29 Secrets

The time to treat yourself is now: after eleven months of trials and tribulations, you deserve to spend the holidays boasting nails you can be proud of. So instead of listing four reasons why you should head to the nearest nail salon, we’ve come up with some at-home nail trends so that on top of feeling glamorous, you can do your budget proud. Here’s how you can make your nails both classy and current this holiday season.

Going Glitter 
We all shared an affinity for glitter anything circa holiday ‘98, but instead of questing for Hello Kitty or sparkles and clear shellac, go the glamorous route and embrace the season’s affinity for shine with metallic shades that offer a little more depth than “glitter” in the Mariah Carey sense of the word. Helping give your nails a boost, the latest polishes add a certain multi-dimension, catching the light and sparkling naturally as opposed to living the nightmare of stuck-on glitter. Our only warning? Avoid sparkle nails with a sparkle outfit. (This isn’t an all-ages dance, after all.)

The Classics
There’s a reason we see red and black nails on “must-do” lists of every season, and that’s because that like the colours themselves, there’s something to be said for tradition. While black works in contrast with both your now-paler complexion and outdoor “winter wonderland” (one Christmas reference an article – we can’t help it), red evokes the warmth of the holidays, fitting in alongside festive décor and little black dresses, while working alongside the vintage themes found on the runway.

Nude
But perhaps you’re not one for bold nail polish, or maybe your holiday dress is eye-catching enough. If that’s the case, scrap the French manicure this season and opt for a nearly nude tone that matches your nail’s natural shade. While you may not think that it makes a statement, nude, shiny polishes do for your nails what “a no makeup-makeup” technique does for your face: allowing your features to stand out on their own while adding finesse and a hint of glamour.

Jewels
According to the million Marilyn Monroe references we’ll be hearing this season, diamonds are a “girls’ best friend”. But when it comes to jewel tones and nail trends, opt for colours like emerald and sapphire to give your nails that added push, staying above the “tradition” of black or red, while offering sheen on-par with metallic tones. Just avoid the combination of green nails and a matching (or red) dress: while Christmas colours are part of the season, you needn’t blend into the Christmas tree.