One of my favorite ways to ease into a new season is by participating in seasonally appropriate beauty trends. There’s no easier way to welcome a change in temperature and mark a new beginning. This year, I’m leaning into fun new nail trends to help usher in colder weather.
Last winter, it was all about chrome, rich nail colors, ombré nails, and moody French tips. This winter, we’re lightening up a bit. According to celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein, manicurist for Blake Lively, Natasha Lyonne, Julianne Moore, and Storm Reid, this winter, there will be an uptick in fun colors (including pastels and jellies). We’ll also see a resurgence of textural nails.
Keep reading for all of Gerstein’s predictions for the winter nail trends of 2024. I know that I, for one, will be asking my nail tech for a glitter topcoat to spice up my next manicure.
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I love the Christmas season, and one of my favorite parts about this holiday is decorating… which includes my nails!Christmas nail looks always make me feel 10x more festive.
If you have never done themed nails for Christmas before, this post will inspire you to start!
To create the perfect Christmas nail looks for this year, you will want to use the gorgeous Christmas colors we all love. For example, you could use the classic red and green colors, or you could go a different route and try out some gold and silver. You can even incorporate winter-themed colors, such as icy blue, to mix things up!
So, if you want some inspo for looks you should be trying this season, I recommend checking out this list of 22 different Christmas nail ideas that you will be obsessed with.
Christmas Nail Ideas
1. Red Chrome Nails
If you are going for a simple and classy nail look this holiday season, you may want to try this red chrome nail look!
This will give you a simple nail look for Christmas that will make you feel festive, and make your nails stand out thanks to the chrome nail polish.
2. Swirl Christmas Nails
I am sure you have seen swirl nails before, but have you thought of trying out swirl nails with Christmas colors?
If not, I highly recommend trying out this Christmas-themed nail look, which uses red, green, and white to create an adorable swirl nail look that will be very festive for this season.
3. Red French Tips with Pearls
Also, if you like the look of French tips, you can also create a Christmas-themed look by adding red to the tips of your nails.
You can also make this look even more fun by adding on some nail accessories like these pretty pearls to complete your holiday look!
4. Red & White French Tips
Another French tip look that you may want to try that uses Christmas colors is this French tip outline look that uses red and white to create a simple but festive French tip nail look.
You can also switch up the colors on each of the tips of your nails to make the look stand out a bit more!
5. Pink Winter Nails
If you want a Christmas-themed look, but you want to use some other colors rather than the usual Christmas colors, you totally can!
For example, this pink winter nail look would be perfect for those who love the color pink and want to try something different for their holiday nail look.
This look will give you a pink winter wonderland nail look that you will be obsessed with for the holidays.
6. Christmas Wreath French Tips
Adding a Christmas wreath to your nails is also another fun way to make them festive for this holiday season!
So, if you are considering doing a classic French tips look, I recommend adding a bit of Christmas spirit to your nails with a small Christmas wreath design, as shown in this video.
7. Blue Snowflake Nails
Blue is another great color that you can use to create holiday nail looks for Christmas! It will give you that winter feeling that you are looking for.
So, if you are considering incorporating blue into your festive nail looks, check out these blue snowflake press-on nails!
8. Candy Cane Striped Nails
Another simple but festive nail look you can do around Christmas time is candy cane striped nails!
This is a simple look to create at home because all you need is red and white nail polish to create this candy cane-inspired look.
Watch this video tutorial to see exactly how to get this look at home for Christmas!
9. Christmas Sweater Nails
You can also try out this sweater nail look if you are trying to find a Christmas nail idea that is a bit different from the rest.
To create sweater nails, you will add a 3D design to your nails that resembles sweater material. But, to make your life easier (and save you the salon visit), you should totally check out these press-on sweater nails!
10. Icicle Nails
Icicle nails are also another really fun and different look that you can try for this holiday season! With icicle nails, you will create the illusion that your nails are icicles.
So, in order to do this, make sure to check out this video tutorial because this look is definitely a more intricate design, but totally worth it for creating the perfect nails for the holiday season!
11. Red & Green Nails
You can also go the more classic Christmas route and use red and green colors to create a cute Christmas nail look that you will love wearing during the holiday season.
For example, this simple but super cute candy cane-inspired nail look with red and green nail polish may be exactly what you are going for.
So, make sure to check out these press-on nails if you want to achieve this look!
