The holiday season is upon us, so festivity is in full swing whether you’re attending fancy dinner parties or watching The Grinch on your couch. Still, what we love most about this time of year is that there are many ways to show off your seasonal enthusiasm that don’t involve hanging up decorations or building snowmen. Our favorite way? A good red manicure.
Red is undeniably the season’s color, and you shouldn’t let December pass without tapping it for your next set. The best part is the sky’s truly the limit when picking out red nail ideas—you can go classic and solid-colored, or you can utilize seasonal motifs (like Santa hats and ornaments) to enhance your French tips. If you want a red nail art look that doesn’t scream holiday cheer, you can also play around with textures (like glitter and 3D) for a manicure that you’ll still love.
Ahead, we’re rounding up our favorite red nail ideas to bookmark before you hit the salon.
1. Glossy red orange
Okay, so maybe you don’t want a red set that screams “Santa!”—fair. In that case, opt for a solid red-orange color (that I especially love on deeper skin tones like mine). For this look, nail artist Lauren used Hermès Beauty’s nail polish in the shade Orange Poppy, which is an excellent hue for now but is still versatile for spring and summer.
2. Red neon cow print
You can ditch the seasonal motifs altogether and pair your red polish with an animal print accent nail. In this case, nail artist Samantha used Essie’s Blanc and Licorice for the cow print, and you can try a bright red-orange like Essie’s Glossy Shine Finish in Russian Roulette for a similar look.
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3. Festive foil
Metallic and chrome finishes are perennial favorites for seasonal nail designs, and for this set, artist Jen Seales used red foil for a reflective finish. Her technique involves “sandwiching” two layers of foil together, then topping it with a deep red polish.
4. Strawberry drip
For this set, nail artist Victoria used 3D sculpting technique to create a strawberry nails set that we love. Though, admittedly much harder to DIY because of the 3D aspect, you can still take a try at a juicy red base with little neutral seed detailing.
5. Holiday sparkle
Snowflakes and sparkle are a fun pair when used in a manicure. In this case, we love how Amy Tran jazzed up this curved French set with shimmery red polish and snowflake detailing. You can also use snowflake nail stickers to easily replicate the look at home.
6. Subtle candy cane
If you want a pop of red but love a neutral base, ask your artist to create a candy cane detail along the perimeter of your nails. We love how this set also has hints of green and gold foil but still feels pretty sleek and minimal.
7. Wrapped with a bow
Bows are one of our favorite seasonal motifs because they’re super elevated and chic. We love this French almond set by celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzoright, which ties it together with a gold bow. Best part? You can get a sheet of gold stickers and easily plop them on your nails to upgrade your look.
8. Red negative space
Negative space nails is still one of our favorite art trends to date. To switch things up, though, you can take a page from this set, which has subtle red outlines on some nails, and solid polish on the others.
9. Festive frenchies
This isn’t your average French manicure: it’s a color-blocked holiday that mixes metals with matte in both red and green and we love it.
10. Santa hat tips
Get into the holiday spirit with festive Santa-inspired French tip nails. Start with a neutral polish as your base coat, then create a white and red tip on the focal finger to represent Old Saint Nicholas’ infamous velvet hat. For extra flair, add a glittering red polish on the French tips to make Santa’s hat stand out even more.
11. Chrome ornaments
Who says you can’t match the ornaments on your tree with your nails? Chrome ornaments are the perfect way to do so, and yes, there’s a nail sticker sheet with options that makes achieving a similar look easier than decorating an actual tree.
12. Red and gold diamonds
Red and gold go perfectly together, especially during the holidays. In this case, we love the intricate yet subtle detailing of geometric shapes surrounding a neutral base.
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