There are almost TOO MANY amazing winter nail ideas popping up on my Insta and Pinterest. Add to that the gorgeous shades I’m seeing roll out from our favorite nontoxic nail polish brands and it’s all I can do to not repaint my nails every other day. Here are the hottest nail ideas for winter, coming in cool and moody for 2023.
By: Nicolle Mackinnon
IN THIS POST:
- Darkest green
- Moody oxblood
- Bold blues
- Grayed out
- Shimmer n shake
- Snowflake nail art
- Glass nails
- Understated holiday designs
- Exclusive codes to SAVE on our top nail polish picks
RELATED: The BEST nontoxic nail polish brands (with swatches!).
Winter nail ideas for 2023
Darkest green
Is it black? Is it blue? No, it’s DARK green! This season’s green trend is to take the hue to its edge. The best polish picks are emerald in tone but near-black in shade, and make everyone do a second glance at your tips. One coat is clearly green; two coats and WHO EVEN KNOWS.
TNK’s darkest green mani picks
- Cote No. 98 | $18
- Olive & June It’s Actually Dark Green | $9
- Dazzle Dry Juniper | $22
- Kure Bazaar Kale | $18
Moody oxblood
Obvs, a dark red is an easy winter pick. This season’s best dark reds are rich in hue, cooler in tone and bordering on black (see a trend here?). I’ve found myself reaching for this color over and over again, in shades from dark berry to deep brown-red.
TNK’s moody oxblood nail picks
Bold blues
We saw cobalt make a major comeback this summer / fall, and we’re just going deeper into the bold blue shade this winter, from ice-cold light blues to deep navies. This is another shade I can’t stop myself from reaching for.
TNK’s bold blues nail picks
Grayed out
Another classic winter color, gray is making waves with its cool-toned neutral vibe. I love a taupe-y gray ombre of sorts, with shades of aluminum gray fading to a deeper hue. Check out these picks.
TNK’s gray nail polish picks
- Olive & June Koala | $7.50
- Dazzle Dry Panache | $22
- Kure Bazaar Smokey | $18
- Cote No. 100 | $18
Shimmer n shake
Like the winter version of the glazed donut nails, this trend takes whatever color you’re jamming on and kicks it up a shimmery notch. I love adding a shimmer on top of a go-to shade, but there are LOTS of options that don’t include mixing your own color at home.
TNK’s shimmer nail polish picks
- Olive & June Ruby Shimmer | $9
- Dazzle Dry Blue Blood | $22
- Kure Bazaar Or Pur | $18
- Cote No. 103 | $18
Snowflake nail art
The latest in nail art takes “winter” literally, with delicate snowflakes drawn onto long, rounded nails. This is the kind of thing I’d take to the salon, BUT if you have a steadier hand than I do, use nail art pens to achieve the cool lewk (or go for snowflake shimmer instead of an actual snowflake).
TNK’s snowflake nail art picks
Glass nails
This season’s easiest “nail art” is the shattered glass aesthetic that’s ruled the runways in winter fashion shows. You can easily do it with a clear base, or you can add a dark hue from our picks above to create a double pane look.
TNK’s glass nails picks
- Olive & June Is It Too Much? | $9
- Dazzle Dry Cold As Ice | $22
- Cote No. 108 | $18
- Kure Bazaar French Eclat | $18
Understated holiday nail art
You can be festive without plastering sprigs of evergreen to your nails. These understated nail art designs give the feeling of the season without going too overboard.
- Olive & June Lipstick Stain + Geometry | $9 each
- Dazzle Dry Love + Champagne Suede | $22 each
- Cote No. 13 + No. 8 | $18 each
- Dazzle Dry Pistachio | $18 + Zoya: Godiva PixieDust | $10
TNK exclusive codes to save on nail polish
- Code THENEWKNEW will save you 20% off all Olive & June systems (including Mani, Pedi & Complete Systems).
- Code THENEWKNEW15 will save you 15% on your first order of Kure Bazaar polish at The Detox Market.
- Code NEWKNEW will save you 15% sitewide at Dazzle Dry.
What winter nail trends will be your go-to?
TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.
