Style Skincare Hands and Feet Nail Care 11 Olive Green Nail Designs That Work All Year Round A verdant, sophisticated winner. By Wendy Rose Gould Wendy Rose Gould Wendy Rose Gould is a freelance lifestyle reporter based in Phoenix, Arizona. For the last 10 years, she's covered beauty, health, wellness, and travel for leading lifestyle outlets, including NBC, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Glam, TripSavvy, and others. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on February 20, 2024 Close Photo: Dariia Chernenko/Getty Images Dark pine green works brilliantly for late fall and the holidays, and a bright kelly green feels appropo for a fresh spring and summer mani. When you’re craving the perfect green hue that settles somewhere in between, though, olive green is definitely your girl. She’s muted and earthy but still packs a punch, and is at once sophisticated, chic and unexpected. If you’re into the idea of olive green nails, take one of these ideas to your nail artist so you can enjoy this hue yourself. 01 of 11 Simple Olive Green Nails If you fancy yourself a minimalist, you can’t go wrong with just a few coats of a gorgeous olive green nail polish. Choose a hue that complements your skin tone, and if you’re unsure where to start then ask your manicurist to help you pick out the perfect hue for you. 02 of 11 Shades of Olive Green For a bit more spice, pick out two or three olive green nail polishes and incorporate them into your manicure. This one features two hues alongside clear polish and weaves in a French tip. 03 of 11 Olive Green & Gold Glitter Lean into a little sparkle moment by adding two accent nails with glittery flakes or fold foil. This one features a swirling design, but you could also place the foil over your olive green nails or make the entire accent nail glittery gold. 04 of 11 Abstract Designs on Olive Green Channel a little modern art moment via some abstract designs swirled into your olive green nails. This one incorporates army tones in black, beige, and brown, plus a little gold glitter for good measure. 05 of 11 Art Deco Olive Green Nails Speaking of art, why not tap into the 1920s and ‘30s with a little art deco situation? This divine design showcases an angular olive green tip with subtle glitter details and a gold dot toward the top. 06 of 11 Bright Olive Green Nails If you like the idea of olive green but want something just a tad brighter, know that there's an entire spectrum to choose from with varying undertones and level of brightness. 07 of 11 Olive-Inspired Nails If you're already going for the olive green color scheme, you might as well commit to the pimento, too. This nail design features swirls of warm red that get us thirsty for a dirty martini. 08 of 11 Negative Space Accent This simple olive green nail idea weaves in an accent nail with some negative space. A metallic green-gold color divides the two colors and adds some instant dimension. 09 of 11 Olive Green Checkerboard Nails Here’s a fun way to play with the trendy checkerboard pattern we’re seeing everywhere right now. The accent nail features the checkerboard design, which is paired with solid nails and some French tips. 10 of 11 White Swirls on Olive Green Here’s a fun way to keep your olive green nails low key but visually striking. Simply start with an opaque olive green base, then add some swirling designs in an almond-cream hue across each nail. 11 of 11 Floral and Olive Green Nails For the perfect transition from winter to spring, try on this olive green mani with delicate floral accent nails. The accent nails feature a matte pink-clear hue and are topped with a white floral design. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit