Forget Red—Experts Say These 10 Chic Nail Trends Are Taking Over This Winter

When you think of wintry manicures, the regular offenders likely come to mind: snowy whites, Christmas reds, maybe even New Year’s Eve champagne shimmers. While that’s good and well, we nail-obsessed beauty editors held up a magnifying glass to the micro-trends overtaking our social feeds, and celebrity manicurists confirmed our findings: Cool people’s nails are combining dark romance and soft elements this season.

“Winter 2025 is all about elevated simplicity with a touch of mood,” says celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec. “Think of it as a reset from all the bright, bold summer shades—we’re going deep, moody, and textural,” she adds. While this changing of the color guard might seem traditional, celebrities are proving that the nail art trends of seasons past are still influencing our masterful manicures. From Hailey Bieber’s recent velvet snowflake tips—a cross between glazed donut and icy velvet nails—to Lucy Boynton’s midnight moon manicure, trendsetters prove that contrast is king this winter.

For specific shades, Kandalec says that deep hues “like midnight blue, black cherry, and berry wine” are making a frigid splash—but if you want to zoom out on this season’s manicure trends, we’ve got you covered. Ahead, 10 winter 2025 nail trends that are undeniably chic.

Soft Square

If there’s one thing we know for certain, it’s that “soft square” nails, or square-shaped tips with subtly rounded edges, are all the rage right now. This style is especially chic when paired with sheer nude or pink hues, which look extra elegant around the holidays. In fact, this silhouette is right up there with almond-shaped nails—a staple within the last few years. “The short almond and soft square will dominate [in 2025],” Kandalec swears. “They’re classic, flattering, and practical for colder months when nails can be more prone to breakage.”

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Quiet Minimalism

Speaking of “soft” nails, Kandalec says that sheer, milky polishes (ahem, the quiet luxury trend for your nails) aren’t going anywhere this season. She prescribes “clean, short nails in sheer neutrals, milky whites, or translucent taupes” to anyone who wants to partake. “It’s that ‘your nails but better’ vibe—a soft palate cleanse that always feels fresh after holiday sparkle.” The manicurist says that the trick to flawlessly sheer sets is to keep your layers thin. “Two thin coats of polish will last longer and dry faster than one thick one,” she explains.

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Icy Chrome

We couldn’t believe we found our new winter nail obsession on Justin Bieber’s Instagram, but we’ll take it. Hailey’s velvet snowflake manicure shifts between glazed chrome and a blinding cat-eye manicure on the tips, as explained in a breakdown by the star’s manicurist, Zola Ganzorigt, demonstrated on Instagram, and we can’t get our minds off of this frosted look. “Chrome’s still going strong, especially in silver and icy metallics,” says Brittney Boyce, celebrity nail artist and cofounder of Lost Angels.

To re-create this cat-eye effect at home, Kandalec recommends applying the magnetic polish and hovering the magnet right above the nail before curing. “It makes that reflective ‘flash’ pop,” she explains.

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Waning Moon Mani

Want to experiment with nail art while keeping things chic? Take one glance at Boynton’s certifiable cool-girl manicure. Kandalec recently sketched this set onto the actress’s nails to transition her tips into winter, and the look screams moody-chic. “I’m loving moon manis,” she divulges. “It gives just enough visual interest and, bonus, helps camouflage nail growth.” The manicurist used black Chanel nail polish to achieve the look, but there are certainly less-expensive options that can produce the same results.

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Hot Chocolate

One shade that will never lose a spot in our rotations? Brown polish—especially deep, full-bodied hues. Boyce predicts that this shade will dominate this season, from rich espresso to milk chocolate cocoa. Bonus points if you add a matte topcoat, which is what Boyce suspects will be all the rage come the next few months. Cardiff-based manicurist Joanne Thomas created this look with The Gel Bottle’s gel polish in shade Chocolate, but you can re-create this chic brown look at home with regular polishes as well.

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Vampy Plum

Maybe the easiest color to transition from fall into winter, moody plum hues are here to stay. Both Boyce and Kandalec recommend trying variations of this shade for winter 2025, from berry wines to vampy plum for a chic alternative to black. (Though, we still love it for winter.) Chanel’s Vamp, now sold under its original moniker, Rouge Noir, is the perfect choice for this trend—though you don’t need to drop $33 on a seductive blood-red hue. If your hue has a hint of black, you’re golden.

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Midnight Blue

Blue is a color that reigns supreme year-round, just at different depths, depending on the season. During winter, the pros are seeing an increase in deep-sea blues: Think black-tinted navy and midnight-sky hues. Just a few thin layers will produce the deep wintry hues that we can’t stop dreaming about this season. The Mani Club is responsible for the gorgeous navy mani above (accomplished using Olive and June’s Ack, a Shark). Though, we’re loving the idea of incorporating dark-blue accents into wintry manicures. Take Nguyen’s royal-blue reptile-skin set, for example, which reinvents the idea of a colorful French tip sans stark lines.

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Dark Aura

The colorful aura trend that you spotted on every cool person’s nails this summer is taking on a frostier form for winter. Boyce still expects to see this ombré look decorating the tips of the fashionably inclined but toned down in darker tones and contrast designs. This gradient between black and icy gray from Massachusetts salon Paragon Nails feels especially right for winter, but we’re also loving this warmer, salted-caramel version by celebrity manicurist Queenie Nguyen. But if you can’t be bothered to stay at the salon for hours achieving this look, Boyce’s Lost Angels makes the coolest icy aura sets for a fraction of the salon bill.

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Modern Metallics

Kandalec doesn’t expect the velvet manicure trend to slow down at all this season, but she is predicting a color shift. “Expect to see more cat-eye finishes in cozy, warm tones like copper, rust, and espresso,” she muses. “It’s a subtle way to play with shimmer without going full glitter.” To re-create this look yourself, the manicurist recommends using a magnetic wand with OPI’s Espresso Your Inner Self paired with a magnetic wand to create that light-reflecting finish.

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Pops of Pearl

The experts agree: 3D details are still sticking around this season. “Pearls are making their comeback, but with a twist,” says Kandalec. “You’ll see them used as accents, tiny appliqués, or embedded into glossy topcoats for a dimensional, luxe finish,” she adds. You can source these flat-backed pearls, which are easy to incorporate into your nail art, for as little as $6 from Amazon, or try more statement decals with Kandalec’s charms of choice (Lights Lacquer’s Coquette Charms). “Use a dot of topcoat or nail glue and tweezers to apply pearls. Then seal with another layer of topcoat to keep everything secure,” she instructs.

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Elevated Line Work

Boyce agrees that 3D designs are “definitely having a moment.” The manicurist is observing a sea of “sculpted details, raised lines, 3D charms, and texture” in place of regular nail art, and we’re particularly drawn to the elevated line designs that are flooding our feeds. This sculpted look from Nguyen is a fresh way to play with nail art and texture, and it’s simply begging for a spot on your tips this season.

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Opening Image: @nailartbyqueenie