With the festive season now upon us, we've rounded up 16 of the chicest Christmas nails gel fans should consider for their next wintertime nail appointment or at-home mani.
While BIAB nails are having a moment, a classic gel manicure is always a surefire way to elevate your look, especially now that we're entering party season. Plus, thanks to the durability of gel over ordinary polishes, once you've got your festive look nailed (pardon the pun), you're free to concentrate on Christmas shopping, decorating and of course, looking fabulous.
So, with that in mind, we've lined up some statement, glossy shades and designs - from dark blue nail looks to the 'Black Cherry' nail trend - to help inspire your next merry manicure...
16 gel Christmas nail looks to wear - from merry monochromes to chic designs
Whatever your style, there's a plethora of Christmas gel nail looks to choose from, from bold, glittery patterns to minimalist monochromes and in case you're planning to do yours at-home, here are a few of our gel nail polish picks...
Our quick Christmas gel nail colour picks
RRP: £8.99
This LED/UV cure gel nail polish offers the perfect berry red shade that is just perfect for Christmas.
RRP: £16.90
If you want a gel-like look, without the curing and potential nail damage, OPI offers high-shine (non-gel) polishes that are ideal for achieving a festive mani.
RRP: £20
This vegan gel top coat is a must for creating really sleek and glossy looks.
P.S. Nailcare is key to a clean and flawless nail look, so regardless of whether you do your nails yourself or go to the salon, we'd recommend investing in a good quality hand cream (we love this hand cream from L'Occitane at Sephora) and cuticle oil, like OPI's Cuticle Oil (available at Amazon).
1. Red Tinsel Chrome nails
Now, this is what we mean when we say a festive manicure. Adding a pop of red, complete with a metallic sheen is one of the easiest ways to channel Christmas with your nail look. It's also surprisingly easy to recreate as all you need is one of the best at-home gel nail kits along with a base coat, a cherry red gel polish, a chrome powder and a glossy top coat to create this tinsel effect.
RRP: £8.99
This chrome powder is perfect for topping over your red manicure.
2. Cranberry red nails
If you're looking for a more timeless nail look to wear this party season, a bright cranberry red is always a good way to go. Dark red and signature primary red nails are very in right now and just ooze elegance and dare we say, merriment. Right now, squoval nails are the trendiest shape to pair with this berry hue, so we'd suggest asking your nail artist for this or perhaps more of a rectangle look.
RRP: £8.99
This bright red is a true signature and is a must-have for the festive period and beyond.
3. Pine Green
We're obsessed with this pine green shade. It's glossy and slightly more minimal then that of a statement red, but still evokes that festive aesthetic. Again, we'd recommend a short and square/oval shape but this colour would also look gorgeous on longer, almond nails. If you're looking to recreate this at home, a super glossy top coat is key!
RRP: £8.99
This LED/UV-curing pine green polish is perfect for Christmas, especially if you're not a fan of red.
4. Festive French tip
For a more subtle - but nonetheless Christmassy - option, why not try a glittery French tip? You can go for as large or small a tip as you like with this manicure, depending on your nail length. Plus this shimmery look is even perfect for New Year's - so if you're looking for an easy manicure to wear all season, this is it.
RRP: £8.99
This white, shimmery polish is perfect for a festive French tip! If you're recreating this gel look at home, you might need to invest in a thin nail brush.
5. Frosted nails
A more muted take on 'Glazed' nails, this pearly frosted look is the perfect way to elevate your look, without your manicure stealing focus from the rest of your festive wardrobe and Christmas makeup looks. You can recreate this look with either an opalescent polish, or with a pearly chrome powder - sealed with a top coat.
RRP: £8.99
This pearly gel polish will easily recreate this frosted look, without the need for a chrome powder.
6. Cabernet nails
If you're seeking an expensive-looking nail design this Christmas, you can't go wrong with this rich, wine-like hue. This colour is a statement but a chic one and will no doubt earn you a ton of compliments.
RRP: £8.99
This wine-like red is so chic and personally we think you can wear it all year round, not just at Christmas.
7. Sugar plum nails
Another dark and chic option is this plum colour, which as the picture proves, looks lovely on longer, oval nails. We can almost taste the sugar plum when we see this rich aubergine shade.
RRP: £8.99
This berry shade is ideal for those looking for a subtle, festive manicure.
8. Midnight nails
For our muted nail lovers out there, this slate blue is the perfect winter nail colour. It's simple, easy to recreate at home and will compliment all of your festive outfits, be it a gold slip dress or a chunky red jumper.
RRP: £14.90
While this isn't a gel polish, it does deliver a gel-like shine - in case you can't get a nail appointment before the festivities begin!
9. Gold leaf nails
Now, if you're in the market for an all-out festive manicure, adding a few dots of gold leaf is the perfect way to dress up a block colour shade - be it red or green. If you have a signature nail colour and don't want to deviate too far from what suits you, adding a few metallic touches is an easy way to elevate your mani for Christmas.
RRP: £4.99
A hint of gold leaf can easily transform a plain, everyday nail look into a festive mani.
10. Muted spiced plum
If you loved the sugar plum shade but would prefer something a little less bold, this mauve colour is the perfect in-between. It's soft but still very winter-appropriate and speaking of winter, a hand scrub or nourishing hand cream is a must for keeping your hands in tip-top condition, despite the freezing weather.
RRP: £7.50
This muted hue is a lovely subtle option that will also work perfectly for your return to the office.
11. Sequin nails
Being that it's sequin season and all, you would be remise to not consider a bedazzled manicure like this one. It's subtle enough for the lead up to Christmas but is still the epitome of a festive look.
RRP: £4.25
Glitter is a must for creating a seriously festive manicure!
12. Metallic navy nails
If you want a special manicure for Christmas but don't want it to be obviously festive a metallic navy is the perfect choice. It makes us think of a starry, wintery night and will again, complement your seasonal attire beautifully.
RRP: £8.99
This dark blue polish has a touch of sparkle that's perfect for quick midnight look.
13. Tortoiseshell but make it festive
For a slightly more unconventional Christmas gel nail option, why not try a gold-flecked Tortoiseshell design? This look - minus the gold leaf - was very popular this autumn season, so it only makes sense to give it a little festive rebrand for December. Unlike many of the other manicure's on this list, this one might be a tad tricky to recreate, so we'd suggest leaving it to the professionals.
RRP: £5
For more intricate nail looks, you'll need a set of detailing brushes, like these!
14. Wreath green nails
This is another green tone that we're loving for this time of year. It reminds us of Christmas trees and sprigs of holly and really, who doesn't want that at their fingertips? It's chic, simple and easy to replicate, with the help of a shiny top coat - to get the most out of this rich, emerald green.
RRP: £8.99
This is the perfect festive green for recreate this look, but be sure to follow up with a good, glossy top coat.
15. Rose Gold nails
RRP: £9.99
This set includes six rosy chrome powders that will easily recreate this shiny look.
If silver or glitter isn't really to your tastes, a rose gold is a very classy choice - especially if you have few Christmas parties and events lined up. Like with the red chrome nails, this rose gold look requires a chrome powder.
16. Hint of Liquorice
Now, a black nail colour might not be to everyone's tastes but it is a classic wintertime shade and can easily be decked out with a hint of sparkle or gold leaf. This monochromatic look on it's own though, is so sophisticated and perfect even when you return to work.
RRP: £9.99
For a chic and simple event look, this black nail colour is perfect!
