Winter’s Nail Trends Are All About Doing The Most

While I personally always had my doubts about the death of nail art, I must admit: For awhile, things seemed a little touch-and-go. Over the last several months, everywhere I looked — red carpets, social feeds, the fingertips of well-appointed friends and colleagues — the manicures seemed to be getting shorter and more neutral. That was to be expected; after all, trends come and go by definition. But that never stopped my yearning for the return of bold finishes and dazzling accents — especially for the dreary cold months. And it’s looking like my wishes might come true: the manicures of winter 2027 will be heavy on the glitz, according to top nail artists.

“I believe [this winter] is going to be about purposeful glamour,” says Max Estrada, a professional nail artist and founder of eNailCouture. “Nails shouldn't simply be painted — they should be designed, layered, embellished, extended, and celebrated. I want to see manicures with the richness of velvet, the sparkle of diamonds, the depth of layered glitter, and the extravagance of haute couture.” While simple sophistication and streamlined elegance won’t be going anywhere any time soon — there are plenty of sheer, solid, and short-nail-friendly options for the nail art clean girls — it’s safe to say folks are ready to get festive this holiday season and beyond.

Scroll on to learn all about the hottest nail trends of winter 2027, straight from the pros.

Blinged-Out Maximalism

Natalie Minerva, a celebrity manicurist and OPI global brand ambassador, sees “ornamental manicures” trending for the season. Think of this gemstone-dappled look as the holiday-friendly version of the crystal-candy manis that were seemingly everywhere last summer. “You can go so many routes with this design, but it’s blingy and feels so festive,” she says. “I foresee multi-colored rhinestone nails in varied sizes and shapes for the fancier holiday outings like a party or for New Year's!” She suggests opting for a red base, then topping it with gemstones of varying sizes, colors, and shapes “with no rhyme or reason. It will instantly make your manicure feel fab, and you’ll have an excuse to match your Christmas tree!”

Meanwhile, Estrada anticipates the classic French manicure will get a maximalist makeover. This includes details like rich, winter-friendly colors, unusual finishes, and of course, over-the-top embellishments. “Imagine a velvety black French tip against a beautifully glossy nude nail bed, finished with a delicate row of crystals along the smile line,” he says. “That's not simply a manicure. That's couture for your fingertips!”

Sparkles & Shine

If 3D bling isn’t really your thing, you can always go for classic 2D frosting. After all, “sparkles and metallics will always be trending [when] the holiday season is upon us,” as nail artist and ORLY ambassador Samantha Pasaye notes.

Stephanie Stone, celebrity manicurist and Sally Hansen nail style director, is particularly fond of champagne glitter nails. “They’re perfect for winter as we move closer to the holidays, and they’re also great for any New Year's plans you may have,” she notes. (Plus, they make for a great foundation for nail art if you decide to add a little embellishment or dabble in some nail art.) She recommends starting with Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri in Taupe Priority, then topping it with the shimmery Gilded Gossip before locking everything in with a top coat.

Chocolate Brown

The espresso hair trend that came for our strands this fall is coming for our fingertips this winter. “Espresso and chocolate brown nails are the new nude for winter,” says Sigourney Nuñez, licensed nail artist and Nails.INC partner. “The rich browns give off a cozy and sophisticated finish.”

Minerva is on board with this color trend, too — especially when it gets a little wild. “Deep chocolate nails are just so appropriate for winter [in my opinion], and I love that they are an alternative to black; they still scream vampy without it being obvious,” she says. “Combining an interesting animal print on top of that would give it a little extra flair. I’m always going to be into a little extra touch of flair!” She says to consider topping your cocoa polish with a leopard, tortoiseshell, or even zebra pattern. “Unsurprisingly, the OPI x M&M'S Holiday Collection has two fantastic chocolate tones that would work so great for this: OPI Nail Lacquer in Choco-lotta Cheer and OPI Nail Lacquer in Peanuty Butter Me Up. You can use these two together to create an easy leopard print, or you could try an inverted zebra print with a creme or taupe color.”

Striking Reds

Stone is gravitating toward the “fun and festive” candy apple red, which can help “brighten things up a bit” in the doldrums of the coldest season. “I just can’t stop coming back to this color during the fall and winter months,” she says. It strikes the perfect balance between seasonal richness and celebratory vibrancy: “I’ve always found myself going back and forth between bright red and deep red until I realized, why choose, when you can do both?”

For her part, nail educator Viktoriia Voloshyna is all about “a rich, deep red with a mirror-like shine, the kind that looks almost lacquered,” she says. “It's the most classic winter color, but this season it's all about that super glossy, polished finish.” It works with just about anything you’ll be wearing this season, and looks “especially elegant” on short nails, too. (Celebrities agree.) She recommends applying two thin layers of Gelcare’s Patent Leather Red to nail the look. “Keep a tiny gap from the cuticle so the color looks clean, and finish with a high-shine top coat,” she says.

Luxe Velvets

Pasaye is fond of a glass cat eye in a jewel tone, “created with a black base, a silver cat eye, and then jelly color on top” to cultivate that dimensional shine. Try “ORLY’s new FX Magnetics in lacquer with a Strong Cat Eye Magnet Tool to get a nice cat eye look,” she says.

“Fox Fur Velvet,” which is “a sumptuous, velvety manicure inspired by the richness and texture of a luxurious winter fur coat,” he explains. Think rich hues and luxurious jewel tones with a velvety finish, topped with rhinestones to create contrast. “Winter fashion is all about sumptuous materials, from velvet and faux fur to satin, leather, and richly embellished eveningwear. I love translating those textures into nail art.” Try eNailCouture French Kitty 9D Cat-Eye Gels to get that multidimensional base, then go in with eNailCouture rhinestones and nail crystals. “You can create an extraordinary result with just a few carefully arranged crystals, or take it to the next level with elaborate embellishments,” he says.

Sheer Pinks & Red

“Jelly nails were super popular in the summer, and we can see the trend make its way into winter with one hero shade in mind: cranberry,” says Nunez; she considers the hue a “brighter and more playful” alternative to the deep burgundies that dominated the fall. She recommends two to three coats of Nails.INC’s 45 Second Speedy Gloss in Amelia Jelly Effect; top it with the maroon 45 Second Speedy Gloss in Meet Me On Regents Street if you want to “take it up a notch.”

If a sheer finish is your vibe — but a bolder hue is not — Voloshyna recommends opting for “a soft, sheer pink with a cool undertone that makes nails look healthy and polished, like a balm for your nails.” This shade adds a distinctly cold-weather touch to the celebrity-loved neutral nail trend. “The cool shade feels fresh and wintry, a little icy rather than warm and peachy.” This look “grows out softly, so the manicure looks neat longer, and the cool tone pairs beautifully with winter whites, grays and silver jewelry,” she says.