Gold accents gleam against a frosted champagne base.Credit: @ klawsbysonia

• Gold nails add brilliance and luster to the neutral colors in your winter wardrobe.
• Whether you opt for a solid gold manicure or metallic accents, the shade is perfect for upcoming holiday parties.

Nothing says festive like gold nails. From glittering ombre French tips to chrome embellishments and mesmerizing cat-eye finishes, a gold manicure is your ticket to infusing even the coldest days with glamour and warmth. The metallic nail color looks just as chic clutching a glass of sparkling cider at a holiday party or a peppermint mocha on a weekend walk, and will brighten up all the neutrals in your winter wardrobe.

Depending on your style, you can opt for a deep, blackened gold that mirrors the shine of pyrite, a blindingly bright yellow gold, a softer, more champagne-hued tone, or, if you’re feeling whimsical, a luminous rose gold shade. You can paint every nail gold or add the color in small doses; it glows against pale pink or milky nude manicures.

Below, discover 25 gold nail ideas for a winter manicure that dazzles.

Meet the expert

• Priscilla Nguyen is a manicurist and Aprés Nail educator.
• Thea Green is the founder and CEO of Nails.INC.

Gold Trophy

@melanated.mani

If you want to go for the gold and have your digits look like a literal trophy, take note from this darling mani, which, surprisingly, isn’t chrome! All you need to do is swipe on a few coats of metallic polish for a mani that glistens.

Gold Roses

@ naominailsnyc

Roses bloom in gold on an understated nude base. These would be devastatingly chic paired with a black dress and matching tights, or a fuzzy leopard print coat.

Gold Frenchy

@klawsbysonia

Neutral hues will always be in style, and this ombré French look incorporates a hint of gold, leaving us in pure awe. After picking out five of your fave neutral shades and painting them on your nails, it’s onto the fun part! Nails.INC founder Thea Green recommends stripping each nail with a thin gold nail art pen. Or, use gold gel polish and a tiny nail art brush to recreate the look.

Midas Touch

@ klawsbysonia

These nails look like jewelry all on their own—although we’re not at all mad at the additional gold rings they’re paired with. Chunky gold accents look stunning with tortoiseshell French tips and an extra-long almond shape.

Gold Chrome Tips

@pinkbunnynailz

Love minimalism but want to incorporate a fun punch of gold into your next mani? Then you need to get gold chrome tips. Pop on a base coat of any color, from nude to milky white or pink, and draw on a French tip for an amazing look you won’t be able to look away from. Priscilla Nguyen, manicurist, and Aprés Nail educator goes into further detail, sharing, “Use a matte topcoat, cure, then outline the French lines with a black polish using an angled brush or a liner brush. Cure the black French lines and then rub on a mirror gold chrome powder to execute the gold French look.”

Red and Blue Accents

@ disseynails

This set, complete with decorated half-moons and gold accents that pop against dark red and cornflower blue polish, nods to 1960s mod style.

Glitter Tips

@lolo.nailedit

Love gold but want it to be understated? Take note of this glitter tip look, which features a beautiful blend of pale pink to sparkly tips. To get the exact look, paint on a few coats of a nude polish, then buff a gold glitter on the upper portion of the nail using a sponge for a gradient effect.

Pearlescent Gold

@melanated.mani

For more of a pearly gold, you can’t go wrong with this understated look. “To achieve this look, a milky white and iridescent gold will be the perfect combo,” shares Nguyen. “Add little gold sparkles for extra details and pop!”

Chocolate Golden Chrome

@gossipandgloss

If you’re in the mood for a bronzey nail set, we think this chocolate golden chrome vibe is perfect for you. After painting on two coats of black nail polish, swipe on a gold or bronze-hued chrome powder, finishing it off with a glossy top coat.

Gold Florals

@fleuryrosenails

This floral mani is unreal. If you’re inspired, we suggest keeping things easy and getting some stickers and gold decals to bring the look together. For the base color, Nguyen recommends three coats of a milky pink polish of your choice.

You’re a Star

@lauradidmynails

Star manis are always a yes in our book, and if you want to get a look similar to this, it’s a pretty fun process! First, apply your favorite polish to your nails—we love anything nude or pink. Then, use star-shaped decals for a fast, easy update.

Minimalist Gold Details

@klawsbysonia

If we had this manicure on our hands right now, we’re pretty sure we could rule the world. You’ll want to choose a dusty pink for your base coat, which will make the gold swirls pop.

Golden Shimmer

@lolo.nailedit

This champagne-hued mani deserves a toast. It’s soft and neutral, yet still luxe.

Gold Velvet

@disseynails

This manicure combines two trends we love: cat-eye polish and jelly nails. The result is a whimsical, fizzy-looking texture.

Shine Bright

@gossipandgloss

There are few things more fun than all-over glitter. To make gold glitter polish really pop, layer two coats over a black base.

Swirly Pop

@lolo.nailedit

We immediately added this swirly gold mani to our saved folder when we first saw it. Nguyen recommends starting with a peachy-nude base, then using a detail brush to create fluid gold waves.

Goldie Aura

@klawsbysonia

Aura nails are beautiful enough on their own, but with the addition of gold details, as seen here, they’re taken to the next level. Chrome makes them even more reflective.

Orangey-Gold

@melanated.mani

These short square nails shine with an orangey-gold polish shot through with multicolored sparkles. For a similar multidimensional look, you can layer a couple of different sparkly top coats over a gold polish.

Milk Chocolate Chrome

@pinkbunnynailz

Brown and gold go hand in hand, and if you want to incorporate the two into your wardrobe and nails, this milk chocolate chrome mani is the vibe you’ve been searching for.

Celestial Accents

@lolo.nailedit

Baby-pink nails are sweet enough on their own, but moon- and star-shaped decals make them even dreamier. Consider adding a charm of your zodiac sign to make it your own.

Dreamscape

@gossipandgloss

This dreamscape set will leave you feeling mesmerized. If you want a similar look, stock up on nail jewels and gold rhinestones. You’ll also want to draw on a gold French tip—it looks intimidating, but we promise this mani is totally doable!

Chrome Swirls

@klawsbysonia

French nails are a classic for a reason, and if you want to switch things up, drag the sides (super thinly) down your nails, as seen here. Go in with your favorite espresso brown color for the tips and add gold chrome swirls to the rest of the nail.

Pop of Gold

@melanated.mani

Duochrome manicures always stun. Depending on the light, these nails shift from gold to pink to a fiery orange.

Gold Half-Moons

@ ellielouisenails

We couldn’t dream of a set that feels more celebratory than this one. Glittering French tips and half-moons mimic the effervescence of champagne on a glossy nude base.

Gold Silk

@ klawsbysonia

Gold and champagne make a particularly opulent pairing. The semi-sheer cat-eye base looks as smooth and luxurious as a set of fresh silk sheets.