35 Best Winter Nail Colors for Cozy Season

Prefer something sparkly? Look no further than Orly’s Prisma Gloss Silver, which Glamour beauty contributor Sarah Y. Wu loves wearing in the wintertime. “Every year when it starts getting cold, I break out this bottle of dazzling holographic glitter,” she says. “It’s so icy it looks like crushed diamonds, or maybe the insides of a snow globe all lit up. Unlike most glitter polishes I own, the particles are ultra-fine, which means they go on smooth and don’t rough up my nails too badly when I remove them. You can layer it over other polishes as a topcoat—it’s stunningly pretty over a navy blue—but sometimes I just like to pile on two to three coats for the prettiest sparkly holiday nails.”

When Glamour associate beauty editor Danielle Sinay started making clean beauty swaps, she worried she’d never find a nail polish that fit the bill. “Then a friend introduced me to SSONE, which is 21-free, cruelty-free, and vegan, meaning it’s formulated without animal derivatives, parabens, formaldehyde, and synthetic fragrances, and I fell in love instantly,” she says. “I’m especially obsessed with their An Unexpected Red shade, a bright and bold poppy. It’s just my favorite color, but festive, fierce, and perfect for party season!”

“OPI’s Black Chutney is one of those winter shades that instantly feels cozy and chic,” Juli Russell, a manicurist and DIY nail expert for Sally Beauty, tells Glamour. “Its deep, rich, cherry-red color with just a hint of shimmer feels like the perfect mix of ‘dark and moody’ and classic. I just love how luxe this dimensional shade feels.”

Glamour senior entertainment and trending news editor Sam Reed loves Olive & June’s CV, a warm brick red, for the chilly season.

“Olive & June is my go-to brand for nail polish. The flat brush makes it super easy to apply, and with their topcoat, it lasts for 10 days—even in the dry wintertime, when I’m constantly shoving my hands in gloves and applying balm to my cuticles,” she says. “CV also pairs perfectly with my winter wardrobe, which tends to include lots of black, brown, navy, and cream. It’s the perfect pop of color!”

“I’m in my brown era—wearing it right now actually—as a softer alternative to black,” says Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs. If you’re also leaning into the all-brown-everything trend, Essie Expressie’s Take the Espresso just might be calling your name. “This color is my current favorite take on the shade for nails,” Griggs adds. “I like that it looks like espresso, bringing to mind cozy coffee shops, and its gel formula lasts a little longer than my regular polish.”

PR professional Melanie Marques Feeney can’t get enough of Deborah Lippmann’s Lady Is a Tramp when the weather cools down. “This shade is sophisticated and vampy, which I love, and a deep red is timeless and classic,” she says. “It’s also versatile; good for work and nighttime events. I was just out to dinner with colleagues last night and every single person at the table had a deep red shade on! Plus, people love this switch to darker hues as soon as it gets colder out—myself obviously included.”

When it comes to winter nail colors, you can’t go wrong with OPI’s Big Apple Red. “This is the perfect red,” says Glamour’s Yaptangco. “It’s not too cool, not too warm. The shade is completely classic and goes with absolutely everything. It looks especially chic with short nails but super sexy with long tips. Can’t recommend enough!”

This K-beauty nail polish stole Wu’s heart when she discovered it in Seoul this past spring. “I love vampy wine-tinged nails all year round, but now feels like an especially perfect time to slick on this shade,” she says. “It goes on nice and glossy, just how I like it, and I usually do two coats to get a smooth merlot manicure. I also love the Art Deco vibes of the bottle, which looks so cute. I always have it out on my vanity.”

“A Lincoln Park After Dark mani is the true marker of the beginning of winter,” says Self’s editorial assistant Grace McCarty. “It’s the perfect almost-black—super sleek with a really rich purple and red undertone that makes it look elevated. If you’re looking for dark, moody winter nails but don’t want to commit to a true black—or fear looking like a ’00s punk rocker when it chips—it’s the perfect sub-in!”

Beauty and fashion content creator Rebecca Vanyo’s favorite shade for winter? Hermès Nail Enamel in 85 Rouge H. “The deep shade of red is reminiscent of burgundy wine,” she says. “I love it because the slight brown tone makes it the perfect shade to wear during and after the holidays.”

“Metallic silver is a neutral nail in my book—it goes with everything and just elevates whatever outfit you have on,” says Glamour’s Yaptangco. “I love Manucurist’s shimmer polishes since they are gentle on nails and nontoxic, yet they don’t compromise on quality or pigment. Plus, it makes the perfect accent for nail art.”

Glamour contributor Lisa DeSantis is “super into all things brown” this year; nail polish included. “I love a brown polish that’s on the lighter side with more of a grayish tone like Chanel Le Vernis in Duelliste on my hands and a richer, more chocolaty version on my toes,” she says. “This way, they’re technically still ‘matching’ since they’re in the same color family, but it’s not too matchy-matchy.”

“The quiet-luxury nail is dying hard for me this season, and I love this rich taupe for manicures,” says Glamour contributor Lindy Segal. “For me, adding a über-shiny topcoat is what makes it feel super luxe—like an Upper East Side lady who lunches (dream life, TBH).”

“Sundays makes some of my favorite reds, period,” says Vogue senior shopping editor Talia Abbas. “The color payoff in these nontoxic formulas is incredible, and so is the staying power. My go-to shade is No. 17: Cherry Red, but I love this deep berry hue to add instant warmth to my winter wardrobe. It feels classic without being too ‘madame.’”

