pick for this look. ⸻ Will this look damage my nails? No, LA-BEK Semi-Cured Gel Nails and our nail art decals are gentle on your natural nails when applied and removed properly. For the gentlest removal, head to our step-by-step removal guide: cuticle oil, patience, and no peeling. Written by Laura & Bek Founders of LA-BEK, an Australian brand creating semi-cured gel nail wraps and UV-free gel nail wraps designed to make salon-quality nails simple, at home.