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If we’re being honest, we’ve been thinking about winter nails since spring. (After all, winter manicures lend themselves to some of the richest color combinations.) Now that the season is finally here, we thought: Why not celebrate by sharing some of our favorite winter nail designs and asking the pros about the nail trends they’re excited about for the cooler months?
Nail artists have been pumping out awe-inspiring nail looks like it’s no big deal and we’ve been keeping tabs on all of the ones we want to try. Ahead, you’ll find a diverse array of designs for every aesthetic taste, like festive jewel-toned creations, new and exciting ways to wear sparkle, astrology-themed art, ombré, and much more. Plus, we’ve thrown in some insight and product suggestions from the creators themselves. Keep scrolling for the coolest (in every sense of the word) wintery nail looks of the year.
1. Coffee skittles
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If you’re no good at nail art then try the Skittles manicure — a cute name for painting each nail a different color, often to create a gradient effect. Nail artist Crystal Sloan notes the trick to turning these individual polishes into a cohesive manicure is picking shades that have the same undertone. For this look, she opted for Ella + Mila polishes in shades Lights Out, London Fog, Cup O’Latte, Forever Mine, and Lust in Love.
2. Dainty snowflakes
Adding gold snowflakes to your French manicure will immediately give it a festive charm. Fancy trying this look by nail artist Tia McDonald at home? Nail art pens (like these from Olive and June) make light work of this intricate design.
3. Wintery animal tips
Nail artist Alexia May Bates painted this animal print design with blooming gel polish. As the name suggests, blooming gel “blooms” into disbursed blobs that, in this case, form this unique animal print French tip design. Bates says to “have patience, work slowly, and work one nail at a time,” when recreating this look at home.
4. Festive minimalism
This minimalist design is a nod to quintessential holiday decor. Nail artist Katie Gentle says that art gels (a viscous type of gel) are best for the tiny dots and lines of this look, as they “don’t bleed into unrecognizable blobs.”
5. Espresso swirl
This is a set that anyone can recreate at home. Painted by manicurist Saradya Jolivert, the focal points of this chocolate manicure are its two marbled accent nails, which swirl together brown, cream, and gold glitter polish. Jolivert’s best tip for creating the perfect marbled effect: “Don’t swirl [your colors] too much, it can make the marble muddy — less is more.”
6. Embellished tips
If you love a French manicure look but don’t want to go with eggshell tips, try black ones embellished with gold stars for the festive season. Rhiannon Howdon created this look and noted that how you position your painting hand is the key to getting a clean French tip. “Rest your pinky finger on the desk to support your hand to minimize any shakes and give you more control over your brush,” she says.
7. Tuxedo stripes
Striking in its simplicity, this one is all about precision. Nail artist Brandi Faletti suggests using striping tape to get crisp lines. “Make sure to use a quick dry top coat and let it harden before applying tape,” she says. “This way the base color below doesn’t get ruined or peel up when removing it.”
8. Glazed gradient
A chocolate-y chrome set will catch that rare, but refreshing, winter sunshine beautifully. To create this look, nail artist Charlotte Herberts first paints her base of black, brown, and cream on each finger, creating a gradient. She then cures a layer of no-wipe clear topcoat and applies chrome powder to give it that glazed effect.
9. Emerald green accent
“Emerald green is a flattering jewel tone that can be worn alone or mixed and matched with other colors to create statement nail art,” says nail artist Queenie Nguyen. We love this manicure, which features the rich color in abstract swirls.
10. Vibrant french manicure
Christina Kao, co-founder and co-CEO of Le Mini Macaron, says bright French manicures are a great go-to for snowy occasions. “French tips have always been classy, but incorporating unexpected colors or shapes allows you to put your own spin on the look,” she explains.
11. Shades of ɴuᴅᴇ
Coffee and creamy caramel are two warm earth tones that have become cozy winter staples. “These colors are incredibly stylish,” says Nguyen, adding that they can be worn alone or with artful designs (like ombré, gradient, swirls, or checkers). Rita Remark, manicurist and Essie Global Lead Educator echoes this, saying that using these colors is a major throwback to the ’90s.
