Pics of Winter Nails to Guide Your Slay
Do visions of Santas, reindeer, snowmen, and Christmas trees dance through your head when you think of winter nails? They're obvious design choices for our most festive time of year, but what happens when you want something a little less on the nose? Or what happens after December 25? You probably still want winter nail colors and nail art—after all, the season doesn't even technically start until December 21—but what says "winter" and not just "Christmas"?
To give you some inspiration, we scoured the winter nails hashtag on Instagram and came up with some amazing seasonal looks. Feel free to copy these during your next nail salon visit.
Frenetic Foils
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Image: @manikuredby_victoriarose
This frenetic splatter pattern is enhanced with gold foils and then grounded with solid black lines, creating an artsy mani that wouldn’t look out of place at a dressy event.
Shop the look: Butter London Union Jack Black ($14.94); Nicole by OPI Lips Are Dripping Honey ($6.99); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
Abstract Christmas Trees
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Image: @thehangedit
These triangles with flecks of green jewel tones celebrate the holiday season without being so obvious about it. And the super short length feels especially refreshing. It's not surprising that the nail artist behind this mani, Hang Nguyen, works with Nailing Hollywood, an agency that represents some of Hollywood's coolest manicurists.
Shop the look: Butter London Union Jack Black ($14.94); emerald gem glitter ($3.20); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
Reverse Moons
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Image: @nailinghollywood; Design:
@thehangedit
This manicure, also the creation of celebrity nail artist Hang Nguyen, would fit right in at a fancy holiday party or New Year's event.
Shop the look: Butter London Union Jack Black ($14.94); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
Glitter-Dipped
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Image: @fafnails
By using an ombre technique, the manicurist at Faf Nails makes a classic gold-glitter manicure look fresh and fun, not to mention festive.
Shop the look: Nicole by OPI Lips Are Dripping Honey ($6.99); makeup sponges for ombre technique ($8.99)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
Starbucks Holiday Cup
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Image: @alldemnails
These winter nails give a whole new meaning to the phrase "latte art." The free-hand design pays homage to the Starbucks holiday cup and lets people know just how much you value your coffee.
Shop the look: Essie Blanc, Essie Bump Up the Pumps ($7.99 each); Butter London Union Jack Black ($14.94); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
Ice Queen
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Image: @thenailstudiocb
Only the fiercest queens can pull off these blue-green winter nails with their exaggerated almond/stiletto shape and head-turning gold-glitter highlights.
Shop the look: 500-piece acrylic nail tips ($6.99); 6-pack glitter nail polish with bonus fidget spinner ($27.99); Butter London Union Jack Black ($14.94)); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
Cozy Sweater: Take 1
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Image: @blondiesnails
Nothing looks cozier than these heather gray sweater nails with a soft-white tribal pattern. And unlike some of this other winter nail art, this design works just as well on a late February day as it does during the holidays.
Shop the look: Essie Hubby for Dessert, Essie Blanc ($7.99 each); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
Cozy Sweater: Take 2
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Image: @dliciousnails
Textured nails that resemble chunky-cable-knit sweaters are among the most popular winter nail designs on Instagram, probably because of how adorable they look peeking out of fingerless gloves or wrapped around a mug of something hot.
Shop the look: 3D gel polish; 12-piece UV nails gel polish set 1 ($68.99); UV nail lamp ($29.99); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90)
Click here to find a manicurist near you. (Call to make sure they have 3D gel polish.)
Glittering Snow
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Image: @sherrinessparklies
These may be the most overtly Christmas-y nails on here, but they wouldn't be out of place in January or February, especially if you swap out the snowflakes in favor of a lace pattern.
Shop the look: 500-piece acrylic nail tips ($6.99); silver glitter nail-art powder ($8.99); Essie Blanc ($7.99); OPI base and top coat set ($11.99); 20-piece nail art brush set ($8.90); nail stamp set ($7.95)
Click here to find a manicurist near you.
RELATED READS:
Cool Fall Nail Colors & Designs to Try Check out these fall nail designs, several of which would not be out of place in the winter.
7 Popular Nail Shapes and Why to Choose or Avoid Them Learn the difference between coffin, stiletto, and almond, and see which one actually works for your lifestyle.
