Elevate your cool-girl style this winter with these trendy nail art ideas that are easy enough to do right at home. From Valentine-inspired nails to chic gradient designs and timeless French sophistication, these nail art ideas will add a touch of glam to your winter look. If the idea of DIY at-home nail art makes you nervous, don´t worry. These trendy nail art ideas are simple and easy enough to do at home, with only a few tools required. 

Celebrate Love with Valentine’s Inspired Nails

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate love than with a romantic nail art design? Here's how you can create romantic, Valentine's inspired nails with delicate heart stickers, cupid´s arrows, and more. Don´t just wear your heart on your sleeve, wear it on your nails! 

Start by cleaning your nails and shaping them to your desired length. Apply a pretty pink or red Le Mini Macaron gel polish as directed and cure. Try our Forever Mon Amour mini heart-shaped nail stickers or Le Gel Polish Liner in Milkshake to carefully draw a white heart in the center of the nail. If using stickers, press them gently onto the nail. Or create a heart accent nail by using Le Liner Brush, a fine nail art brush, to add details like tiny dots or swirls around the hearts. This adds a touch of whimsical elegance to the design. Once the art is done, seal your design with our best-selling gel topcoat to add shine and protect your nail art. Voila! Your nails are ready for Valentine's Day. 

Stunning Aura Nails

Step into a world of winter magic with aura nails. Aura nails are similar to ombre nails, but instead of the nails being different shades of the same color, contrasting colors are blended together to create a new, mesmerizing effect.  Follow these easy steps to create a spellbinding manicure.

Start with a dark, solid base color such as Dark Velvet or Sour Cherry, and cure for only 15 seconds. You want the polish to be semi-set. Dot on a lighter, white shade, like Milkshake.  Use a fine-tipped nail brush, like Le Dottie, to swirl the lighter shade into the darker base shade. Cure for 30 seconds if using Le Mini Macaron mini LED lamp or 60 seconds if using Le Maxi lamp. We recommend doing one nail at a time. Remember, it´s ok if all of the nails don´t match. That´s part of the aura effect that adds depth and complexity to your nail art design. Seal your nails with our gel polish topcoat to add extra shine to your nails.  

Delicate Pink Glazed Nails

Infuse a delicate and sweet essence into your winter nail art with a charming pink-glazed design. This soft and elegant look combines delicate pink polish with Le Glazed Chrome Powder for the always trés chic glazed donut look. Le Glazed is an easy-to-use white chrome powder that is used on top of gel polish to create a shimmery, pearlescent chrome finish. It's a perfect choice for those who prefer a refined and understated yet chic manicure. 

Start by applying a light pink base color on all nails and cure as directed. We recommend using Fairy Floss, a cool-toned blend of pink and lavender, as your base.  After applying the second coat of gel polish, cure for only half the usual time (about 15 seconds) leaving it a bit sticky. This is so the chrome powder adheres to the gel polish. Polish all nails before applying the powder to each nail.

Dip the applicator brush into the Le Glazed Chrome Powder to pick up a small amount, then pat firmly over each nail. Dip the applicator brush into chrome powder again when necessary. Rub the nails lightly to ¨buff¨ powder into the gel. Finish with two thin layers of gel polish topcoat, curing each coat the full time (30 sec with mini lamp OR 60 sec with maxi lamp). 

The Classic French Manicure

For a timeless and sophisticated winter look, nothing beats the classic French manicure. Start by applying a nude or light pink gel polish on all your nails and cure as directed. This will serve as the base for the classic French tip. We recommend Meringue, a sheer, almost transparent pink. This barely-there shade is beautiful year-round and works as a gorgeous base for a French manicure on all skin tones. Use nail tip guides or cut thin strips of scotch tape to create a clean line for the French tips. Apply a white gel polish, like Milkshake, to the tips, keeping the lines straight and even. Cure again as directed. Seal your nails with a clear gel polish topcoat to add shine and protect your timeless and sophisticated winter manicure.

Now that you have the step-by-step guide to these winter nail art trends, have fun experimenting with colors, patterns, and designs to create your unique look. Winter is the perfect time to let your creativity shine and to let your nails become the canvas for your artistic expression.