After all the festive and glitter nails we’ve experimented with in December, it’s time to get your nails ready for the start of a new year. Seasons can often provide a lot of inspiration to suit the mood of the moment, so as we get our warmer knits out and layer up, it’s time to feel the winter chills on your nails too. Winter calls for a shift into darker, deeper and richer tones with metallic embellishments often adding a pop of fun. From classic prints to graphic nail art and swirls, here are some of our favourite winter nail art designs to bookmark for your next visit to the salon.
Deep Blue Gold Dipped Tips
Taking cues from Chanel Nail artist, these deep blue nails are chic and elegant with a twist on the classic French manicure.
Tortoiseshell Nails
Nothing says winter like tortoiseshell nails, there’s something about the deep caramel tones that feels destined to sit along cosy nude knits and boots.
Metallic Red nails
Red is irreplaceable and glorious in all its moods. This season, it gets a deeper and a more metallic update: think smoked cherry and metallic red.
Classic Red Abstract
Is there anything classier than bold red nails? This trend is bold yet abstract, playing around with the negative spaces. Red has always been a timeless colour for any season and can be worn for almost any occasion.
Latte Swirls
Warm chocolate brown swirls are nothing short of an artistic illusion, and your nails are the canvas. They are a more abstract form of the marble nail trend that peaked in 2021 because of the addition of white swirls to go with the brown. You can also experiment with deeper tones like mahogany, deep olive green and mustard yellow. These swirls do not require precision, and could be a great DIY idea for an at-home manicure.
Autumn Pantone Nails
There’s no denying that abstract nails are on the rise on Instagram. It is almost like painting your favourite autumn landscape while using your nails as your painting palette. Adding rings in similar tones is a plus and can instantly amplify your manicure.
The Minimalist Tips
This manicure is such a statement-maker with its negative spaces and geometric lines, making it an ideal manicure for a minimalist.
Half And Half Nails
This colour palette looks like the pumpkin spice latte we treat ourselves to weekly, but it also gives off a ’70s vibe. While this chocolate brown and beige colour combo is perfect for fall, you can also mix and match whatever shades you’re feeling at the moment. Pro tip: add a metallic shade to create a playful design, or even combine two metallic shades of gold and silver.
Half-Moon Manicure
The classic half-moon manicure will always be one of our favourite classic nail art designs. Fun fact: did you know this was the original way of painting nails in the 1920s? This look is fun and artistic while still being sophisticated.
