It’s officially the season of cozy sweaters, Christmas rom coms, and, of course, winter nail designs. And our cold weather manicures don’t have to be all grey and dark—there are actually so many festive nail ideas that are sure to earn compliments at every holiday dinner or whenever you take your gloves off.
Whether you love a classic icy pattern or a unique striped sweater print, there are plenty of winter manicure ideas to keep your fingers looking stylish throughout the chilly months. And if you’re stumped on what to ask for this holiday season, perhaps a gift card to your favorite nail salon is the perfect way to try one of these ideas for yourself.
Keep scrolling for the best winter nail trends that will make the cold weather feel a little more tolerable, and a lot more chic.
Inverted Polka Dot Nails
Polka dots have been one of the biggest nail trends of 2025, and they’re extra cute for winter when you play with light and dark shades. Try a light base with dark dots on one hand, then switch the combo on the other.
Deer Print Nails
While tortoise shell and cow print will always be classic animal patterns, deer nails have been everywhere lately. They’re super easy to recreate—just grab a light brown polish and a thin white brush. The pattern is imperfect by design, so there’s truly no wrong way to do it.
Miscellaneous Nails
Can’t commit to just one nail design? Go all in and mix every pattern you love into a full-on mismatched manicure.
Moody French Tips
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If you’re craving a French manicure but want something that actually feels winter-y (not the usual white and pink finish) swap in a deep brown or red tip. It’s chic, seasonal, and zero effort if you wanna grab press-ons.
Regal Gold Nails
I love a glitzy manicure around the holidays and New Year’s, and pairing all that sparkle with deep reds and a few 3D gems instantly makes your nails look extra luxe. Basically, a manicure fit for a queen.
Striped Sweater Nails
You need some striped sweater nails to match your wardrobe, obviously. Go for all-over stripes or a horizontal French tip to mimic your fave knitwear. I've had these on my nails for the last two weeks.
Snowfall Nails
And of course, you can never go wrong with a blizzard-inspired manicure for winter. Try a white chrome base with a few snowflake accent nails, or go for a glittery blue manicure with some added sparkle or gems.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan where she writes about all the latest nail colors and manicure trends. She always has a fresh manicure and spends hours finding the best nail designs for every occasion.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