12. Glow in the Dark Christmas Lights
If you really want your nails to stand out this Christmas, I recommend these glow-in-the-dark Christmas lights nails!
These nails will look super cool in the dark and give you a fun and festive nail design that you will love for the season.
13. Pine Cone Nails
For a design that is a bit different than the usual Christmas-themed nail looks, you may want to try out this pine cone nail look!
This will give you a winter and Christmas feel but with a design that is a bit different from the Christmas designs you may have seen before.
14. Plaid Christmas Nails
Christmas bows are always a popular design around the holiday season, and holiday bow nails are among our favorite Christmas nail ideas.
With this look, you will be adding a super cute Christmas bow design to your nails to give them that festive feel for the holidays! If you want to create a Christmas bow nail look with minimal effort, check out these press-on nails.
15. Gold Glitter Candy Cane Nails
Using gold is also another fun way to create a Christmas-themed nail look! So, if you are curious about the nail looks you can create using gold nail polish for this holiday season, I recommend checking out these gold glitter candy cane nails.
With these nails, you will have a sparkly candy cane design that you will be obsessed with, so make sure to purchase these gold press-on nails if you want this look for this season.
16. Silver & Blue Nails
Silver and blue form another gorgeous combo I recommend you try for the holidays! For example, this silver and navy Christmas-themed nail look may be just what you want.
With this look, you will get a festive design for the holiday season, using gorgeous shades of silver and blue to create fun Christmas-themed designs like Christmas trees and ornaments!
17. Abstract Christmas Nails
If you are looking for some unique Christmas-themed nails that don’t explicitly scream Christmas, I recommend going for an abstract Xmas nail look.
Abstract nails have been very trendy, but you may have never seen them using Christmas colors!
So, if you love the look of abstract nails and want to try a Christmas-themed look, you should definitely try out a look like this one using red, white, and green nail polish.
18. Santa Hat French Nails
For a simple but super cute Christmas nail idea, you can also try out this French tips design!
To create these super cute Santa hat French nails, all you need to do is add an adorable mini Santa hat design to the tips of your nails. You can DIY or pick up the press-ons above to achieve this mani.
19. Glitter Christmas Nails
If you love long, sparkly nails, you may want to try these glitter nails for this Christmas!
To achieve this look, make sure to have plenty of sparkly red, green, and gold nail polish to create this fun, sparkly Christmas look.
20. Red Abstract Tips
Another abstract Christmas nail idea you can try is this abstract French tips design, which is super simple to recreate at home!
To create this look, you only need to make a slanted tips design on your nails like this using some red nail polish.
21. Candy Cane Bling Nails
If you love glam nails and want a more glam nail look for this Christmas, I recommend trying this candy cane bling nail look.
With this look, you will add sparkle and candy cane designs to your nails to create a festive and fun Christmas look.
You can also purchase these press-on nails to easily get this look at home!
22. Blue Christmas Nails
If you love the silver and blue combo for Christmas, I also recommend checking out this gorgeous sparkly silver and blue snowflake nail look.
You will be using some white nail polish to create snowflake designs as well as some sparkly silver nail polish to add some glitter to make this look stand out!
Which Christmas nail ideas from this list do you think look the most festive?
Which nails will you be trying for Xmas this year? Have you ever done Xmas nails before?
In the past few months, we’ve become pretty accustomed to seeing Margot Robbie in various shades of pink. When you play the titular character in the Barbie movie, it’s to be expected. At the premiere for her new movie, Saltburn, Robbie walked the red carpet in a look that was practically the polar opposite of Barbie—particularly her nails.
You may or may not have heard that short nails are in right now. Everywhere we look, it seems like celebrities are ditching their ultra-long manicures for simple, short nails. Robbie not only walked the carpet with short nails, but they were also a custom shade of khaki green.
Celebrity manicurist Tom Bachik did Robbie’s nails for the premiere. To create the perfect short, rounded shape, Bachik reached for a travel kit from his own collaboration with Tweezerman. For the ultimate khaki green, Bachik mixed together two different Chanel nail colors.
The resulting manicure perfectly complimented Robbie’s sheer, corseted black dress. Clearly, Robbie is exiting her Barbie era and entering a completely new one. If we’re going to keep getting looks like this, we’re looking forward to it.
It’s not often you hear “Kardashian” and “drugstore” uttered in the same breath. In recent memory, the only occurrence we can think of is when Kendall Jenner wore a full face of drugstore beauty products to the Met Gala, but technically speaking, she’s a Jenner, not a Kardashian. Regardless, the point is that we don’t hear a lot about the famous family’s budget-friendly beauty faves (if they have any).
