Hands Down, These Pretty Winter Nail Colors Will Earn You the Most Compliments

No nail color feels quite as glamorous as a turn of rose gold for winter. The shade has been trending for a few years now, but we swear we've never met a polish with the perfect proportion of shimmer and pigment until Olive & June's just-launched iteration came along. Post-Halloween, it was the first color associate beauty editor Courtney Higgs and I both reached for. (See above for proof!)

Black will never go out of style, but we love how bewitching and vampy it looks in the darker months of winter. Plus, Olive & June's brand-new formula is one of the richest, deeply pigmented formulas you can get your tips on. Our recommendation? Wear your nails short to be especially on trend this season. 

Brilliant ruby red turns heads, elevates any outfit, and feels undeniably holiday-esque for the perfect winter mani. Plus, it's just one of those colors that instantly make you feel happy (which we crave during the doldrum months of winter). Chanel's iconic hue, or one like it, is essential in every polish wardrobe. 

A shade of chocolate brown—similar to a cozy cup of cocoa or dark-roast coffee—is an obvious choice for winter. To keep things a bit more interesting (and to invite scores of compliments), we love the color with a hint of sparkle.

Any metallic is on point for winter, but with holiday festivities in sight, we can't resist a Studio 54 jaunt of disco-inspired silver on our nails. This formula from YSL is a best seller.

Gold is rich, universally flattering, and the ultimate way to spice up your winter beauty look in a low-maintenance way. We love YSL's cult-favorite color for our winter nail game. 

The perfect compromise between white and black, a warm and cozy gray plays as a remarkably flattering neutral all season long. 

Dark red and shades of burgundy are par for the course in terms of the best winter nail colors, but a rich and moody pour of plum is slightly less expected and just as stunning. Dior's limited-edition winter shade is perfect. 

We're obsessed with Smith & Cult's covetable range of nail colors (all of which are on point for winter), but there's something especially cheery and bright about the shade Certain Sweetness—your quintessential ballerina pink. 

It wouldn't be winter without a striking shade of deep blue. That said, navy is a bit passé, and we have our eyes on a glittering shade of sapphire (like this new polish from Essie) instead. 

We await J. Hannah's polish releases with as much passion as a child awaits the ice cream truck in the middle of July. Its latest, called Fauna, is a neutral shade of Topaz sure to steal the show (and all the compliments) this season.

Why go with an opaque shade of emerald when you can try the hue with the finest flecks of gilded sparkle? 

If you want a truly immovable, at-home manicure this winter, Essie's line of Gel Couture is one of the best ways to go. For a hint of sparkle, we love the universally flattering color Daring Damsel. 

A romantic shade of dusty rose is just what the doctor ordered this winter. We love that the color gives our tips a warm dose of color but still feels polished and relatively understated. Zoya has tons of shades within the rosy color family, but we find ourselves coming back to this enchanting color again and again. 

Last but not least, a cool shade of ice blue never feels more warranted than the onset of plummeting temperatures and ominous snowstorms. Or, you know, opening day of Frozen 2 if you're based in a warmer locale. 
Up next: This Flattering Color Combo Is the Coolest Way to Do Your Nails This Season