26 Winter Nail Designs for Long, Medium and Short Manicures This Season

Winter nail designs come with a little bit of pressure. Your set must endure the cold, holiday shin digs, parties galore and more. But a whimsical color palette of icy blues, silvery chrome and oxblood reds comes with the season. Glitter that looks like snow, textural powder that looks fuzzy, and other unique winter nail trends will keep you feeling your best throughout the season.

We present you interesting takes on tortoiseshells — think beyond the typical color palette — delightful winter wonderlands, funky textures and more from nail artists around the world. Here are 29 winter nail designs for every nail length to give you some inspiration for your next set, whether you DIY or take a trip to the salon.

Courtesy of Olivia Sabellico.

Taking timeless tortoiseshell to another level, nail artist Olivia Sabellico added smoky green to the usual rich brown color palette. To achieve this look, Sabellico layered translucent greens and browns. After blending them seamlessly together, she began to add dark spots and smoky swirls for depth. These nails are a perfect twist on a classic.

Courtesy of Desiree Gonzalez.

Red nails are a certified winter nail classic. Want to add a little twist? Los Angeles nail artist Desiree Gonzalez has you covered. She starts with a red jelly base before carving out the French tip using an opaque burgundy.

Courtesy of Konomi.

Two words: sweater weather. Tokyo-based nail artist Konomi was inspired by the clothes her clients were wearing to her appointment but wanted to incorporate 3D texture. To get the look, paint crossing lines on your nails with different colors. Then, with a hard clear gel, make a square over the four center lines. To give more of a winter festive feel, Konomi added thin gold lines to the set.

Courtesy of Sky Somalia.

Nail artist Sky Somalia wanted to create a tortoiseshell set that had a more jewelry-like appearance. She started with layers of brown jelly color and then added a mixture of blooming gel and black jelly color to give more depth. With 3D boba gel, she then sculpted loops on the nails and applied a scratch-resistant top coat to keep everything glossy.

Courtesy of Yoko.

What a combination of three classics: red, tortoiseshells and French tips. Nail artist Yoko created this set using “Plum Out of Luck” from Aprés for the deep red. For the French tips, she used “Cashmere” from DND Gel and the tortoiseshell collection from Madam Glam.

Courtesy of Danielle Salvoski.

When her client came with photos of Renaissance jewelry, nail artist Danielle Salvoski knew how to translate them into a maximal set. With keen attention to detail, she replicated the period jewelry while keeping the nails modern with current trends like 3D French tips. The red and green jewels evoke the holiday spirit along with the gold chrome detailing and pearls.

Courtesy of Sora Kang.

These ornament-inspired nails are simple but give multidimensional depth. Japan-based nail artist Sora Kang is known for her cat eye nail art and curating a styled yet effortless look. After applying a dark base coat, she used a magnetic gel polish. To get an ornament-like reflection, she took a magnet to move around the magnetic particles centering them.

Courtesy of Sunkyung Jeong.

Bring a bit of winter with you with these snowflake-like nails. Seoul-based nail artist Sunkyung Jeong used actual lace that was cut to fit the nail and then sealed in with a clear goat. To enhance the texture, she applied 3D gel details on top.

Courtesy of Kiara Maurel.

Is there anything more beautiful than a winter rose? French nail artist Kiara Maurel hand sculpted each petal to form stunning red roses with 3D clay. Maurel was inspired by a petal-adorned outfit worn by Lady Gaga in American Horror Story: Hotel. This set takes glamour to another level with the rich vibrant reds and picturesque roses.

Courtesy of Emma Giraudeau.

These chrome nails fit perfectly like armor. A simple chrome set done well shines like silver and certainly matches the weather. French nail artist Emma Giraudeau was also inspired by her client’s rings and wanted to make them match. Alternatively, if you are a gold person, the chrome color can be switched up to accommodate.

Courtesy of Diana Koval.

These nails are the ultimate love letter to texture. Ukranian nail artist Diana Koval incorporated powder (for the hairy fuzzy feel), chrome (silver AND gold), 3D gel and jewels. A pop of color in the dreary weather is much needed, and these are guaranteed to bring a smile to someone’s face.

Courtesy of Megan Rodriguez.

