Christmas colour splits into two useful groups: shades that say December because of the season, and shades that say December because of a tradition. The first group carries into January. The second does not.
Reds
Cherry red
Blue-toned. Works every month of the year.
Fire engine
Pure bright red. The most traditional.
Oxblood
Deep brownish red. Richer under indoor light.
Cranberry
Translucent with glassy depth.
Burgundy
Wine red.
Mulled wine
Deep red with a purple cast.
Brick
Red with brown pushed through.
Sheer red
A tint rather than a colour.
Greens
Forest green
The most wearable dark green.
Emerald
Jewel green with real saturation.
Pine
Slightly bluer than forest.
Bottle green
Almost black with green through it.
Sage
Soft and muted. The quiet option.
Olive matte
Muted green under matte.
Metallics
Champagne
Pale warm gold. The most wearable metallic.
Antique gold
Deeper and less shiny.
Rose gold
Warm pink metallic.
Silver
Cool and high contrast.
Bronze
Warm and deep.
Gold chrome
Mirror rather than shimmer.
Silver chrome
The coldest finish available.
Pearl chrome
Iridescent, shifting.
Neutrals and whites
Milky white
Semi-sheer off-white. Snow without the snowflakes.
Ivory cream
Opaque off-white.
Warm greige
Grey with brown in it.
Charcoal
Deep grey.
Espresso
Almost-black warm brown.
Skin-match nude
The invisible option.
Taupe
Grey-brown.
Cold and jewel
Navy
Almost black indoors.
Sapphire
Jewel blue.
Plum
Purple-toned berry.
Blackberry
Deep and slightly blue.
Ice blue
Very pale. Frosty rather than festive.
Finishes
Red velvet
Magnetic shimmer worked flat.
Emerald cat eye
A magnetic band.
Glitter gold
Densely packed rather than scattered.
Glitter silver
Cooler and higher contrast.
Matte red
Matte topcoat over any red.
Gold foil
Torn leaf near the cuticle.
For the designs these sit under, christmas nails. For January, winter nails.
Questions people actually ask
What is the most classic Christmas nail color?
A true red. Cherry red is the version that suits the widest range of skin tones.
What Christmas colors work after the holiday?
Oxblood, forest green, champagne and charcoal. All four read as winter rather than as Christmas.
What is an alternative to red and green?
Navy with silver, or plum with champagne. Both read festive without the traditional pairing.