For her toes in the winter, DeSantis likes to go for a darker hue. “In keeping with my brown theme this season, I’m opting for OPI gel nail color in That’s What Friends Are Thor,” she says.

“I love wearing metallics and jewel tones in the winter, and gold is a no-brainer,” says Yaptangco. “It’s festive and fun and doubles as a shiny accessory that flatters my skin tone. Chanel’s shade is just the right amount of glam meets chic.”

While Glamour’s Yaptangco usually sticks to moody shades in winter months, the recent goth-girl resurgence has encouraged her to go even darker. “I’m still not edgy enough to wear straight-up black on my fingernails, but this gunmetal metallic is equal parts cool and festive for the holidays,” she says.

“I just copied that Selena Gomez’s red ‘golden glazed fire’ mani—a spin on the glazed-donut trend—and have decided that’s going to be my winter shade. It slays and I get so many compliments,” says Glamour’s Sinay.

As soon as Allure shopping director Shanna Shipin got pregnant, she went on a hunt for clean polishes: “And Côte tops the list,” she says. “They’re all vegan and free from major toxins—think formaldehyde, phthalates, and more—but the brand doesn’t skimp on pigment or quality. I’m super excited to wear this creamy shade all winter long. It’ll go with anything and will look great with a shiny topcoat or a flat matte finish.”

“Every now and then I like to take a break from dark polishes and lighten things up a bit—with daylight savings, things are dark enough as it is,” says Yaptangco. “I’m a huge fan of this muted blue with gray undertones, which will pop against my neutral winter wardrobe.”

“No pigment, or nail polish, is quite as quintessentially ‘holiday’ as a showstopping shade of red, and Essie’s Scarlet Starlet take on the hue is especially perfect for the season,” says Sinay. “This polish’s iridescent and pearly finish gives it a little extra oomph that makes it perfect for all types of parties and celebrations, whether it’s your annual office holiday party, a New Year’s Eve red-carpet affair, or staying home in bed admiring your nails.”

Contributor Bella Cacciatore loves red nails all year: “They make me feel put together and Old Hollywood, even though my nails are stubs—but they feel even more appropriate this time of year,” she says. “This polish is the perfect red-carpet red that’s a bit richer than my usual cherry without verging into wine territory, which is a whole other category in my mind. Chanel polishes are worth every cent; each use feels like a little gift to yourself, and they last for a week without chipping.”

“Taupe might seem tame until it’s done in this sulky shade. It’s dark enough to feel like a ~mood~ but more chic than the average Hot Topic–era black,” says contributor Deanna Pai.

When Cacciatore’s nails aren’t red, they’re robin’s egg blue. “This year I’m leveling up my usual baby blue for this poppy turquoise shade, which is so cool and unique—almost like a neon pastel,” she says. “It makes me smile when I look down at my hands, and it looks so fresh contrasted with my all-black wardrobe. Plus, it’s Gucci. It couldn’t get any chicer.”

“I love this shade. It reminds me of a figure skater’s dress—baby blue with accent pink and purples that make it feel inviting and sparkly,” says contributor Jenny Singer. “It’s like ’80s disco mixed with a baby shower…in the best way.”

Contributor Erin Parker is “into the shimmery dimension this bluish-purple glitter delivers. It’s giving me mystical, oceanic vibes that feel right for a double water sign like me.”

“I usually go with the typical red or berry nail shade during the winter season, but I decided to go for black this year,” says contributor Khaliha Hawkins. “It just felt right. Lately I’ve been painting my nails all black or wearing a black French tip. There’s so much that you can do with black nails, and it always looks chic.”

“I fell in love with J.Hannah’s first minis set, but this collab with the Met’s ‘About Time’ exhibition is an absolute must-have winter nail set,” says Shipin. “There’s a beautiful cream, a no-fail black, and a silver and gold glitter, but my absolute favorite is the pearlescent shade—it’s such a unique and nuanced color. What am I doing New Year's Eve? Nothing but staring at my opalescent tips.”

“I have been on a green-nail kick lately, and I don’t see it slowing down for winter,” says Cacciatore. “A bright lime shade is the perfect way to fight off my impending winter blues and has a surprisingly lengthening effect on my stubby nails. I also love Esssie’s Expressie formula, which truly dries in under a minute and stays chip-free for over a week.”

“Essie’s purple nail colors that veer almost black are like the cashmere sweater equivalent for my nails—cozy, comfortable, and forever classic,” says contributor Lindsay Schallon. “I love that they add a little more visual interest and color than a pure black mani, and it looks just as good with neutral chunky knits as it does with winter floral dresses. Also—shameless plug—it’s the perfect engagement manicure color.”

“While I like to play with color in the summer, the second it dips below 60 degrees, I revert to my uniform of all-black everything. I love the contrast of creamy pastel nails peeking out of a fuzzy black sweater sleeve, and this year I’m particularly into this pretty lilac shade. It’s feminine but a little quirky and reminds me of spring days to come,” says Cacciatore. “Plus, the formula is super opaque and not streaky, which is almost impossible to find with pastels.”

This is contributor Ana Escalante’s go-to cold-weather color. “I fondly remember my older sister wearing it all throughout my childhood when she was a slightly edgy, extremely cool tween growing up in the ’90s,” she says. “It’s also alleged to be the go-to color of my style icon, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, so you truly can’t go wrong.”

“There’s just something so happy about looking down and seeing a cheery royal blue on your nails,” says Schallon. “The bottle here looks a little more denim-y, but on, this is a rich, true primary blue that sparks instant joy.”