January doesn’t just mark the start of a new year: it’s also the return of nails that play, mix, and layer styles. Soft textures, icy shades, and velvet vibes are reshaping trends. Here’s a closer look at the colors that will make you want to change your polish more often than your hat!
Après-Ski Collection: the cool mountain style for your manicure
This winter 2025-2026, skiing inspires more than just fashion: the chic mountain style is taking over our nails too! The new “Après-Ski” collection is a must-have for a stunning winter look. Expect delicate finishes, a minimalist palette, and milky tones that evoke freshly fallen snow.
Milky Pink: the signature milky pink of January
We kick off the season with Milky Pink, a pink nail polish softly veiled, reminiscent of a pristine snow coat under a rosy sky, echoing the quilted look seen on the Casablanca runway. It pairs perfectly with milky nails trends and clean nails, offering an ideal base for nail art. A fresh touch to start the year right!
Mist Grey: the sophisticated and graphic misty grey
The morning mist clinging to snowy mountain slopes is a fascinating sight. Mist Grey captures all its poetry with its mineral blue-grey. A “glacier” effect shade also spotted in the ultra ski-chic look from Moncler. Simple but unforgettable! Wear Mist Grey in a sleek monochrome manicure, as a base for a twisted french manicure (white or silver tip), or paired with Milky Pink for a soft, contrasting nail art effect.
Freckles: the nude brown in a soft frost version
A true favorite this season, Freckles reinvents nude in a brown shade with cool, subtly woody undertones. A hue that evokes the comforting warmth of hot chocolate between ski runs, perfect for an ombré manicure in brown tones. The same soft intensity is seen in Moncler and the stunning après-ski outfit of actress Nina Dobrev. Freckles is the perfect nude and the chic effortless look of January.
Après-ski mood activated: three soft shades for a winter manicure. (@tagwalk, @moncler)
Chocolate Mint Freeze: winter indulgence with a couture twist
After soft pastel colors, here’s a gourmet palette inspired by spicy drinks and high-altitude frozen desserts. A frosty, minty, and chocolatey trio ready to make a splash under our ski gloves.
Tweed: the trendy textured brown
Tweed is a warm grey polish with a delicate pearly finish, as cozy as winter cashmere. The same shade as the plush plaid dress from Acne Studios! Why do we love it? It instantly shapes the hand, works with any nail shape, and embodies the winter chic spirit perfectly. A cold season essential, in short.
Pistachio: the frosted green that refreshes winter
Green polish with a pastel tone leaning slightly yellow, Pistachio was designed as a blend of Mint and iced Pistachio green, perfectly timed to match the chic sportswear trend! This key color also appears on the deconstructed trench coat by K-Way for the Fall-Winter 2025 show, where technical volumes give this green a modern, airy look. Great for adding pep to our long winter days.
Clove: the ultra-desirable spiced chocolate
And let’s not forget Clove, THE brown nail polish trend of the season: a deep chocolate brown with hints of violet and burgundy. Intense but not dark. An ultra-desirable polish color, also seen on the stylish jackets from the Canadian brand Moose Knuckles. How to get through winter with style. Why not add a distinctive touch to your manicure with a metallic French manicure or wild nail art featuring a leopard pattern? Definitely, Clove is very inspiring!
When winter chic flirts with gourmet shades.
(@tagwalk, @mooseknucklescanada)
Crushed Velvet: the velvet elegance of January
Finally, here’s a combination of more intense shades for your city nights or dinners at the resort. The velvet nails trend (or velvet nails) is making a statement with deep reflections, rich visual texture, and more mysterious tones.
Victoria Plum: the divine plum
This vibrant plum with pink, violet, and brown accents is Victoria Plum. A polish as rich as it is luminous, perfect for adding character to a simple outfit. Its color recalls the poncho crop and waterproof skirt duo from the latest K-Way show, which caught our eye! Easy to wear, Victoria Plum fits the “liquid velvet” color trend very present on the Fall-Winter 2025 runways. A must-have for the cold months.
Queen of Night: the sophisticated black
Nothing is more chic than Queen of Night, this dark violet nail polish with grey undertones, rich and slightly smoky, intriguing at first glance with its smoky/blurred effect. It fits the same aesthetic as the Michael Kors ensemble (flowy dress & structured coat) balancing bold femininity and New York elegance… One of the winter bestsellers, available in a Green Flash™ version from January 30, 2026!
Shell: the luminous off-white
We couldn’t close this range of January shades without mentioning Shell, a white polish delicately cool off-white with yellow undertones. This polish color perfectly embodies the white nails trend making a comeback this season. Retro, modern, and designed to enhance the most refined manicures. It shares the same luminous intensity as the ultra-chic pristine ski outfit seen at Moncler, blending alpine flair with contemporary sophistication. A stunning polish for a minimalist manicure, a base for nail art, or a soft glam look.
Velvet effect guaranteed with Victoria Plum, Queen of Night, and Shell.
(@tagwalk, @moncler)
How to choose your polish color in January?
With the colors from the Après-Ski collection, fair skin tones will be celebrated this January 2026. These soft and delicate shades work best on short, rounded nails. For darker skin tones, the warm colors of Velvet nails, like bordeaux, reds, and browns, offer a bold and modern style. Opt for square or almond-shaped nails to enhance a chic and sophisticated look. Discover more inspiration in our article on winter polish colors to wear.
Our application & care tips for winter
With colder temperatures, it’s essential to adopt a manicure routine to pamper your nails and keep them in perfect condition.
💦Start by thoroughly hydrating your cuticles: a nourishing oil, such as Huile Verte, applied with a daily massage will be very welcome.
⚔️File your nails regularly and gently with a fine-grain 180 glass nail file and favor short nails to avoid snags and other common winter breakage risks.
✨Base coat and top coat are essential to ensure your polish’s good tenue and to provide the gel-like shine that gives your winter manicures the necessary glow.
🛡️Protect your hands from the cold and prevent skin dryness by regularly applying a moisturizing cream such as the Crème Mains, for soft hands delicately scented with rose, lavender, or orange blossom.
Just like with your skincare routine, consistency is key for a flawless manicure: maintain your nails throughout winter with regular care using the tips gathered in our dedicated article.
Winter manicure means daily care: think preparation, hydration, softness, and protection.
The manicure trends for January 2026 prove one thing: winter is anything but dull! Frosted pastels or bright colors, spicy browns, couture violets… each color opens a new path of inspiration. Let your current mood guide you, try unexpected combos, and dare to be bold. This winter, your nails become the barometer of your mood 😉❄️
