33 Trendy, Mood-Boosting Nail Colors to Wear This Winter

Chances are, your hands and nails could use a little love. Consider this your invitation to turn elevate your next manicure from basic grooming maintenance to a more sensorial, mood-boosting opportunity. The color nail polish you choose doesn't have to bland or expected — in fact, this winter we're all about finding shades that are energizing and unexpected.

That's where industry nail trends seem to be focused right now, too, according to Amy Lin, founder of Sundays Nail Studio in New York City. With Lin's help, we rounded up five nail polish trends dominating winter 2022 — and picked our favorite polish shades to help you try them for yourself.

Brown

While deep, moody tones have often dominated cold-weather manicures, there's something that feels simultaneously unexpected and luxurious about a chocolate- or mocha-brown nail color. Coat it with topcoat every few days to maintain the color without chipping and lend a brilliant glossiness that keeps the feel elevated and elegant.

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Cherry Red

"We always associate [this season] with burgundy red shades, but this is such a high-energy red that makes us feel confident and fearless," Lin tells Fashionista. "Two years into the pandemic, we're all looking for little ways to uplift our mood. A cherry red is a perfect color to get us through."

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Kelly Green

Perhaps more often associated with springtime and St. Patrick's Day than the winter months, Kelly green has a certain vibrancy and quirkiness when worn in manicure form that this season all but begs for. Our favorite way to wear this color? Painted in a thin, neat line along the tips of nails and paired with a sheer base color, as shown in the photograph above.

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New Neutrals

Minimalistic nail colors are classic for a reason. They're foolproof, suit any skin tone and won't clash with any outfit. But the new crop of neutral shades having a moment — think putty, taupe, dove gray and creamy almond — are subdued without being bland or expected.

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Metallics

"Metallics are everywhere right now," says Lin. "Experimenting with metallics gives a little edge and sparkle to your traditional winter look, and a rose gold shade especially complements the earthy tones you might tend to wear during the cold snap."

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