50 New Year’s Nails Ideas to Toast 2026
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When it comes to New Year’s nails, you want a manicure that feels festive, but not like holiday leftovers. Something that’s glitzy enough for midnight festivities but fresh enough to tackle your resolution list the next day. A classic glitter coat checks most boxes. But this year there are so many creative manicure trends that also fit the bill.
No matter how you like to ring in the New Year, waking up on January 1 with a manicure you love will help set the tone for the year ahead. And luckily, you still have plenty of time to plan your New Year’s nails—and your entire rebrand, naturally. Whether you prefer to stick to classics, like a subtle champagne shimmer coat or an embellished French tip, or you like to dabble in the world of themed nail art (hi, confetti tips and disco nails), there’s plenty of inspiration out there for you.
Luckily, you won’t have to go looking: We’ve rounded up all the best New Year’s nails looks here. Brace for glitter, get ready to screenshot, and meet your first (and favorite?) manicure of 2026 straight ahead.
Instagram @style.by.nayla1/50All That Glitters
If you’re looking for a manicure that transitions seamlessly from holiday parties to New Year’s Eve festivities, go for gold. This festive set features metallic gold French tips with a glitter accent nail that pairs well with bubbles.
Instagram @_by_shelley2/50Starry Night
Ditch the red and green for a moodier winter manicure that still feels on-theme for New Year’s Eve. Copy this look exactly using a glittering navy shade, like Dramatic from Gel Bottle Inc, with metallic gold star designs.
Instagram @britts_nail_bar3/50Confetti Tips
For such an eye-catching and creative nail look, the confetti manicure is surprisingly easy to DIY. Either use press-ons to re-create the look, or simply paint the top half of your nails with a confetti polish like JinSoon’s Daisy.
4/50Champagne Toast Mani
New Year’s Eve is the perfect occasion to pay homage to one of the biggest nail trends of 2025: the toasted manicure. This champagne rendition that celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik, who coined the trend, created for Margot Robbie is the perfect blend of understated and celebratory.
5/50Silver Polka Dots
For a more orderly take on the confetti look, opt for polka-dot nails in silver, chrome, or your favorite metallic shade.
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Instagram @peggysageofficial6/50Fresh and Festive
After the aesthetic overload of the holidays, a minimalistic mani might be just what you need to ring in the new year. Add a subtle shimmer coat to your favorite milky base for a little added flair.
Instagram @sansungnails8/50Velvet Wine Nails
Some people swear by the tradition of eating grapes under the table at midnight for a lucky New Year. For some extra insurance for 2026, opt for a green-and-purple-tinged chrome mani to match.
Instagram @phoebesummernails9/50Bow Manicure
Dainty bow nail art is always on trend—and an easy transitional look from the holidays to the New Year.
Instagram @ndao.shoreditch.nailsalon10/50Whimsical Stars
Did someone say “party mani”? Velvet nails are one of winter’s biggest manicure trends—and the perfect base for some festive stars and stickers.
Instagram @ndao.shoreditch.nailsalon11/50Airbrush Aura
Whether you’re manifesting your heart out or reading the stars for 2026, we all tend to feel a little more woo-woo at the start of a new year. Lean in with a manicure version of an aura reading.
12/50Bold Stars
Nothing says “statement nails” like graphic stars and chrome finishes. Turns out, they’re an excellent pair, especially for a New Year’s Eve–coded set.
Instagram @staceymachin13/50Soft Shimmer
If you’re worried an allover glitter manicure might feel like a bit much when you’re diving into your resolutions, opt for more understated sparkle accents, like French tips or subtle snowflakes.
Instagram @y_yjenny14/50Snowglobe
Meet the New Year’s nails that give just enough winter wonderland without too much holiday specificity. For this creative look, ask for an ultraglossy glass-nail treatment with some glitter settled around the base of your nails.
