You know that little white semicircle at the base of your nails? It's technically called the matrix, but most of us refer to it as the half-moon. It's an element of the nail that can be used to guide nail designs ranging from uncomplicated to intricate. "A half-moon design on nails is when a semicircle is either polished or left unpolished at the base of the nail," says celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec. "Sometimes if I don't know what look to do, I'll start with a line at the moon and let it guide me to what should come next."

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Another bonus of this look is that when you leave the half-moon blank, it gives the polish a bit of grace as it grows out, allowing you to hold onto it for just a bit longer. With the half-moon as your guide, the options for nail designs are endless. Find inspiration for 20 half-moon manicures ahead.

French Moons

“You can make half moons more interesting by using more than one color, or slightly changing each look,” says Kandalec. For this design, she used glitter in a range of shades.

"Like Blush"

"A favorite at Paintbox is using Like Blush, our soft pink polish, with negative space half moons,” says Alva.

Yellow Half-Moon

This sunny shade of yellow is great for a half-moon manicure. It's almost like the moon is as rising sun and the yellow is the cast of is rays.

Skittles

Half-moons can take a classic Skittles nail look up a notch. This design was created using six Zoya polishes. Loretta ($12), a sheer creamy beige, was used as a base and  Val ($12), Mara ($12), Tweedy ($12), Ella ($12), Joyce ($12), and Loretta ($12) were each used on one finger.

Holographic

“We love leaving the half moon clear and using holographic foils to make a statement with the design,” says Mabelyn Alva, manicurist and the creative director of Paintbox.

Gap

This half-moon design extends up the nail a bit more than usual, but it retains that semicircle shape. Plus, it's paired with a tip. The gap of negative space between the two elements creates a ton of visual interest.

Pride Moons

Celebrate pride with these itty bitty rainbows as a half-moon design. The rest of the nail has a nude polish, keeping your attention on the rainbows.

Neutrals

Varying shades of brown and beige comprise this look. Each nail has a different neutral on it and the half-moon is left blank.

Minimalist Pastels

“If someone is new to nail art or can't be too bold due to work, a thin moon arc is perfect,” says Kandalec. This design uses various shades of pastels on a nude base for a minimalistic look.

Golden

This design keeps the rest of the nail bare while a gorgeous metallic gold serves as a half-moon. It's subtle but so stunning.

Black & White

White moons and black French tips give this look a really cool and sleek design. It's a look that won't take long to create but makes a huge impact.

Empty Space

Instead of following the shape of the half moon, this look takes the opposite shape, following the line of the cuticle. The white line down the middle of the nail allows the negative space to look intentional rather than just grown-out.

La Pearle

Create this look yourself or get the ManiMe Sick on Gels in La Pearle ($25) for a quick and easy design. Just apply the stick-on polish to each nail and file them down to the shape of your nails.

Dew Me a Favor

Using Gelish polish in the shade Dew Me a Favor ($22), this half-moon manicure is simple and clean. Because the polish shade is close to the skin color, it doesn't stand out too much.

Ombré

This ombré look uses a solid white at the half-moon while the rest of the nail shifts from beige to a silvery white. The two elements contract each other in a fun way.

Au Natural

There's no easier way to highlight the half-moons than to make use of your own by leaving the nail bare. A few coats of a sheer, high-shine polish really net the natural nail sing.

Top Heavy

The top three-fourths of these nails is coated with a minty green shade while the base is left plain. To spice up the look, white flowers adorn a few of the nails.

Eyes on You

This design turns the half moon into an eye on a few nails, creating a fun and interesting look. By keeping the eyes on just two nails, they're not overhwelming.

Mini Moon

This design keeps the half moons super miniature. They add a hint of sparkle to the base of a matte, deep green nail.

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