We hold a special place in our hearts for metallic nail art designs. There's just something about the oh-so-shiny finish that seems to work for every season and occasion. Thinking about adding the holographic touch to your next manicure? Click through for all the inspo you need.
RELATED: Pretty Polished: How to DIY the Pop Art Nails Trend
Compared to the bright and warm colors you paint on your summer nails, winter nails can sometimes feel a little... uninspired. But this season, we're all about changing up our beauty routines to find something unique, unexpected, and festive. You don't have to be a professional manicurist to get beautiful tips at home, and these ideas for winter nails prove it.
Break out your top coat bottles, because once you see these moody blue hues, seasonal shimmers, and classic Christmas color nail art (not to mention some eye-catching yet easy designs to inspire you) you won't be able to get enough.
Amazon
Party dresses aren't the only thing that'll be sparkling this winter. Add a quick shimmer to your nails with these cute press-ons!
Target
This unique purple pick only takes a few seconds to dry, which makes it a great option when you need a concise mani, but don't have a ton of time.
Dear Sundays
The mix between purple and gray in this hue delivers an understated edge that's to die for.
Target
Reds are definitely expected for any winter nails. This flirty shade glides on with absolute perfection!
Amazon
Silver nails are sophisticated and festive, but aren't exclusive to the holiday season the way that a red and green combo are. Plus, dip powder is a simple and easy way to get a salon-quality manicure at home.
Dear Sundays
For anyone who likes color but doesn't want to overdo it, this muted sage green is a great pick. It's sophisticated, understated, and adds just the right amount of chill for colder days.
Baby blue has been hot all year long. If you want in on the trend, try adding this pale color to your nails instead.
Orly
Is there anything classier than red nails? They're a little bit vintage, a little bit sexy, and very eye-catching. Match them to a red lip for New Year's celebrationsfor the cutest match.
Amazon
From navy to icy blue, these gel polishes will let you have all the winter nails you could ever dream of. The best part is that with proper application, they can last up to three weeks!
Target
Ballet pink is a great neutral because it's elevated and professional, but it's more fun than beige. Pair this pink with ballerina nails, and feel totally girly!
Sally Hansen
Even though deep green is in the holiday color palette, this peaceful shade can definitely last into the New Year. This polish is chip-resistant and healthy for your nails.
Amazon
For some added shimmer and glow, pop this bad boy on your nails – atop a darker color or by itself!
Amazon
We love how romantic and powerful this deep purple is. And if there's anything that should make you feel that way, it's your beauty routine.
Dashing Diva
Dark blue and white are a color combo that you can never go wrong with for winter nails. You can wear these tips to your Hanukkah celebrations, but they will also look good any day of the week.
Olive & June
Feminine and flirty, this salon-quality polish is a great way to add some pink Christmas glam to your winter nails if you're not feeling the blues, neons, or reds.
786 Cosmetics
This polish is inspired by the shades of the Turkish city it's named after. Not only is it deep and warm, but it also gives you full coverage with a single swipe.
Amazon
This shade simultaneously reminds us of the sea, the sky, and all those icy Y2K beauty looks. It looks iconic in every season, so you can wear it all year long.
Pleasing
Amazon
Chocolate brown might be a 2023 hair trend, but you can definitely add it into your manicure, too. The best part is that it'll match your coffee *and* your hot chocolate.
Wear the shade that matches your skin tone, or mix and match them all for a multi-toned nude look.
Amazon
This deep wine color will infuse some warmth into your day-to-day as you count down to the New Year.
This winter nails color describes exactly what we want out of the season. It's the most luscious blue that you could ever coat your nails with.
Turn your mani into an art gallery with an abstract design that'll make you feel like Picasso. Stick to classic colors like brown and black, or go with seasonal shades.
We'll never get enough of the French manicure. But instead of white tips, spice it up with different colors and overlapping stripes.
This frosty little friend is one of the cutest things we've ever seen on a thumb nail. Don't forget the carrot nose!
Image via Bellacures
Swap your regular mani for a cherry red nail polish that features a Santa hat. It's cute and classy all in one!
Create a manicure that feels unexpected yet classic by adding dots around the edge of your nail in red, green, and gold. The empty space is totally eye-catching while the color trio is nostalgic.
Pick three colors that go well together and layer them for multi-dimensional nails. You can change them up based on the season, or stick with different shades of your favorite color.
Use different shades of brown for a mani that'll get you in the mood for a mocha. The 70s inspired waves are just the foam on top.
Mix wintery details like gold glitter with neons and warm shades usually found in summer for a winter nails match made in heaven. Love!
In lieu of an all-white mani, go for one that incorporates stripes or blank space that'll let other colors (or your natural nail) peek through.
Pick shapes and shades that remind you of your favorite decade. Bonus points if it matches your outfit!
Image via Bellacures
If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, bring some snowy magic to your mani with white polish and a toothpick.