That’s why it was so refreshing to learn that Kim Kardashian counted on the iconic drugstore nail polish brand, Essie, for her latest manicure. Last night, she attended the Baby2Baby Gala in Los Angeles with long, square-tipped nails that were painted a stunning milky nude color. Keep scrolling to see the exact $13 shade that her nail artist, Brittney Boyce, used to create it.
Megan Fox has been quite elusive lately. The star has spent the better half of this year out of the public eye, so needless to say, we haven’t had much insight into the beauty products she’s been using. This weekend, however, Fox stepped out for Halloween wearing a Kill Bill costume.
Fox might have had fake blood oozing from her eyes, but we couldn’t stop looking at her spooky manicure. Not only did it have Halloween-inspired black designs like snakes and barbed wire, but it was also the perfect on-trend red color. The best part is that you can use the exact same nail polish color as Fox—and it’s only $14 on Amazon.
The nail color in question is Foxology by Arctic Fox’s Nail Lacquer in the shade Poison. The color is a true red with warm, orange undertones. It’s the kind of color that would look good on every skin tone. It’s also vegan, 15-free, chip resistant, and good for your nails thanks to ingredients like vitamin A, vitamin E, argan oil, aloe, and biotin. I’m always on the lookout for a good red nail polish, and I think I just found my next manicure shade.
I love a good manicure, but I don’t love paying for one. I also don’t love taking time out of my day to go to the salon every time I want a fresh coat of paint. That’s why I’m always on the hunt for new nailcare products and techniques—anything that will help me achieve an at-home manicure without looking, well, like I have an at-home manicure. In other words, I’m trying to strike a balance between affordability and professional-looking results. It hasn’t been easy.
You can imagine my excitement when I caught wind of a nail polish brand that A) allows me to create a long-lasting gel manicure in the comfort of my own home B) is worn by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Alessandra Ambrosio, and more, and C) is actually affordable. I’m talking $13 a bottle. Whatever you call it, a trifecta or a triple threat, I’m convinced this is it. Keep scrolling to see which brand it is and learn why I (and so many celebs) love it.
The season of spooky fashion (aka Halloween) crept up on us lightning fast. Now is the perfect time to start prepping your costume, which we’ve actually already started doing for you. We’ve spotlighted some great It girl–approved costumes, found modest dress-up ideas perfect for the office, and even looked to the internet for some costume trends that will be big.
We do recognize that costumes might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be festive in some other way. Cool makeup is one option for adding a bit of spook to your routine without having to take a major fashion plunge, as is painting your nails with one of the below Halloween nail colors. Think blood red, slime green, and classic orange, plus a few more that can look just as spine-chilling as a skeleton costume. All of these are low-commitment ways to celebrate All Hallows Eve.
Ahead, see eight Halloween-appropriate polishes we’ll be swiping on our nails when we’re just not in the mood to piece together a costume.
Here it is—the nail polish that gave this TikTok trend its name and inspired it from the start. The shade is equal parts red and purple in a brown base. So, in other words, it’s a classic fall manicure color. It’s dark and rich, just as we’d expect a cherry mocha to taste.
Be aware that this is a gel nail polish, so it needs to be cured with a UV lamp and used alongside a gel top coat. Luckily, the latter is included as part of the set. If applied correctly, it promises chip-free, high-shine color for up to three weeks. When you’re ready to remove it, simply soak your nails in nail polish remover for 10-15 minutes.
Essie—without a doubt—is one of the most iconic and beloved nail polish brands of all time. As of this year, approximately 818 bottles of the cult-classic shade Ballet Slippers are sold each day in the U.S. alone. (Ahem, that’s roughly 24 per hour, folks.) The second and third best-selling shades are Blanc and Mademoiselle, and the ever-so-cheekily named nail polish Bikini So Teeny is the top-selling shade in history. Impressive, no?
Since the fever for the perfect mani is exponentially rising, we had an itch to conduct some nail polish research. After reaching out to the experts at Essie, we now have the brand’s official list of the 20 best-selling shades still available for us to buy in bulk. Curious to see how the list plays out? Keep scrolling!
Nail trends and nail art come and go, but there are some classic nail colors that truly stand the test of time. No matter the season, you’ll find these requested in salons year-round—trust me. Among those timeless shades, red nails are considered to be one of the most classic shades, followed by pink nails and neutrals like beiges and browns. But, there is another shade that I think is deserving of timeless status among this roster of classics, and that is white nails.
