22 Winter Nail Polish Colors You’re Going to See Everywhere This Season

A new season ushers in a whole new set of trends. While we enjoy experimenting with everything from our style choices to our hair color, unfortunately not all of us are brave enough to hop on the trendy bandwagon every time the seasons change. Sometimes you’d much rather stick to your tried-and-true glam routine. There is, however, one area of our beauty ritual where we’re more inclined to lean into trends: our nail colors. Since it’s so easy to DIY your manicure and relatively inexpensive to head to a nail salon, we are all for swapping out summer’s seasonal nail polish colors once fall and winter roll around.

Whether you love experimenting with nail art or prefer more traditional moody hues, we’ve rounded up the top winter nail trends to make your mani dreams come true. Want to switch up your style? The best winter nail colors will give you something to look forward to when the temperature drops, so continue reading for a guide to the winter nail colors you’ll want to stock up on before you pick up your first Pumpkin Spiced Latte of the season.

1. Universal Neutral:

ESSIE Nail Polish in Keep Branching Out

Nude nail polish isn’t created equal. Your perfect nude is the one that closely matches your skin tone. But if you’re looking for a neutral nail polish color that looks good on everyone, look no further than this ESSIE hue. The soft pastel taupe nail polish has yellow undertones that look flattering on everyone, all season long.

2. Party Nail:

OPI Nail Lacquer in Pop the Baubles

The holiday-party-perfect nail polish is ready to deck the halls thanks to a festive combination of colors that’s bound to inspire nail art ideas. There’s no need to worry about matching your mani to your holiday party ‘fit. This OPI shade has both gold and silver glitter flecks to match with all your festive jewelry in a long-lasting nail polish. Be sure to shake it up to distribute the glitter on each nail.

3. Matte Finish:

ESSIE Matte About You Top Coat Nail Polish

Ultra-glossy nails are always a good idea, but this season nudges you to go for the matte finishes. The best part about a matte mani is that you can turn any one of your fave nail polish colors matte with an easy-to-use top coat. One of our favorites is from ESSIE, which only requires a single swipe to achieve a smooth matte finish. “Trends always swing in opposite ways,” says Belakhlef. “While some people love ultra shiny, ultra glossy everything, adding a matte top coat is an unexpected accent.”

4. Refined Shimmer: 

OLIVE & JUNE Long Lasting Polish in Sundance Shimmer

Add a shimmery shade to your winter nail polish colors and you’ll be surprised at how often you reach for it. Sundance Shimmer isn’t full of glitter—the shimmer is more subtle and chic for every day. “Shimmer is very versatile,” says Belakhlef. “You can use light, sheer shimmer shades to fake ultra-shiny glazed donut looks. Everything futuristic like AI and space travel are all very big for 2023, and more pigmented, bolder shimmer shades with steel tones give that feel.”

5. Deep Mauve: 

CONTEXT Nail Lacquer in Slow Down

Once Labor Day is behind us, we love to swap out our favorite nudes for a neutral mauve shade, a.k.a. our “fall neutral” nail polish. This rich color is the perfect shade for this time of year, and the nail polish formula is 5-free and delivers a glossy, high-shine finish sans streaks. Ipsters especially love how quickly it dries. “Pretty dark shade, went on easily and dried pretty quickly,” says one satisfied customer.

6. Bold Raspberry: 

NAILS.INC Nail Polish in Primrose Walk

Jewel tones take center stage during the holiday season, and this pretty raspberry hue is just what you need to get you through the long winter months. Not only is this nail polish made of a long-lasting lacquer, but the bottle contains a flatter nail brush that’s rounded at the bottom, making it easier than ever for a DIY manicure. “Didn't crack, dried super fast, great coverage without multiple coats, and bold color,” raves one Ipster.

7. Winterized Pastel:

ORLY Nail Polish in Ascension

You may think of pastel hues as only reserved for spring and summer, but this blue metallic shimmer brings the icy vibes to a typical blue pastel shade. Plus, ORLY polish is vegan, cruelty-free, and made in Los Angeles, so you really can’t go wrong.

8. Kelly Green:

JINSOON Nail Polish in Palma

Maybe it’s because it closely resembles the color of a Christmas tree, but there’s something about emerald and kelly greens that feels so fresh for winter. This one from JINSOON was inspired by architect Luis Barragan’s love of bold color. Belakhlef is also all for green nail polish in winter, too. “Emerald green just pops,” they said. “It’s elegant and luxurious.”

9. Rose Gold:

SMITH & CULT Nail Lacquer in 1972

Gorgeous rose gold is on the top of our list for winter and fall nail colors that we can’t wait to try, and this luxe metallic color in a beautiful, dusty-rose gold shade brings our metallic mani dreams to life. Not only is the shimmery formula 8-free, but it goes on easy and leaves behind a high-shine finish that lasts for days. “Absolutely love this color and the polish lasts a while! It doesn't take many layers to cover my nails either,” says one Ipster. “Rose gold is actually extremely flattering universally,” says Belakhlef. “It’s a rosy shade that has both warm and cool tones to it, and it’s very easy to wear.”

10. French Mani Nude:

CONTEXT SKIN Nail Lacquer in Ain't Love Strange

The French manicure has made a comeback, and the secret to pulling off this trend is with a modern neutral nail polish that looks as cool as this nude-pink hue. The highly-pigmented color leaves a glossy, high-shine finish that dries quickly, making DIY manicures easier than ever. “French manicures are just so versatile,” says Belakhlef. “You can do really cool 3D chrome looks on the tip in abstract patterns for that robocop feel.”

