Look Good

The 7 Winter Manicure Trends To Nail Now

Wondering what to adorn your nails with this festive season and beyond? We’ve got the inside scoop…

Written by High Life North
Published 18.12.2020

By Jenny Brownlees

A manicure is a wonderfully simple and easily changeable way to incorporate the season’s beauty trends into your look. We’ve all missed our in-salon pampering during lockdown, and whether you’re heading back to the salon or DIY-ing at home, we want to arm you with the latest and greatest emerging trends to emulate in your next nail-art venture. This season, think abstract designs, new takes on metallics and of course, some glitter—but not as you know it. We heard from the experts all about the best new buys on the nail scene and the styles that are trending for this winter and next. Brushes at the ready…

Jewel Tones

A true winter classic, darker, richer colours that twin with your tree’s baubles is so hot right now. We love nail brands Manucurist and Nailberry, not only for their vast array of colours, expert application and staying power but because both are cruelty and chemical-free. This is chic nail care with a conscious. For a wintery look that dazzles, we suggest painting each finger a different, stunning jewelled hue and even mixing in glimmering, iridescent styles. When it comes to this mani, more is more.

Manicurist - Red Hibiscus - £14.00

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Nailberry - Blueberry - £15.00

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OPI - Drama at La Scale - £12.40

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Make For Metallics

Take your French mani game to the next level, as seen backstage at Erdem’s catwalk show. Here, chief manicurist Rita Remark added modern, silver tips to models nails before they took to the runway. We’re equally as obsessed with @gelsbybry ‘s take on the trend, in shiny gold.  

To recreate, start with a neutral base like Peacci’s Eve polish. Next, use their must-have detail brush dipped in your choice of polish, and carefully paint around the bottom edge of the nail. You’re guaranteed to see this new take on metallics everywhere in 2021, so get ahead of the curve ASAP.

Peacci - Eve - £10.00

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Peacci - Detail Brush - £10.80

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Nails Inc - Gold Speedy Gloss - £8.00

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Nailberry - Ring-a-Posie - £15.00

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&OtherStories - Asteroid Wishes - £6.00

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Festive Minimalism

We suggest switching up your usual Christmas nail look by replicating @naileditbyliv ‘s perfectly pared-down yet pretty manicure. After applying two coats of Nailberry’s Au Natureal, use Peacci’s Detail Brush to create horizontal leaves with Nailberry’s Minty Fresh polish. Finally, dot with Diego Dalla Palma’s Mystic Red for the tiny berry details. This design is definitely worth and Instagram snap.

Nailberry - Au Naturel - £15.00

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Nailberry - Minty Fresh - £15.00

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Diego Dalla - Mystic Red - £10.50

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Twin with the tree

Green tones have been trending across fashion, interiors and beauty all year, and the tree-twinning hue is staying firmly put for 2021, too. Get in on the trend with Essie’s range of green polishes, finished off with a top coat to ensure staying power and extra-shine. We love @lacktraviata ‘s Essie creation—so simple, so effective. 

Essie - Precious Cargo Go - £8.00

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Dior - Gel Top Coat - £22.00

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Glitter 2.0

Of course, a glitter mani is always a winner for winter. This season, however, it’s all about utilising your glitter polish in a new way. Playing on the negative space trend (that’s leaving areas of your nail bare) try adding glitter to the nail in an asymmetrical shape, à la @heymichellelee  or in geometric triangle shapes over nude, as seen at @paintboxnails. To take this look one step further, we love nail guru Melanie of @Overglowedit’s take on glitter and stars. To recreate, after applying a basecoat, lightly sweep the glitter polish brush down the centre of your nail in a slight S shape, to awash the nail with a sprinkling of glitter. There’s no need to worry about perfecting a star when Ciate has done the hard work for you with their extra-cute nail stickers. Make sure to seal with a top coat for lasting staying power. Whichever shade of glitter you choose, one thing’s for sure—you’ll be the shining star of the season.

Kure Bazaar - Argento - £15.00

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Nails Inc - Santa Monica Beach - £8.00

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ORLY - UNTOUCHABLE DECADENCE - £11.75

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Ciate - Cheat Sheets - £7.84

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Diamond Nails - Nail Tape - £0.94

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The Nu Wave

Hang of @thehangedit is an Instagram must-follow for the latest trending nail styles. Here, she’s created what we’ve coined ‘Nu Wave’using a detail brush and complimenting colours to make wavy, often overlapping shapes onto a bare nail. So chic, so cool. Closer to home, @formestudiothe Ouseburn’s newest, coolest nail salon has perfected the trend, so be sure to hotfoot it there if you don’t feel confident recreating this at home. If you do want to give it a go, we love Nails Inc’s polish setsthey do the hard work for you by curating the best colours in one stylish buy. Ready, set, paint!

Nails Inc - I like you a Choco lot quad - £22.00

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Nails Inc - Nude in the Tropics Quad - £25.00

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Nails Inc - Keep it Tonal Collection - £22.00

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Next time you’re at the salon

We’ve discovered the latest in-salon trend that is sure to be a big hitter in 2021—velvet nails. Next time you head in-salon, come armed with the below imagery to show your stylist the latest must-have. Velvet has not only been trending in fashion, the newest way to wear it is on your fingertips. Both @amyle.nails and @betina_goldstein have worked the trend—so you know it’s one to watch. Here, gel polish and extra-fine milled glitter is used, which when catching the light, mimics the fabric’s iconic texture. The closest we can find for an at-home version until then is Nailberry’s Stardust polish. As the name suggests, the iridescent lacquer shimmers beautifully. 

Nailberry - Star Dust - £15.00

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Listen up gel nail lovers, there’s a new set on the block…

A true feat of green-engineering, Manucurist’s award-winning Green Flash set is the world’s first and only LED-cured gel routine made with natural ingredients. If you’re clued up on eco-friendly beauty, you’ll love this set that has all the shine of gel polish, without the drawbacks. The best bit? Despite lasting ten days, you remove green flash just like regular nail polishno faffing around with foil or harsh acetone. A true game changer. HLN tried the set and was seriously impressed, not only with the vast array of polish shades but with the high shine and super durable finish. Green Flash has been formulated without any endocrine disruptors, allergen molecules, monomers or hydroquinone. Why is that important, we hear you ask? Well, acrylic or methacrylic monomers present a risk of contact sensitisation, which can lead to allergic reactions or breathing problems like asthma. As for hydroquinones, they are considered CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.) In contrast to usual gel sets, the entire Green Flash range is formulated with up to 84% of bio-sourced ingredients and is produced using renewable energy sources. Green and sustainable truly is the new black, you heard it here first.

Green Flash Gift Set – £85.00

Hand and nail care

When treating yourself to a mani, don’t scrimp on hand and nail care. We love Peacci (as do celebs Cara Delevingne, Miranda Kerr, Jessica Alba and Emilia Clarke.) Now, the brand has launched Peacci Skin, the ideal at-home nail care set, which includes a 100% natural coconut shell & sugar scrub, deep conditioning & intensive rejuvenation mask, fast-absorbing velvety cream and more. If your cuticles could use some TLC, we’d recommend their expert remover, too. 

If you’re an impatient manicurist, we suggest Nailberry’s Drying Drops, for all your speedy nail needs.

In terms of hand cream, as what are beautiful nails if not shown off with nourished hands? Try The Body Shop’s Almond Hand And Nail Cream, for some serious smoothing.

Peacci - SKIN Full Set - £57.00

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Peacci - Cuticle Remover - £10.00

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Nailberry - Dry and Dash Drops - £14.50

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The Body Shop - Almond Hand & Nail Cream - £5.00

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