When the festive season rolls around, it's only natural to want to mark the occasion with your manicure. But for those who typically steer clear of statement shades and designs, these classy and understated nude Christmas nails are the perfect alternative.
Traditionally, when one thinks of the 25th of December and the surrounding period, a colour palette of bright berry reds, golds and verdant greens probably comes to mind – not to mention motifs like twinkling stars, candy canes and sprigs of holly and mistletoe. This can sometimes lead to the misconception that your preferred neutral nails, let's say, should be retired in favour of a festive nail look, which must be jolly in hue and boast a quintessentially Christmassy design.
Thankfully, this is not actually the case, as there's a plethora of chic and simple Christmas nail designs out there, many of which incorporate a nude or neutral base. In fact, we've rounded up nine such neutral and dainty looks that are perfect for decking your fingertips out in, so to speak, while remaining very elegant and versatile...
9 luxe-looking nude Christmas nails to consider this season
Whether you're sporting a longer almond shape or short squoval nails, a block neutral or nude shade will always afford a very elegant and fresh look. That said, these timeless neutral hues alone aren't exactly what we would call festive. But, by adding a few simple additions – like a glitter French tip or bow – you can achieve a very party-ready mani without ditching your subtle go-to base colour.
Before we dive into the many nude Christmas nail options you have at your fingertips (quite literally), we've rounded up a few essentials for those who prefer to do their nails at home.
Our nude Christmas nail essentials
RRP: £15.60
For the perfect warm-nude base, opt for OPI's Samoan Sand shade. It's one of our team's favourite OPI nail colours for a reason and will pair perfectly with a glittery French tip, a burgundy bow or candy cane design and even a chrome coat.
RRP: £10.99
No manicure is complete without a clear top coat to impart a glassy shine to your nails and protect your colour or design from chipping. This one from essie delivers a gel-like sheen for under £11.
RRP: £12.99
Whether you're creating a metallic French tip or some festive foliage on your nails, a set of nail brushes and dotting tools is a must for any at-home manicure lover. This set from Beetles features five different brushes, two of which have a dotting tool on the other end (especially handy for creating twinkly star designs).
1. Nude nails with gems
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to elevate your nude manicure to new festive heights is with a few gemstones. Simply dot one or two on each nail – either in the middle of the base of each nail for a uniform look, or alternating between the left and right sides of your nail tip and base (as seen above). Apply your crystal while your base is still wet, then allow it to dry and apply your clear coat over the top to lock them in place. Alternatively you could also apply them to your clear coat while it's still tacky. The finish is perfectly party-ready but subtle enough to work in the early and late December days, too.
2. Nude nails with a glitter French tip
Another simple way to take your nude nails from everyday to Christmassy is with a glitter French tip. This look can be adapted to suit every nail shape and length and works with gold, silver and even red glitter.
3. Nude nails with tiny bow accents
When it comes to nail designs bow nails are very in right now and these tiny silver ribbons are perfect for elevating your signature neutral nail colour. They can be placed randomly, for more of an effortless look, or positioned at the base, centre or tip of your talons. You can also pair them with a French tip for a chic but more intentional "nail art" look.
4. Nude chrome nails
A chrome finish is a surefire way to achieve a glamorous, party-ready manicure. With a pink or warm-nude base colour, we would recommend going for a pearlescent chrome shade to achieve that frosted, bauble-like look.
5. Metallic French tips
Much like a glitter French tip, a metallic one also makes a perfect pairing with a nude or sheer nail polish. It's clean and minimalistic but still very festive and elegant at the same time.
6. Nude nails with stars
Star nails are another perfect wintry option; they're festive but not too festive, making them ideal for a Christmas party but also for New Year's Eve and everything in between. This twinkly design look so elegant on almond nails but can be adapted to suit shorter lengths and shapes, too – plus, it's easy to recreate with the help of a nail art brush or dotting tool.
7. Nude nails with scattered shimmer and white swirls
Scattered glitter is a great way to elevate nude nails and it makes a great pairing with this nail art classic, swirls. We love the way the fragments of gold catch the light here, especially in contrast to the very soft, sheer nude base and white swirls. For a more minimalistic design, you could ditch the swirls and opt for the glitter alone.
8. Subtle shimmer nails
A subtle all-over shimmer is another excellent way to enhance neutral nails for the festive season. This pearly, frosted nail look is also ideal for the winter months, which makes it a very versatile and low-maintenance pick.
9. Nude nails with chrome cuffs
If you're already sporting a French tip nail look and want something a tad different for the festive period, go for a chrome cuff. It's simple but eye-catching and looks very clean with a warm, rosy nude base.
