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We Swore We'd Never Do Another Nail Art Gallery ... But Check These Out

We know, we know, nail art is on its way out. But these are some of the prettiest (more subtle) looks we've seen in a while, and they're totally worth trying
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Cotton Candy Ombré
Can't pick a pastel? This pretty ombré is perfect for spring and summer.

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Mosaic Mani
A cohesive color palette and abstract geometric shapes make this look truly deserving of the term "nail art."

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Gold Strips
Instead of drowning your nails in sparkles, give them a hint of shimmer with sleek golden stripes on an accent finger.

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Polka Dots
Update muted pastels with a simple black pattern to create eye-catching contrast.

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Chevron Sparkle
Instead of painting a design on every nail, put two bold trends (like a chevron pattern and gold sparkles) on a few fingers.

Just when we thought we were totally over nail art, leave it to Instagram to reel us back in.

Among the overly x-pro'd landscape shots and food pics that inspire serious sugar cravings, we stumbled across esNAIL's account and hit the gold mine of gorgeous nail art pics. Yep, we thought we had kicked the habit, but we want to try these out asap, fancy filters aside (and that's saying something).

In our defense, we're crawling back to the trend because we found these to be decidedly more subtle nail art designs than we became accustomed to seeing. They are a serious breath of fresh air -- so much classier than the twee cat faces, Lucky Charms shapes, and sparkle overload. Because let's face it, one reason we grew tired of the nail art trend is that it got out of control. We can let candy corn nails slide for Halloween, but at the end of the day, no grown woman should be walking around with plastic choking hazards bedazzled onto her nails. Period.

That's why we're currently loving these tamer versions of nail art -- looks that are sophisticated, yet still have that special flair or intricate detail that makes a mani intriguing. Think accent nails, decorative tips, subtle texture, and artistic graphic patterns. So if you're still slowly weaning yourself off of the nail art trend or just completely bored at the thought of solid-color nails 7 days a week, check out these gorgeous nail art pics.
BY ERICA SMITH | MAY 20, 2013 | SHARES
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