The Winter Nail Art Trends of 2024 Are Moody Twists on the Season’s Beloved Designs

Collage: Bella Geraci; Source images (right to left): Sarah Chue, Trenna Seney, Elle Gerstein

Most people have a love-hate relationship with winter. While there are things to gripe about in the last few months of the year (shorter days and freezing temps) there are also plenty of reasons to celebrate (the holidays, chunky knit sweaters, and cozy vibes). At Allure, we’re most excited about the new crop of winter nail art trends. You have to admit, there’s a slight serotonin boost in swapping out your espresso ombré nails for icy chrome designs and touches of gold foil for winter.

After chatting with experts, we predict the winter 2024 nail art trends will include quintessential festive designs (like glittery snowflakes and sparkly silver swirls), but Los Angeles-based nail artist Sigourney Nuñez says to look out for some major pop-culture motifs, too. She expects this fall’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to have an impact that lasts through the new year, and the upcoming Wicked adaptation’s Emerald City to inspire this season’s nail color choices.

“This season’s trends will be playful yet practical,” explains Los Angeles-based nail artist Sarah Chue, who says the beloved French tip and ombré design will be updated with dark and moody shades like blueish-black.

We consulted nail artists for the biggest trends of the chilly season. Prepare to screenshot inspo for your next appointment.

Meet the experts:

• Sigourney Nuñez is a Los Angeles-based nail artist.

• Sarah Chue is a Los Angeles-based nail artist.

• Trenna Seney is a New York City-based nail artist.

• Elle Gerstein is a New York City-based nail artist.

Champagne Splashes

This season, match your nails to the gold twinkle lights adorning your neighborhood or, better yet, the countless glasses of bubbly (champagne or cider) you’re toasting with during all of the upcoming festivities. “Whatever holiday you celebrate in December, sparkles are always appropriate,” says New York City-based nail artist Trenna Seney. “Plus they double as New Year's Eve nails!”

According to nail artists, painting your whole nail in gold glitter is so 2016 (though, we totally get the appeal of that era). For a fresher take on sparkles, opt for splashes of gold across a nude base or gilded French tips. New York City-based nail artist Elle Gerstein likes to mix and match different nail designs with metallic gold touches for an opulent winter manicure.

Beauty Pie Wondercolour Nail Polish in Gift Wrap

$8.00, Beauty Pie

Olive & June Is It Too Much Long Lasting Nail Polish

$9.00, Olive & June

Glass Nails

If Cinderella were around in 2024, she’d trade her glass slippers for these equally dazzling glass nails. “This set is both dreamy and cute—plus gold matches everything,” says Seney, who created this nude and gold glass manicure.

This look is best achieved by adding on a faux tip using Gel-X or builder gel. You can add a nude polish to the base of your nail to enhance the natural shade, but be sure to keep the tip clear for that glass effect. Add a bit of sparkle with gold nail stickers in dainty shapes, which Seney says can be secured using soft gel or nail glue. Voíla: a mani fit for a princess.

Londontown Nail Decals - Starbright

$9.00, Londontown USA

Aprés Gel-X Sculpted

$30.00, Aprés

Tortoise Nails

Turn your nails into the ultimate accessory with tortoise print. (After all, the print screams luxury when you wear it as jewelry, a bag, or even a pair of glasses.) This design was a hit in the fall and will continue into the winter—for good reason. “Tortoise is really classy…the new modern take on tortoise is pairing it with unexpected colors,” says Gerstein, who paired the classic tortoise design with a sheer merlot nail for the ultimate “mob wife” manicure.

This intricate design can be time-consuming to execute, so you may want to reach for pre-designed tortoise press-ons, like the Static Nails Tortoise Shell Reusable Pop-On Manicures.

If you’re feeling ambitious, the Tortoise Shell Nail Art Set from Cirque Colors has all the shades you need to achieve the pattern. Per the brand’s instructions: Create patches using the three different shades and layer them over each other letting each layer dry before the next.

Static Nails Tortoise Shell Reusable Pop-On Manicures

$18.00, Static Nails

Tortoiseshell Nail Art Set

$34.00, Cirque Colors

Chrome Details

Chrome is perpetually on the trend charts, but manicurists agree that it’s especially popular during the winter. The shiny silver finish is perfectly on theme with the icy season. “This 3D design is for the nail art lovers who want to make a statement,” says Seney who created this multi-design chrome mani. “It’s bold and it screams confidence.”