Okay, hear me out. You might associate white nails with a summer nail trend, but I’m here to tell you otherwise. I agree that white nails make a perfect holiday or summer manicure in general, but, there is something to be said for this monochromatic hue year-round. For one, it goes with absolutely everything in your wardrobe, and it also has the ability to instantly brighten your fingertips. White nails are bright without being as loud as neons are, yet they still managed to be understated.
And there are so many ways to wear white nails. We’ve seen the sheer, milky white nails take off this year, as well the as white chrome effect from the glazed doughnut nail trend (thank you, Hailey Bieber). But, white looks just as good in a lacquer of standard polish, too. In fact, there are so many white hues to choose from. Much like how there are hundreds of whites to choose from when you’re looking to paint your bedroom walls, there are a variety of white undertones to choose from—think bright, brilliant white or those more subdued off-white tones, or even creamy oat milk or vanilla hues. There, I’ll say it: white nails suit absolutely everyone (and it works great as a pedicure color too).
Ahead, you’ll find plenty of white nails ideas and designs for your next manicure.
I’ve always thought dark colors look best on short nails, and I’m not alone. Take it from Rita Remark, celebrity nail artist and Essie’s global lead educator. “Deeper hues tend to look a little witchy and talon-like on long nails but super chic on shorter nails,” she says. Jin Soon Choi, nail expert and founder of JinSoon, agrees: “I personally like dark colors on short nails for an editorial look.”
Deep shades of blue are one of my favorite dark colors to wear. They’re more unexpected than merlot or traditional black, yet they’re classic and sophisticated. It’s a winning combination.
Ganzorigt says the most important part of any at-home manicure, wedding or otherwise, is prep. Start by cutting and filing your nails into your preferred shape. For Ganzorigt, that’s either short and square or medium-length almond-shaped nails. “The shape that people request the most is a medium almond shape,” she says. “You see it everywhere. It’s personally my favorite nail shape. It’s the most natural-friendly nail shape because it doesn’t break as easily as other nail shapes. It also makes your fingers look longer. I’m also seeing a lot of my clients switch to short, square nails. I did that shape on Kylie [Jenner].”
The only nail shape she doesn’t like is coffin, which is a long nail that’s squared off at the tip. “That’s really outdated to me,” she says. “When my clients ask me, I’m like, ‘No, you’re not doing this. You can make it short and square, but no coffin.”
I cannot remember the last time I sported bare nails. Ever since I was young, I’ve had some form of nail polish on—I just feel more put together when my nails are done. For most of my life, I did my own nails, but for the past couple of years, I’ve been getting gel nails in-salon.
My favorite type of gel to get on my nails is undoubtedly hard gel (also known as builder gel). It lasts longer than soft gel, it’s all but resistant to chips, and if you’re like me and have a penchant for long nails, it strengthens nails so they won’t bend or break. In my eyes, hard gel is the ticket to near-perfect nails. There is, however, one caveat: it’s extremely annoying to take off.
To remove hard gel properly, you need to file (or drill) off most of it, then soak the remaining in acetone. A couple of months ago, I went to a nail salon that was ill-equipped to remove hard gel, and I ended up with the most damaged nails I’ve ever had—they were brittle, thin, and covered in unsightly scrapes.
Needless to say, my nails were in need of some serious TLC. First things first: I knew I needed to lay off the hard gel for a while so I could let my nails breathe. In the meantime, I needed to find a way to strengthen them.
If there were ever a good time for me to experience major nail damage, it would definitely be now. There have never been so many nail polish and treatment hybrids on the market as there are now. These treatments can help do major damage control on beat-up nails, and many of them also help mask imperfections and make nails look their best. Keep reading for some of my favorite polish treatments on the market.
Looking for an easy way to upgrade your fall style? Take inspiration from some of the nail shades we’re predicting will be everywhere this summer. When fall rolls around, we’re all about the nails, from their shape to the polish. We’re getting a jump on the latter before fall rolls around.
To have a better idea of what to expect, we reached out to manicurist Brittney Boyce, who’s behind the iconic nail looks of everyone from Megan Fox and Kim Kardashian to Kerry Washington and Olivia Rodrigo. Ready to see which trending shades we’ll be wearing this season? Keep scrolling and get ready to save your favorites to request on your next trip to the salon.
