Festive Nails
From sparkle and shine to moody neutrals and a hint of drama, the holiday season is my favorite time of year to play with nail polish. I wear a lot of chunky knits and all black outfits this time of year, so I love to jazz things up a bit with my manicure. Nail color can be an awesome accessory to any look. These are my top picks for this festive season that are sure to thrill well into the new year.
DIOR ‘DIORIFIC’ VERNIS NAIL LACQUER “LIVELY”
I’m utterly obsessed with this shade. It’s the perfect balance between soft and subtle but with enough of a kick to it to make it stand out. It’s a gorgeous creamy neutral pink with a soft silver shimmer running through it. It makes my nails look ridiculously shiny, like candy! It’s opaque in two coats and lasts up to 10 days on my nails. The bottle is a stunner, too, so grab it while it’s hot! It’s a limited edition shade that comes back around the holidays every now and then.
SALLY HANSEN MIRACLE GEL “GARNISH ATTENTION”
This deep oil-slick shade of inky blue mixed with green is a perfect vampy option for this holiday season. I have actually been loving this as a pedicure color but I also think it would look stunning on short nails with a little black dress on New Years’ Eve. This is opaque in 1 coat and with the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat, you can easily get 10-12 days of wear with it.
SMITH & CULT NAILED LACQUER “TAKE FOUNTAIN”
Smith & Cult is one of my favorite “treat yourself” brands when it comes to nail color. The packaging is incredible and the shades are always edgy. I am quite partial to their glitters - they’re multidimensional and look gorgeous no matter how you apply them. Take Fountain is a mix of holographic lavender and silver glitter. I love wearing it by itself in one sheer coat for a sophisticated subtle hint of sparkle. You can add another coat (or two) for more glitter saturation or layer it over your spring pastels.
SALLY HANSEN MIRACLE GEL “SPRINKLED WITH LOVE”
This insanely pigmented shade from Sally Hansen’s Decadence collection goes on perfectly in just one coat and is the perfect showstopper to garnish your nails for New Year’s Eve. It’s a supremely frosty metallic that vaguely reminds me of Chanel’s cult classic Graphite nail color from a few years back. The silver glitter particles are tightly packed and coat the nail evenly, sitting in a frosty green base.
We can’t talk about nail polish during the winter holiday season without dabbling a bit in the world of red. I have been a fan of Essie’s Gel Couture nail polish formula since it launched. In my opinion, the Gel Couture formula is superior to the classic Essie nail polish formula in both longevity and application. I have yet to find a color that I don’t love - from the pastels to the bold vampy shades to the ones with shimmer, there is something for everyone.
If you are searching for a gorgeous red that you can rock for the holidays (and for the rest of the year, for that matter) then look no further than the color Beauty Marked. Beauty Marked is to red nails what MAC Ruby Woo is to red lips: a classic shade with the perfect balance undertone. On my skin tone it leans a bit warm, which I personally love. If you’re skilled with application, you can get opaque coverage in one coat. I usually do 2 for good measure.
