This Quick, Easy Nail Trend Makes It Look Like You've Spent Hours at the Salon

Gold nails for Christmas? Groundbreaking, I know. Hear me out though. I used to think that the gold nail polish trend was a little bit done and dusted, but in recent months, I've started falling in love with this metallic nail colour all over again. You see, I've always stuck to classic red and burgundy shades around this time of year, as these colours never fail to look chic, but in a quest to switch things up for the festive season, I went on Instagram and was pleasantly surprised by how sophisticated gold nails have become. Forget your standard glittery polishes; there are now a range of different shades, finishes and nail-art designs offering up an abundance of inspo. 

Another reason I've become just a little bit obsessed with this trend is the fact that it makes your mani look so much more expensive than it actually was—especially if you do it yourself. In my opinion, a gold manicure could fool anyone into thinking you've spent hours at the salon when in reality, you've probably spent 10 minutes or so applying a couple of coats of the metallic polish at home. It seems I'm not the only one falling back in love with this trend, as some of my favourite nail artists have been giving a range of gold polishes and mani looks a go this year, and the hashtag #goldnailinspo even has 1.7 million views on TikTok.

If you want to try it yourself, keep on scrolling for all the gilded nail ideas you could need.

Gold Nail Inspiration

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(Image credit: @iramshelton)

You simply can't go wrong with a good-quality glittery polish. This will make your mani look so luxurious.

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(Image credit: @iramshelton)

Rose gold is perfect for those of you who want something a bit more subtle.

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(Image credit: @themaniclub)

If you don't want to have gold on every nail, why not go for an accent nail instead?

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(Image credit: @harrietwestmoreland)

These reverse gold French tips look so chic and are perfect for minimalists.

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(Image credit: @harrietwestmoreland)

Gold embellishment is a little more complicated, but it looks incredible.

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(Image credit: @themaniclub)

If you want to keep things simple, a metallic polish is the way to go.

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(Image credit: @iramshelton)

Gold foil detailing is always a winner.

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(Image credit: @betina_goldstein)

How cool is this glittery French-tip design?

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(Image credit: @themaniclub)

Another example of how beautifully subtle rose-gold nails can be.

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(Image credit: @betina_goldstein)

So, so chic.

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(Image credit: @betina_goldstein)

Prefer a nude base and gold nail art? This polka-dot design is so fun.

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(Image credit: @themaniclub)

Rose-gold glitter? Yes, please!

Products You Need for Gold Nails:

Next Up: 51 Party Nail Designs Fashion People Are Obsessing Over

Grace Lindsay
Junior Beauty Editor

Grace Lindsay is the junior beauty editor at Who What Wear UK. At the age of 18 she decided to train as a makeup artist before going on to study english and media at Goldsmiths University. It was during that time that she explored her love for journalism by interning at a small beauty start-up based in Shoreditch. Since then, she has worked at a number of publications including Marie Claire and Hello!, where her love for all things beauty continued to grow.

As Who What Wear UK's junior beauty editor, she covers everything from the latest hair trends to the stand-out makeup products of the season.