Instagram/@artdecom15/50Champagne Velvet
Match your nails to your New Year’s toast with a chic champagne-velvet manicure. Recreate this look by nail artist Milica Maslan with The Gel Bottle’s Elixir Cat-Eye and Vanilla, and top with stars accordingly.
Instagram/@heygreatnails16/50Disco Ball
Disco curls would look great with this show-stopping disco mani. For easy application, try Chillhouse’s Chill at the Disco press-ons or these Etsy options for a nearly identical replica to what you see in the photo.
Instagram/mynailfielife17/50Metallic Gold
Metallic gold is a New Year’s classic for a reason; perfect for manifesting, you simply can’t go wrong. To get the look, nail creator Maritza Williams used Beauty Garde Longwear Nail Polish in Legend. Another option? Use it to top off and elevate your usual shade for the holidays.
Instagram/@bycheznails18/50Glitter Gradient
With a party on the top and business on the bottom, this glitter gradient mani is the best of both worlds. DIY with Orly’s Rose Colored Glasses as the base and Salon Perfect’s shimmering Flash Back and Flashing Lights for the tips.
Instagram/@heygreatnails19/50Midnight Magic
Glitter French, but make it a little grunge. Channel your inner rock star girlfriend with this stylish take on moody manicures. Get the look with a shimmering black polish like ILNP Lights Out Rich Black Shimmer Nail Polish. You can also get a nearly identical look with Paintlab’s Disco Ball Press-Ons.
Instagram/@avrnailswatches20/50Holographic Champagne
Combining the classic elegance of Champagne with the futuristic finish of reflective cat-eye, this holographic bronzed mani is begging to be toasted with. DIY with Lights Lacquer’s Super Freak Nail Polish.
Instagram/mynailfielife21/50Mirror Mirror
Mirror nails, meet chrome. All you need to get the look are Olive & June’s Mirror Chrome Glue Press-Ons!
Instagram/mynailfielife22/50Martini Chrome
Another ideal option for DIY? This mesmerizing martini mani, which can be re-created with press-ons. To get the look, nail creator Maritza Williams used Olive & June’s seamless Candy Wrapper press-ons.
Instagram/@bycheznails23/50Cherry Spice
Black cherry nails, but make them festive. DIY with Orly’s No Fig Deal for the base and KB Shimmer’s Just Roll With It for the shimmering edges.
Instagram/@sammismanis24/50Gilded French
Married to your classic French mani, but want to get in the celebratory spirit? Elevate the look with shimmer line art, and you (and your nails) are golden.
Instagram/@sammismanis25/50Confetti French
Combine two of our favorite nail trends—sleek French tips and confetti nails—for a New Year’s mani to remember. This look was created using Butter London’s Tickety Boo base and Proper Do polish.
Instagram/@kolors.by.eszter26/50Metallic Tips
This super-metallic silver and gold tip is chic and futuristic yet won’t look out of place back in the office on Monday morning.
Instagram/t@nailsbykirstenchanel27/50Negative-Space Silver
Embrace the futuristic vibes of the New Year with metallic silver nail art on negative space.
Instagram/@qwjluna28/50Gold Accents
Embellish your favorite nude polish or glazed-donut nails with gold accents.
Instagram/@nailart_ana29/50Emerald Aesthetic
A dark jewel green is great for Christmas and New Year’s, so if you get your nails done in mid-December, you’re set for the second half of the month.
Instagram/@thats.handy30/50Cosmic Confetti
Y2K vibes meet modern-day trends with this adorable take on the French mani.
Instagram/@thats.handy31/50Muted Milkyway
Send your milky oatmeal nails into orbit with this chic starry style.
Instagram/@linhnailsuk32/50Twinkle Tips
Want to (literally) dip a finger into sparkles? Use the tiniest crystals you can get your hands on for iced-out tips. Embellish each nail with gems for extra pizzazz.
Instagram/@nail_unistella33/50Decked-Out Cuticles
If you don’t have much space to work with (or even if you do), make the most of it and focus all the bling by your cuticles.