12. Rich French manicures
Nguyen says using deep colors such as forest green, burnt orange, and deep burgundy can make your French manicure more seasonal. “You can’t go wrong with choosing them for the winter,” she says.
13. Decadent ruby red
Remark describes ruby red as a decadent “timeless chameleon” of a hue, due to its ability to be paired with a traditional French tip, glitter, and even metallic accents.
14. Smokey matcha manicure
With green shades of all tones being very on-trend during the holiday season, Kao recommends one with a blue undertone like Le Mini Macaron Gel Polish in Smoky Matcha. (We love the Essie Jade It Happen for this look too.) Kao highly suggests a clean square nail to pair with the color.
15. Icy winter nails
To celebrate the winter, marry the squoval shape with a light pink base and seasonal nail art like ice, snow, or snowflakes. According to manicurist Laura Malarkey, the simplest way to make a snowfall effect at home is to use a toothpick or other small, pointed object. “Dip it in white polish and make small dots all over the nail, starting at the cuticle and gradually decreasing towards the tip to create an ombré snowfall effect.”
16. Martini mani
Betina Goldstein proves that nail art needn’t be literal. Even without a martini glᴀss painstakingly painted on each nail, it’s obvious that this manicure is inspired by the pimento-stuffed manzanilla olives that traditionally garnish the gin-and-vermouth cocktail — something we wouldn’t mind sipping by the fireplace this winter. With its solid base and simple circles, it’s chic and easy art that can be done at home, and on any length nail.
17. Amethyst nails
Amethyst is easily one of the most beloved winter birthstones, but you don’t have to be born in February to admire its beauty — or want to interpret it as winter nail art. Welsh nail artist Grace Andrew created this gemstone look by mixing several Ugly Duckling gel colors together for a variegated effect, topped off by organic-looking lines swiped on with a skinny nail brush.
18. Galaxy nails
How stunning is this magical manicure? With the right magnetic, iridescent polish in a deep, dark color you can easily recreate a gorgeous, wintry night sky on your fingertips. Nail artist India Jade used Pure Nails Halo Gel Polish in Luna, but KBShimmer makes a number of non-gel magnetic polishes.
19. Monochromatic crocodile nails
Nail artist Zoe created an animal-scale texture illusion by adding a pattern of wavy blocks of glossy polish atop a matte base. With black for both finishes, the look is remarkably versatile, leaving the boldness up to the long, pointy shape. And darker shades are always a welcome pick for winter manicures.
20. Icy cuticles
You may avoid ice when you’re walking or driving during the coldest months of the year, but an icy effect on the nails is a wonderful idea for a manicure. Goldstein kept it simple with this creation and its clear, glossy base. The stand-out detail of this nail art is the silver pieces along the cuticles — Goldstein tells Allure she used crushed metallic pieces from the craft store — extending halfway up the sides of the nails. It’s giving benevolent ice queen, don’t you think?
21. Black and bright
Winter doesn’t have to mean switching from bright colors to dark ones. You can embrace both with a French moon manicure like this one by Goldstein. She used Chanel’s Boy De Chanel Colour in Black as the base on every nail and switched up the colors on the tips and moons of each one. It’s a combination that lets you hold onto the vibrant shades you love while incorporating the moody darkness so often seen in winter nail looks.
22. Champagne sparkle nails
“I love combining different glitter polishes for the perfect winter wonderland look,” Canishiea Robinson tells Allure of this sparkly two-toned manicure. To get this look at home, you’ll need two glitter nail polishes (Essie’s Summit of Style and Zoya’s Magical Pixie Dust will do the trick) and mini faux pearl appliques, which you can find at just about any craft store, as well as on Amazon. This set features ones with flat bottoms so they’re easier to apply.
23. Gold foil nails
This green and gold manicure by Robinson looks straight out of an art museum — and that’s exactly the vibe she was going for. “Negative space, color blocking, and watercolor designs are so eye-catching,” she says. “These combined with a translucent background and gold foil make all the elements shine.” Believe it or not, you can score both gold and silver foil on Amazon for as little as $4.