Bring some nature to your look with a galaxy-inspired mani, a delicate snowflake, or try your hand at painting a tree. The world is your oyster!
A mix of brown, gold, and tan will never go out of style. We're obsessed with the glittery detail and the use of negative space!
These glittery nails are perfect for both Christmas and New Year's, which means you don't have to redo your mani before December 31st.
Image via Bellacures
These red berries are instantly recognizable and very festive. Pick any of your fingers to add these details to, or add a design to each nail.
Become winter Barbie when you adorn your nails in the cutest baby pink polishes out there. A lil' shimmer never hurt anyone, either.
Deep gold or chrome is the perfect polish to take a simple starry mani to the next level. The key to painting clean stars is using an ultra tiny nail brush.
Deeper greens were made for winter nails. We love this divided design that also makes a play on French tips.
A little goes a long way with these chrome nails. They have the classy feeling of a French manicure with the glam look of silver polish.
Faux gems and nail glue come together to add a 3-dimensional element to any manicure. We're obsessed.
If you want another element to your pop art nails, add a shape to one of your fingers — we love the detail on this heart.
We'll literally always say yes to some cherry red nails, especially when there are candy canes involved.
Who said Skittles nails were reserved for summer? If you're in desperate need of more color this winter, this mani is the way to go.
These chocolate brown nails are already looking towards Valentine's Day. Keep the base of your accent nail simple or go crazy with an unexpected neon.
If you just can't resist the Christmas holiday, opt for winter nails like these that channel ornaments and decor.
These elevated and decorated winter nails are giving everything they need to give for a classy NYE party.
Tag us in pics of your winter nails on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter for more inspo! And be sure to check out our podcast episode with Olive & June founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle for tips on DIY-ing your own manis and pedis.
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.
Colleen Hoover stans, listen up! While the announcement that Anne Hathaway would lead CoHo's Verity movie broke the Brit + Co group chat, it has nothing on the announcement that was made today: she'll be joined by the one and only Dakota Johnson. And we freaked out. Dakota is a master at intrigue and suspense, and I can't think of anyone else who'd be able to draw us into the story like she will.
Verity follows it-girl author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway) and her husband Jeremy, who hire Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson) to finish the remaining books in Verity's series. But as Lowen starts to take a closer look at their lives, she comes to the horrifying realization that not all is as it seems. While It Ends With Us is Colleen Hoover's most popular and widely-known title, Verity is regarded as one of the wildest — and I'm sure the movie is going to be the same.
John Nacion/Getty Images
The Princess Diaries' Anne Hathaway leads the new movie as Verity Crawford, author, wife, and (apparently) secret keeper.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Dakota Johnson stars as Lowen Ashleigh, a down-on-her-luck writer who's confident working for Verity is her big break.
The actress is also starring in Celine Song's upcoming rom-com Materialists, and told Brit + Co just how much she loved working with "big idiots" Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
We'll also see Trap's Josh Hartnett as Jeremy Crawford, Verity's husband.
The Verity movie isn't the only Colleen Hoover book adaptation in the works! Read up on the latest news on Regretting You, starring Allison Williams and McKenna Grace.
October 31 may seem light-years away, but if last-minute Halloween costumes stress you out, then you know it’s never too early to start planning for a killer getup. Makeup and hair are a given, but the perfect costume isn’t complete without an amazing mani. This year we’ve pulled out all the stops with a mega-roundup of the scariest, spookiest, and all-around amazing Halloween nails ever. From black-cat French tips to pumpkin-face nail art to the most stellar sugar-skull nails we’ve *ever* seen, here are 40 manicures that are basically costumes for your nails.
Brit + Co
Okay, technically these have a little bit of red on them. But we think you’ll forgive us and our favorite nail artist SF Party Nail AKA Taylor Watson.
Bellacures
Your decision to dress as Jason Vorhees for Halloween won't be complete with these red blood french tips. They're the perfect complement to the faux bloody machete you'll be carrying.
Brit + Co
Perfect for the lazy-girl nail artist who wants to hit two holidays with just one mani. Do this on Halloween day and then carry it all the way into the New Year!
Brit + Co
This is a great mani option for anyone and everyone who wants to be on the couch with their cats at any given moment. Just use a thinner brush to make the triangles for the ears. You can use another brush or even the tip of a bobby pin to dot on the eyes!
Craft a sweet witch's brew to match your burgundy nails with gold flecks.
If you don't have a fear of spiders, let this white spider design help you craft the perfect Halloween treat.
Depois Dos Quinze
Let these Hawaiian nails add some fun to your Halloween costume. Don’t worry, they won’t cause as much havoc as you think.
Your scary Halloween costume won't be complete with this black and white nail design.
If you love all things glam, you don't have to wait until New Years to go crazy with the glitter. Pick darker colors to make this mani extra moody.