If you can’t tell already, tortoiseshell nails are very popular nails for winter. So nail artist Megan Rodriguez combined the trend with a classic cocoa brown by The Gel Bottle Inc. called “Manor.” To create the tortoiseshell pattern, she used HONA’s Tortie Kit and ended up with the perfect winter neutral set.

Courtesy of Miata Reese.

Miata Reese's set, which has an off-white base and smoky light grey blush gradient, is reminiscent of snow. To finish the look, she also added chrome line art to tie the colors together.

Courtesy of Chyna Glad.

There is a lot more than meets the eye on this set by nail artist Chyna Glad. Inspired by vampiric color schemes, she did an ombre of black to burgundy using an airbrush machine. On top of this, she added regal 3D texture using gel glue.

Courtesy of Liliane Rakotoarimisa.

Opt for a bit of Y2K this season. Nail artist Liliane Rakotoarimisa sure did with this set. Inspired by Pinterest and early 2000s celebrity fashion, she created this crisp black-and-white star set. Not sure if you want black tips or white tips, well why not both? Either way, you’ll match anything and everything.

Courtesy of Shannon Elias.

Who says long nails are the only length that gets to have fun? This set by London-based nail artist Shannon Elias packs a punch on short nails. Taking the tortoiseshell trend as her own, she creates these gorgeous flowers out of clear gel that magnifies the beautiful pattern beneath.

Courtesy of Pitrizz Gangcuangco.

Not all winter sets are void of color. Nail artist Pitrizz Gangcuangco brings festive colors of red, silver, green and blue to life with cat eye gel, textured gel polish, 3D gel, airbrush design and gems. Inspired by a set by Shannon Elias, Gangcuangco wanted to add movement with cat eye gel as well as texture with the white flower.

Courtesy of Xavier Delfierro.

This set by nail artist Xavier Delfierro is very demure but also uniquely stunning. Inspired by the corporate baddie lifestyle, he layered combinations of jelly polishes and used 3D gel to create the luscious cherries. There are so many ways to have a take on tortoiseshell and this dark red iteration is one of them.

Courtesy of Denise Muniz.

Ever so abstract and milky, this set by nail artist Denise Muniz is fresh and unique. With petal-like painted nails and uncanny 3D sculptural elements, this set is for sure a conversation starter at any holiday party.

Courtesy of Alyssa Lim.

After nail artist Alyssa Lim had done set after set of the classic tortoiseshell design, she wanted to do the same yet something different for herself. Taking her love of chrome to a new level, she added some framing inspired by soldered jewelry. A set that looks fabulous in front of a Yoshitomo Nara book.

Courtesy of Ashley Martin.

Arizona-based nail artist Ashley Martin opted for a red base with a mauve pink aura for more of a winter vibe instead of the popular pink and purple combination. To achieve aura nails at home, you can use eyeshadow to gently tap in a gradient before sealing with a clear top coat.

Courtesy of Edna Kantarevic.

Nail artist Edna Kantarevic applied different-sized multicolored gems of different greens, blues and silvers for this eye-catching set. To keep the attention on the bejeweled tips, she kept the base a neutral color.

Courtesy of Skye Nguyen.

For those who despise simplicity, this set by California-based nail artist Skye Nguyen is for you. She goes in with colors and design on the French tips. The gemstones near the cuticle keep this look grounded with multidimensional ease. What a fun set of nails!

Courtesy of Kimberly Ruiz.

Obsessed with “Rockstar” by Lisa, Kimberly Ruiz wanted to make a set that reflected the music video’s concept. Using silver chrome she created stars for each nail as well as borders around them to reflect the gritty pop vibe.

Courtesy of Daron Wood.

Daron Wood is an airbrush genius. Behind this look are layers upon layers of airbrush (including two layers of Sissi metallic silver gel polish). Inspired by the look of tarnished metal, she used a green-toned silver on top of a flower stencil. Using a needle nose tweezer, she added scratch effects on the nails to give them a gritty look.

Courtesy of Kacie Stoddard.

The details on this set by Kacie Stoddard are truly amazing. Each nail is so unique yet so cohesive in the storytelling. Using 3D gel, she created melting snowmen on top of pink bases. Look closely, and you'll see the sweaters have heart patterns as well. These cozy nails are a must-have for your next set.