Instagram/@aliciatnails34/50Glitter Outline
For another minimal take on glitter for your January nails, try wrapping a thin line along the perimeter of your nails. This works with any shade, but rose gold is a little more unexpected than silver or gold.
Instagram/@oliveandjune35/50Constellation Mani
Been constantly checking what your horoscope holds for 2025? This starry mani is for you. Start with a base of Olive & June’s Spacey polish—a jet-black with micro silver glitter—to mirror the night sky. Then use a detail brush for the constellation and customize it to your star sign.
Instagram/@themaniclub36/50Gold Glitter
If in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a glittery gold when it comes to holiday nail designs. It will get you feeling festive in a snap and is way easier than complicated nail art. Just be sure to read up on this trick for the most glittery application possible.
Instagram/@paintboxnails37/50Fresh Green
Channel the fresh start we’re all hoping for with a chill, minty green like Orly’s aptly named Fresh Start. It’s a super-unexpected choice that will look cool even when the holidays wind down.
Instagram/@aliciatnails38/50Glitter Stripes
Instead of going for full glitz, add just a minimal stripe of glitter to bare nails. You could use glitter and a detail brush, or try this metallic striping tape to make things super simple.
Instagram/@paintboxnails39/50Silver Twinkles
Individually placed flakes of glitter take your everyday sparkles to the next level. You may want to venture to a nail salon for silver nail designs like this one, but the results are worth it.
Instagram/@betina_goldstein40/50Metallic Stars
Mixed metals have never looked so good—plus, they’re way easier to do than they seem. All you need is a silver polish as your base, and gold star stickers for the accents. Out-of-this-world nails in minutes.
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Instagram/@paintboxnails41/50Gilded Tips
If you’re only halfway feeling the holidays this year (fair!), glitter up just the tips of your nails. After applying a base coat, dip a disposable makeup sponge in chunky gold glitter, and gently press onto your tips. Finish with a topcoat.
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Instagram/@betina_goldstein42/50Negative Space
Make a negative-space mani even cooler with two shades of holographic polish. Use Essie polish in Lace Up and Get Down and Let’s Boogie for the look above.
Instagram/@lolo.nailedit43/50Holographic Glitter
A holographic polish is just as fun as glitter, but even cooler (and way easier to remove). Try Holo Taco’s polish in Rainbow Snow for a similar look.
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Instagram/@evemeetsnails44/50Stacked French
A stacked French mani in cool, pastel tones is perfect for the glitter-adverse or for a more low-key night at home. Try OPI in To Be Continued and To Infinity and Blue-yond for a similar look.
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Instagram/@themaniclub45/50Rosy Shimmer
When you want some sparkle but are sick of the typical silver or gold, try a pink-toned shimmer like Olive & June’s Sundance Shimmer, pictured here.
Instagram/@paintbucketnails46/50Classic Red
Nothing says the holidays like classic red. It’s the best nail polish to add a touch of glamour to whatever you wear.
Instagram/@overglowedit47/50Glimmering Stars
This gimmery gold-star mani channels falling confetti and sparkling Champagne. To get the look, blogger Melanie used Static Nails in Coconut for the base, Cirque Colors in Au for the gold fakes, and Deco Miami stickers.
Instagram/@betina_goldstein48/50Gilt Pearls
If you have something a little more formal planned, wear pearls on your fingers, not your neck. For your base coat, try Chanel Vernis in Chaine D’Or and add flat-backed pearls to a few nails.
Instagram/@overglowedit49/50Gunmetal
These edgy nails have an almost velvet-like effect thanks to the mix of textures. Start with an inky black base like OPI’s Black Onyx, and then top with a gray-toned silver shimmer—we like Essie Gel Couture in Closing Night. A super-glossy topcoat will not only seal everything in but add some extra dimension and shine.
Instagram/@themaniclub50/50Mixed Bag
It’s not only the mix of colors that makes this mani so interesting, but the mix of metallic, glitter, shimmer, and glossy textures.
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