Let me clue you in on one of my favorite secrets to keeping your style current: always follow manicure trends. Each season, statement bags and It jackets come and go—manicure trends do too, but the key difference is they’re easy to move on from and cheap in comparison. A good manicure can make a big impact, and staying on top of each season’s trends is key to keeping your overall look fresh.
This summer, we’ve seen a decidedly minimalist approach to nails. It’s been all about sheer, natural-looking colors, milky shades, and a sharp departure from loud designs. Fall nails will continue to fall into the quiet luxury trends we’ve seen, while three-dimensional nail art and pops of colors (including an olive green that we’re coining the dirty martini nail) will keep things interesting. We talked to celebrity manicurist Elle Gerstein for the lowdown on all things fall nails.
While we’ve gotten pretty good at executing at-home gel manicures, we can’t help but think of how nice it could be to give our nails some breathing room away from that perfect-looking (but sometimes damaging) cured lacquer.
Fun fact: Several nail polish brands have upped the ante by improving their traditional nail polish formulas to look, feel, and perform more like a gel without the need to cure it under a light. And, of course, if you purchase an at-home gel nail kit, you have even more gel nail polish options available to choose from!
We’re taking stock of the best new fall gel nail colors we’re most excited to wear. Ahead, check out the seven shades we’re swooning over, whether gel or gel-adjacent. Scroll for the mood board and shop the ones that speak to you most.
Very few nail polish shades are as versatile as classic pink. Pink is one of those shades that goes with absolutely everything—you can dress it up or down, and it looks immaculate on all skin tones. There are also tons of different pink nail polish shades to choose from. You can lean into the Barbiecore trend with a flamingo pink, opt for an effortless neutral with a muted sheer shade, or pick a shimmery color to add some pizzazz to any look.
Name a nail polish brand, and chances are, they likely have at least 15 different shades of pink available (since pink will never go out of style, it is one of the most popular nail colors). It’s tough to pick a pink nail polish with so many options available—the paradox of choice is real. To make your next manicure decision a little easier, we tapped nail experts to curate a list of the best pink polishes. Keep reading to find out the best pink shades on the market.
Just when you thought burgundy nail polish had its limits, think again. Sure, it’s usually one of the most in-demand nail colors for fall, but I like to start busting out my burgundy shades as early as mid-summer (sue me).
It might be a moodier color, but it looks good on everyone, thanks to the different shades it comes in—there’s something for everyone! Certain ones lean more purple, while others fully embrace their red undertones, and some are as bold as to offer a touch of black. Whatever your fancy, it’s a color that should be embraced year-round, in my opinion. Nail artists also seem to agree. I polled them on what they think are the best burgundy nail polishes of all time, and they had a lot to share.
Ahead, you’ll find their favorite burgundy shades, plus a few of our favorites.
When we think of the best summer nail colors, we think of bright shades of pink, coral, red, blue, and yellow, among others. This year, however, we’re toning things down, opting for something soft and serene, and it’s all thanks to celebrities like Dua Lipa, Sofia Richie, and Sabrina Carpenter. These Gen Z It girls are all wearing the same nail color, which can only mean one thing: It’s officially one of the summer’s biggest nail colors.
Let us introduce you to a pale creamy blue coined blueberry milk. It’s a take on the wildly popular milk bath nails that exploded on TikTok earlier this year after being approved by Blake Lively, Jennifer Lopez, and Sydney Sweeney. Milk bath nails use soft colors to create a blurred or “milky” effect. Gone are the days of vivid brights—soft shades are here to stay. Keep scrolling to see some examples of blueberry milk nails and shop the 10 best polishes for re-creating the trend at home.
Earlier this year, a new study came out that said UV lights used to cure gel manicures pose a health risk. The study claims that these UV lights can damage DNA and permanently alter genomes in your skin. Many avid gel fans started worrying about their choice of manicure. Should they continue to risk it? And if so, is there a way to mitigate the risks that come from putting your hands under UV light?
These are the questions that have been on many people’s minds since learning about the potential health hazards. Clearly, they’ve also been on Kylie Jenner’s mind.
In a TikTok video posted over the weekend, Jenner took a video detailing the process of her new pearl manicure. In the video, her manicurist applies a sheer white coat of polish, cured it, then topped it with chrome for milky, iridescent nails. But one thing was a bit out of the ordinary: in the video, Jenner wore fingerless black gloves throughout the process.
