January isn't just about starting a new year—it's also about having fun with your nails, mixing and layering styles. Soft textures, icy tones, and velvety vibes are redefining trends. Let's take a closer look at the shades that will make you want to swap your polish even more often than your beanie!
Après-ski Collection: mountain cool, manicure style
This winter 2025-2026, skiing isn't just inspiring fashion: mountain chic is taking over our nails, too! The new “Après-ski” collection is a must-have for a stunning winter look. On the agenda: a delicate finish, a minimalist palette, and milky tones reminiscent of freshly fallen snow.
Milky Pink: the signature milky pink for January
We're kicking off the season with Milky Pink, a soft, slightly sheer pink nail polish reminiscent of a pristine blanket of snow under a rosy sky, echoing the quilted look seen on the Casablanca runway. It pairs wonderfully with the milky nails and clean nails trends, and makes an ideal nail art base. A fresh touch to start the year off right!
Mist Grey: the sophisticated, graphic misty grey
Morning mist clinging to snowy mountain peaks is a fascinating sight. Mist Grey captures all of its poetry with its mineral blue-grey. A "glacier" effect shade that was also spotted in Moncler’s ultra-chic ski look. Simple yet unforgettable! Wear Mist Grey as a sleek monochrome manicure, as a base for a twisted French manicure (with a white or silver tip), or paired in a nail art duo with Milky Pink for a soft, contrasting effect.
Freckles: nude brown with a frosty, soft touch
A true season favorite, Freckles reinvents nude in a cool-toned, subtly woody brown version. A shade that evokes the comforting warmth of a hot chocolate between ski runs, perfect for a brown ombre manicure. The same cozy intensity was spotted at Moncler and on actress Nina Dobrev’s stunning après-ski outfit. Freckles is the ultimate nude and the essence of effortless January chic.
Après-ski mood activated: three soft shades for a winter manicure. (@tagwalk, @moncler)
Chocolate Mint Freeze: winter indulgence with a couture twist
After soft pastels, make way for a deliciously rich palette inspired by spiced drinks and high-altitude iced desserts. A frosted, minty, and chocolatey trio ready to make a statement under your ski gloves.
Tweed: the trendy textured brown
Tweed is a warm, delicately pearlescent grey nail polish, as enveloping as winter cashmere. It's the exact shade of Acne Studios’ cozy textured plaid dress! Why do we love it? It instantly elongates the hands, flatters every nail shape, and embodies the ultimate winter chic vibe. A true cold-weather essential.
Pistachio: the frosted green that refreshes winter
A pastel green nail polish with a slight hint of yellow, Pistachio was designed as a blend of mint green and iced pistachio, arriving just in time to match the chic sportswear trend! This statement shade was also seen on K-Way’s deconstructed trench coat for the Autumn-Winter 2025 runway show, where technical silhouettes give this green a modern, airy feel. Perfect for bringing some vibrancy to long winter days.
Clove: the ultra-desirable spiced chocolate
And let’s not forget Clove, THE trending brown nail polish of the season: a deep chocolate brown, enhanced with a hint of purple and burgundy. Intense yet not dark. An ultra-desirable polish shade, also spotted on stylish puffer jackets from Canadian brand Moose Knuckles. The ultimate way to move through winter in style. And why not add a distinctive twist to your manicure with a metallic French manicure or bold leopard print nail art? Clove is definitely full of inspiration!
When winter chic meets indulgent shades.
(@tagwalk, @mooseknucklescanada)
Crushed Velvet: January's velvety elegance
Finally, here is a combination of deeper shades for your nights out in the city or dinners at the ski resort. The velvet effect (or velvet nails) trend is everywhere, featuring deep shimmer, rich visual textures, and mysterious tones.
Victoria Plum: divine plum
This vibrant plum infused with pink, purple, and brown accents is Victoria Plum. A nail polish that is as rich as it is luminous, ideal for adding character to a minimalist outfit. Its shade echoes the cropped poncho and waterproof skirt duo from the latest K-Way show, which caught our eye! Easy to wear, Victoria Plum fits right into the "liquid velvet" color trend that took over the Autumn-Winter 2025 runways. A cold-weather essential.
Queen of Night: sophisticated black
Nothing is chicer than Queen of Night, a dark purple nail polish infused with grey. Rich and subtly mysterious, it intrigues at first glance with its smoky, blurred finish. It channels the same aesthetic as the Michael Kors ensemble (flowing dress & structured coat), blending effortless femininity with New York elegance… One of winter’s bestsellers, available in a Green Flash™ version starting January 30, 2026!
Shell: the luminous off-white
We couldn't wrap up this roundup of January shades without mentioning Shell, a delicately cool off-white nail polish with yellow undertones. This polish shade perfectly captures the white nail trend resurfacing this season. Retro, modern, and designed to enhance even the cleanest manicures. It brings the same radiant intensity as the immaculate, ultra-chic ski outfit seen at Moncler, blending alpine style with contemporary sophistication. A must-have polish for a minimalist manicure, a nail art base, or a soft glam look.
Guaranteed velvet effect with Victoria Plum, Queen of Night, and Shell.
(@tagwalk, @moncler)
How to choose your nail polish color in January?
With the shades from the Après-Ski collection, fair skin tones are in for a treat this January 2026. These soft and delicate shades look stunning on short, round nails. On darker skin tones, the warm colors of Velvet nails, such as burgundies, reds, or browns, offer a bold, modern look. Opt for square or almond-shaped nails to enhance a chic, sophisticated style. Discover more inspiration in our article on winter nail polish colors.
Our application & winter care tips
As temperatures drop, setting up a nail care routine to pamper your nails is essential to keep them in top shape.
💦Start by thoroughly hydrating your cuticles: a nourishing oil, such as Huile Verte, applied with a daily massage is just what you need.
⚔️Gently and regularly file your nails with a 180 fine grit nail file and opt for short nails to prevent snags and other breakage risks common in winter.
✨Base Coat and Top Coat are essential for extending wear time and providing the gel-effect shine that gives your winter manicures the radiance they need.
🛡️Protect your hands from the cold and prevent skin dryness by regularly applying a moisturizing cream such as the Hand Cream, leaving hands soft and delicately scented with rose, lavender, or orange blossom.
Just like your skincare routine, consistency is key to a flawless manicure: take care of your nails all winter long with regular treatments using the tips in our dedicated article.
A winter manicure goes hand in hand with daily care: think prep, hydration, gentle care, and protection.
January 2026 manicure trends prove one thing: winter is anything but boring! Frosted pastels, vibrant pops, spicy browns, couture purples… each color opens a new door to inspiration. Follow your current mood, try unexpected combos, and dare to be bold. This winter, your nails are the ultimate mood board 😉❄️