11. Classic Red:

CHANEL Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Gitane

Put TikTok’s “red nail theory” to the test and you’ll find all eyes are on you this winter. Well, at least on your chic mani. Whether you have long gel nails or short natural ones, this bluish-red color couldn’t be prettier. “Red is always very classic,” says Belakhlef. “Vintage looks are having a moment, and classic red nails are a part of that trend.”

12. Winter White:

HOUSE OF MAKEUP Nail Lacquer in Flat White

A white nail is still trending for the cold weather, and this creamy vanilla shade gives a whole new meaning to ‘winter white’ while still serving up a chip-free, high-shine finish that also contains vitamin E to nourish nails and keep them healthy. “Straight-up-white is actually quite hard to pull off,” says Belakhlef. “For white, a slightly off-white gives the look of winter-white nails without it being too in contrast with your skin tone. It’s a very minimal look that’s easy to pair but looks extra chic.”

13. Bold Black:

SALLY HANSEN Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Black Out

“Even before Wednesday became a big trending show, there’s been a shift towards darker, goth aesthetics,” says Belakhlef. “[Black nails] look especially great when they’re ultra shiny or with shimmer in them.” You’ve heard grunge is back but we never got tired of black nail polish—especially in the winter. It makes any outfit look ready for winter months and is a far cry from the festive looks of the holiday season. SALLY HANSEN’s black nail polish is a classic for a reason. With two coats, it’s full of pigment and totally opaque, which is a must for black shades.

14. Oxblood:

COLOR CLUB Nail Polish in Rocky Mountain High

We’re feeling this burgundy red-wine polish by COLOR CLUB. Called Rocky Mountain High, it’s the perfect shade for your next ski trip, snowboarding adventure, or cozy, snow-covered escape. The long-wear formula is chip-resistant, so it won’t require touch-ups between bunny slopes. But don’t just take our word for it. “The shade was perfect for the season,” wrote one Ipster, “and it didn’t take a bunch of coats to reach the desired color.” Another Ipster agreed: “lovely fall and winter shade.”

15. Midnight Blue:

CHANEL Le Vernis Longwear Nail Polish in Rhythm

If black nails are a bit too edgy for you, midnight blue gives off a similar vibe that can be easier to wear. This is your shade for winter months if you couldn’t get enough of baby blues all summer long. We’re obsessed with the way the high-shine finish makes the color look darker and lighter in different lights.

16. Jewel Tones:

SUNDAYS Nail Polish

“Embellishments in general are big for 2023, like bold jewelry and bold colors,” says Belakhlef. “Jewel tones add drama to your nails.” This cruelty-free formula in a rich jade blue adds a touch of glam to your winter mani. Even better, all of SUNDAYS' polishes are vegan, 10-free, non-toxic, cruelty-free, and void of harmful, harsh chemicals. Instead of dehydrating your nails with every use, it actually strengthens those delicate beds.

17. Chocolate Brown:

ORLY Nail Lacquer in Stop The Clock

You’ve seen chocolate-brown puffer coats, faux-leather pants, and cocoa-colored eyeshadows. It only makes sense that the chocolate-brown trend would trickle down to nails. This shade is especially good for winter months thanks to the richly pigmented chocolate metallic shimmer that evokes the coziness of the cold weather season.

18. Holographic Finishes:

COLOR CLUB Nail Lacquer in What’s Your Sign

Bored of the basics? Add a holographic finish to your everyday mani. COLOR CLUB’s prismatic finishes shimmer and shine with a rainbow effect. This iridescent pink shade shifts to all different colors, like silver, bringing some fun to the dreary winter months.

19. Rosy Pink:

DEBORAH LIPPMANN Gel Lab Pro Color in Love Lies

Summer was all about bold, bright pinks—from platform shoes, to gowns, and even lipstick—and It was seriously fun. Winter pinks are a bit more subdued, like this rosy-pink creme color that’s never boring. We recommend this one from DEBORAH LIPPMANN because the formula is vegan, cruelty-free, and 10-free, with the gloss and cushion of a gel manicure (sans the damage).

20. Olive Green:

SALLY HANSEN Miracle Gel in Leaf Me Be

Looking for an alternative to nude nails? Look no further than olive green, which just might be the best nail polish for winter. You don't need gel nail polish to get a glossy finish, thanks to this hard-wearing and chip-resistant polish. Simply apply a base coat, two thin coats of polish, and a top coat for a flawless finish you can recreate at home.

21. Multichrome:

CIRQUE COLORS Dream Within a Dream

Celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and Dua Lipa have been rocking chrome topcoats on their designer nails lately. But if you don’t have the budget for your own personal nail artist, a multichrome nail polish can easily achieve the same results at home. CIRQUE COLORS is unique because of its magnetic wand that activates the multichrome particles inside the polish. Talk about a one-of-a-kind manicure.

22. Cool Gray:

OPI Nail Lacquer in Rub-a-Pub-Pub

While we may not be longing for gray days, the same can’t be said for our nails, which will be undeniably chic in this gray polish. Not only is this cool neutral hue the perfect everyday color, but the formula is also vegan and lasts up to seven days.

From feminine, neutral nail polish colors, to sultry and dark shades, or icy blue hues, there’s something for every mood on our list of trending winter-ready nail polish colors. Rock them alone or combine them to create fun nail art that helps make the winter season a little merrier.

Want in on all the IPSY Glam Bag fun? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.