To achieve a similar look, start with a sheer nude base. Then, paint on your designs with black nail polish, which Seney provides the best base for chrome powder. “If the base is black, the chrome powder pops more—as opposed to when you use a white polish,” she explains.

OPI Nail Lacquer in Black Onyx

$12.00, Amazon

PrettyDiva Silver Chrome Manicure Pigments

$9.00, Amazon

Glitter Frame

High-shine metallic and glitter polishes help capture the festive feeling of the season. “Wearing the glitter alone is always a statement but my favorite trend [this winter] is an outline nail art design using chunky glitter polish,” says Nuñez.

To recreate this look, start with a solid base shade. (Nuñez suggests black, which she says will be big this winter, partly due to the popularity of the recent Beetlejuice Beetlejuice film.) Then, use a detail nail brush to apply chunky glitter polish to the perimeter of each nail. Nũnez used Essie Set In Stone metallic polish for this shimmering black and silver mani. For a similar hint of shine in gold, we love the JinSoon Gala nail polish.

Nail Polish in Set in Stones

$10.00, Amazon

Beaute Galleria 12MM Nail Art Brush

$13.00, Amazon

JinSoon Gala

$18.00, JinSoon

Dark Galaxy Nails

Fall ushered in dramatic nail art looks and winter is poised to keep the same vibes rolling. This moody gradient manicure will rival the French manicure as the most popular way to wear two shades on your nails. “Dark chrome ombré perfectly complements the winter air,” says Chue. “It's dramatic but not overly done.”

To achieve this effect, Chue used a sponge on a stick to paint a blue-black polish atop a nude base. “Start from the tip of the nail and paint down,” says Chue. As you move toward the middle of your nail, Chue recommends lifting your brush, and lightly flicking it toward your cuticle to achieve the fade at the end. Once your ombré is dry, use a clean brush to buff a chrome powder on top for a starry finish.

Dior Vernis 902 Pied-de-Poule

$32.00, Dior

Gucci Vernis à Ongles 413​ Ellen​ Blush

$35.00, Gucci

Icy Tips

You can never go wrong with an icy, blinged-out manicure for the winter. “It's unassumingly fabulous,” says Chue. Under the light, these nails come alive—sparkling like sun-kissed snow.

After crafting a classic French design, Chue recommends icing out the arched tip with reflective glitter gel polish like this one from Amazon.

Beetles Reflective Glitter Gel Polish in 134

$13.00, Amazon

Frosted Glass

Expect to see futuristic chrome shine atop seasonal shades like burgundy and blue jewel tones. “Apply two coats of a deep red color and add a layer of a chrome-effect top coat,” says Nuñez, who used c for her reflective finish in this silver-merlot mani.

Nail artists regularly reach for chrome powder, like this one from Manucurist, as an alternative to metallic top coats. Just dip a small nail sponge into the glazing powder and buff it onto dried polished nails.

Essie Nail Art Studio Special Effects Nail Polish in Cosmic Chrome

$13.00, Amazon

Manucurist Pink Glazed Effect Powder

$9.00, Manucurist

Gilded Foil

As you wait for the Wicked movie to hit theaters, you can transport your nails to Emerald City with this green and gold mani. “Emerald is a versatile color that’s very popular during winter because it reflects the evergreen trees and holiday decor,” says Nuñez.

For this enchanted mani, Nuñez swept on two coats of Essie Off Tropic. We also recommend Sally Hansen Color Therapy Bliss Nail Polish in Serene Green for its vibrant hue and glossy finish. Once the polish dried, she applied nail glue and carefully placed tiny gold foil pieces on top. “It’s a fun way to transform a manicure,” says Nuñez.

Glamnetic Super Strong Brush On Nail Glue

$7.00, Amazon

Daily Charme Nail Art Foil Gold

$3.00, Daily Charme

Essie Nail Polish Glossy Shine Finish in Off Tropic

$10.00, Amazon

Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish - Bliss Collection, Serene Green

$10.00, Amazon

Discover more nail trends:

• Fall 2024's Biggest Nail Art Trends Are Bringing the Drama

• I Tried BIAB Nails, the Manicure Dubbed “Armor For Your Nails”

• 17 Stunning Wedding-Nail Ideas for Any Type of Bride

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Originally Appeared on Allure