Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

7 Adorable Holiday Manicures

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Poly chapter.

‘Tis the season for fun holiday nails! Check out these awesome seven manicure ideas.

1. Gobble, Gobble

Channel your inner child with these silly turkey-fingers! You can customize the “tail feathers” with whatever fall colors you desire.

Colors Used:

  • OPI – A-Taupe the Space Needle as the turkey face base
  • Ciaté – Pecan Pie, Wet and Wild – Under Your Spell, Julip – Valerie and Anisa as the tail feather bases
  • NY Color – Black for the turkey eyes
  • Sinful Color – Solar Flux for the turkey beaks

2. Chanukah Menorah

Blue and gold Stars of David on the thumbs with candle flame fingers for the menorah.

Colors Used:

  • OPI – Umpires Come Out At Night as base for thumbnails
  • Sally Girl 24 Karat for the Star of David
  • Sinful Colors – Solar Flux as the base of the fingers
  • Sinful Colors – Cloud 9 and Essie – Russian Roulette for the flame

3. Kwanza Stripes

Celebrate unity and family with Kwanza stripes! We didn’t use a base color and instead just directly painted the stripes on. Some cleanup was required but the finished product looked great.

Colors Used:

  • Julep – Anisa and Valerie
  • Essie – Licorice

4. Snowdrifts

You can create a more polished winter look with french tip snowdrift.

Colors Used:

  • Essie – Bikini So Teeny as the base
  • OPI – Angel with a Leadfoot for the snowdrift
  • Essie – Silver Bullions over the finished nail for shimmery snowfall

5. Personalize a Snowman

Get creative with it! Make a classic Frosty, a Mrs. Frosty or a Frosty Jr. This adorable little guy brought a smile to my face all week.Colors Used:

  • OPI – Angel with a Leadfoot as the base for the snowman 
  • NY Color – Black for the buttons and top hat
  • Sinful Colors – Cloud 9 for the carrot nose

6. Sugar Plum Faerie

When you’re going for subtle yet elegant holiday-themed nails, try adding Essie’s Pure Pearlfection to winter and autumn palette.

Colors Used:

  • ELF – Plum as the base
  • Essie – Pure Pearlfection over the finished nail

7. Peppermint Sticks

Peppermint is the reason for the season. My nails looked good enough to eat, but thankfully I restrained myself.

Colors Used:

  • OPI – Angel with a Leadfoot as the base
  • L.A. Color Art Deco – Red Glitter for the stripes
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Sam Snow

Cal Poly

Sam Snow is a biomedical engineering 4th-year who enjoys movies, music, dancing, and making people laugh. She's passionate health, especially mental health, and her friends and family. 
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Aja Frost

Cal Poly

Aja Frost is a college junior living in San Luis Obispo, California. She is equally addicted to good books and froyo, and considers the combo of the two the best since pb & b (peanut butter and banana.) Aja has been published on the Huffington Post, USA Today College, Newsweek, The Daily Muse, xoJane, and Bustle, among other publications. Follow her on Twitter: @ajavuu