20 Christmas manicure looks that are not your average red, green, and white

We’ve had a crazy year full of various nail trends. From “blush nails” to “jelly nails” and even “cat eye nails”, the creativity that goes into creating manicure looks seem to be never-ending.

What if we combined all the trends we’ve seen this year with some Christmas magic? Here’s a compiled list of Christmas nail inspirations that you can bring to your manicurist at your next visit.

“Cat eye” Rudolph nails

Dressing your nails with the “cat eye” nail look and pairing it with gel designs of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer makes for a very satisfying visual. The glittery feature reminds us of the magical trail that the reindeer are on as they pull Santa’s sleigh to the next home.

Santa hat French tip Christmas nails

We love how well the Santa hat design frames the nail tip. The way the design sits on top of the nail makes it look like your nails are wearing the hats themselves.

We recommend you to try this nail style if you prefer oval nail tips. A round shape like this will pair well with the designs of the hat.

Elegant Christmas nails

Simple and sleek, this combination of gold, maroon, and forest green gives us a very elegant nail look.

The bejewelled Christmas tree and the strip of gold against a red base adds another level of sophistication to the nail look, we can’t take our eyes off it.

3D Christmas nails

3D features are created using a 3D art mixing gel, so that the nail art can “pop” to life.

Your manicurist can go wild with it, creating everything from a 3D heart to a protruding Rudolph’s red nose, depending on how creative she gets.

Red and white Christmas nails

When it comes to Christmas nails, most of us like to fill it with three colours. Often opting for shades of red, green, and white, this colour scheme is a classic for Christmas nails.

But what happens when we take green out of the picture?

Using just red and white surprisingly work well together to give you a colour scheme that reminds us of the jolly Santa Claus.

You can play around with just adding a few abstract shapes of white against the red base to create snow-like designs or even use the two colours to create a checkered pattern.

Frozen Christmas nails

We might not get a Winter wonderland here in Malaysia but there’s nothing stopping you from sporting a nail look that reminds you of the freezing weather that comes with Christmas overseas.

The snowflake designs and sparkles that adorn the shades of blue make the nails shimmer in a subtle manner.

Abstract Christmas nails

This look can work with a variety of colour combination, including green and white, red and green, as well as red and gold.

Simply fill the nails with random blobs of shapes, and you’ll get a funky nail look that’s unique for Christmas.

Pearl princess Christmas nails

For those of you who don’t really fancy manicures with bright colours and prefer something that has more light nudes, here’s a nail look just for you.

Let your manicure get creative with the placement of pearls to embellish the look – she can even use different sized pearls to create the pattern of a Christmas tree or Christmas wreath.

Long Christmas nails

With the added space that comes with long nails, there’s lots of room for you to play around with and add shimmery details to.

You can add pearls that resemble baubles on the Christmas tree or add golden snowflake charms for a magical Winter wonderland look.

And if your nails are long enough, try painting a towering Christmas tree – that’ll look majestic!

“Cat eye” sunset Christmas nails

The pink and yellow glitters of the “cat eye” nails remind us of the gorgeous hues that paint the sky as the sun sets.

As the two colours blend to give us a gorgeous shimmer, the simple drawing of the Christmas tree that decorates it paints a picturesque scene.

We also love how simple the drawing of the tree is. It only takes a simple zig-zag line to form the tree and afterwards you can decorate it with jewels and pearls.

Minimalist French tip Christmas nails

Feel like keeping it extra simple this Christmas? Try this manicure that is just your usual French nails with a nail art of Santa’s hat on one finger for each hand.

Unlike the Santa hat French tip Christmas nails we mentioned earlier, this one doesn’t top every finger, which gives it a cheeky peekaboo effect.

Christmas Stocking Nails

Layering a string of pearls on top of a nail tip that’s painted with a deep maroon polish brings to mind the image of Christmas stockings hanging on a chimney.

Go ahead and play around with the size of the pearls should you find interest in this manicure. You can keep it subtle and sweet with small beads. Alternatively, you can create a fluffy-like appearance by using a big pearl in the centre followed by smaller ones at the side just like what’s in the image.

Winter morning dew Christmas nails

When we think of matte nail looks, we often have the misconception that the lack of shine causes the manicure to look dull.

Contrary to belief, matte polishes can still be as eye-catching as your regular ones depending on how they’re painted and what they’re being paired with.

This one, for instance, features intricate snowflakes design and pretty pastel shades along with fake water droplets that remind us of the gorgeous colours that get refracted from the morning dew as the sun hits the water.

“Blush” Christmas nails

In this look, the reindeer and Christmas tree are drawn on top of a “blush nail” base.

Pink hues bloom outwards from the centre of the base giving a rosy hue that makes us feel warm and toasty just looking at the manicure.

The glossy and jelly texture of the “blush nail” base also allows the intricate Christmas designs to stand out clearer as it puts more emphasis on the designs’ opaque polish.

“Coffee jelly” Christmas nails

Brown might not be your typical Christmas colour but we’re loving the way this “coffee jelly” looks with the white Christmas designs like the snowflakes and Christmas tree.

Once again, the sheerness of the “jelly” polish shines a spotlight on the intricate designs created with the white opaque polish.

Aren’t you reminded of Christmas sweet treats like a warm cinnamon roll or gingerbread house when you’re looking at this variation of our favourite “coffee jelly” nails?

Sweater weather Christmas nails

Simple and subtle, this manicure doesn’t scream “Christmas” right in your face.

The argyle pattern on the ring finger reminds us of the sweaters we certainly sport if Malaysia didn’t have such insufferable weather.

Show your love for the holidays in a subtle way by pairing two festive colours to complete this nail look. You can follow this Xiao Hong Shu user and use a combination of red and green or spice things up with some red and gold.

Bejewelled Christmas nails

Instead of using any coloured polish, why not decorate your nails with a little bling?

Add a bunch of colourful manicure gemstones and form different shapes that represent Christmas. Stack them up to form a Christmas tree or line them up in a circle to make a Christmas wreath.

Don’t just stick to one colour for the gems and freestyle it your way so the colours suit your personal vibe and style.

Polka dot Christmas nails

Dotting your nails with red, green, and white polish is a cute way to give your nails a little “pop” of colour.

Try this manicure out if you’re looking for something more youthful and cutesy.

You can either keep the polka dot pattern for all the nails or follow this Xiao Hong Shu user and add a Santa hat French tip Christmas nail design on one of the nails for a slight variation.