Keep your Halloween digits looking eerie with a skeleton design scattered along your nails. A matte black and red polish underneath looks even more appropriate for the holiday.
Scare the ish out of all the arachnophobes with your spooky spider nails.
A ghostly manicure instantly puts you in the Halloween spirit. Plus, if you’re more of a minimalistic gal, this simple design will ring true.
Even if you’re not a fan of Halloween, these designs let you take part in October fun without the spook factor. This manicure is trendy and colorful and will match any outfit you pair it with.
You don’t have to deck out your digits in skulls and ghosts to be festive. A fancy orange and black mani gives you just the right amount of edgy flair.
The evil eye can mean a curse in many cultures around the world. What better way to celebrate the spooky holiday than with protective nails featuring these talismans?
Pair your black polish with a simple white to elevate and invert this classic, yet very Halloween-appropriate, finish.
Statement nails featuring sparkles and spider webs turn the dial up on Halloween glam. Balance it out with a neutral gray shade as your base color or keep it negative with a bare nail layered with a top coat.
Destroyed ombre nails feel spooky but still stylish. Achieve this jagged mani look by coating your nail with black and using a scratcher tool to uncover the natural hue underneath.
Instead of opting for the scary nail art route, go spooky. Cute, pointy-eared kitties are purrfect for Halloween.
Start off with a neutral base coat, then get funky with dark and random squiggly lines.
This spine-tingling nail art will give you all the holiday feels this October. Drip polish down from your cuticles, and clean up your skin with a nail polish remover-soaked cotton swab. Done and done.
Feel like sporting your artsy side? Paint an entire creepy scene onto your nails for a unique mani. Adding a matte top coat lets the designs be seen even better.
This looks tough but is actually fairly easy. Begin by using black nail polish and a small brush dipped in acetone, draw on lines with the polish and then blur them by swirling with the brush.
One small black line from top to bottom of your nail bed makes for an artsy addition to a skeleton-inspired Halloween look.
It’s easy and it’s a classic. Just a warning: You may have to resist the urge to nibble your fingers!
Give your fingers some sharp angles to give the illusion of jagged nails.
Spice up the typical matte nail with a glossy French tip.
We’re already haunted by this funky, yet totally appropriate Frankenstein pop art.
Halloween doesn’t have to be all about zombies and mummies. Instead, try a fine-art approach that’s still wacky enough for the holiday.
Can’t decide which Halloween fave to go with? Use a different nail for each October 31 icon so no one misses out.
We love this black, white, and sparkly tribute to a Halloween classic.
If you can’t decide which Disney princess you want to be this year, then just be all of them! This mani shows off their goofy side because even a Disney princess knows how to have fun too.
Dashing Diva
Add some magic to your nails with a glow-in-the-dark set that features all your favorite Halloween motifs with a fun color palette.
Etsy
Switch up your base color every time you add one (or multiple) of these stickers, and you'll get a different look every single time!
Etsy
The coolest part about these Halloween nails is the two-in-one finish they have. Even though they're monochromatic, the glossy and matte textures provide some unexpected contrast. (via LilyNailsArt/Etsy)
Etsy
The detail on these tips stand out against the simple base, and add a spooky touch to all your fall outfits!
Glamnetic
Give your spidery web nails a cute update with these press-on nails! The glitter will make them less spooky as you brew one of your famous Halloween cocktails.
Walmart
Witchy nails are meant to be as chic as they are thrilling. Lucky for us, Salon Perfect understood the assignment when they created these cute matte checkered cat nails!
Walmart
Dressing up as a mysterious and sexy tarot reader for Halloween? Don't forget to add these black moon ombre nails to your costume.
Want more Halloween nail art and beauty inspiration? Be sure to check out our Pinterest page!
This post has been updated.
If there’s one recipe you 100 percent need to crank out some seriously festive Christmas dessert ideas, it’s the classic, basic sugar cookie. Some of the most intricately ordained, masterpiece cookies (like pink Christmas decorations, jolly reindeer, and llamas) begin with a simple foundation. Let’s start with this recipe we love for a vanilla-bean-speckled version that’s sure to hold its own under all that royal icing.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add vanilla bean and egg. Mix until just incorporated. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Gradually add flour (you may not need the full three cups), and mix until dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Divide dough into two even discs and wrap in cling wrap, then refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
When ready to roll dough, pre-heat oven to 350°F and line baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Using a rolling pin, roll cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/4-inch in thickness, and use cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes.
Transfer cookies to a baking tray using a lightly floured spatula. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or when edges begin to brown. The time will be dependent on size and thickness of cookies.
Decorate your easy Christmas cookies to you and your family's liking!
Check out our baking and cooking classes for more recipes to make at home!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
See our ‘Grammable Holiday Cookie Guide.
Recipe via Vickie Liu; photos via Brittany Griffin/Brit + Co
