Here Are The 30 Best Red-and-Gold Nail Designs for the Holiday Season (2024)

The holidays are filled with joy, merriment, andplenty of fun beauty looks. Perhaps the most appealing of all, though, is the opportunity to create festive nail designs. You can go all the way by painting intricate red-and-gold details on each finger, or take the minimalist approach and adorn an accent finger on each hand. Whatever you decide, we're sure you'll get a lot of compliments.

Below, we included options from a few of our favorite manicurists, who take nail art to the next level. They're some of the most creative artists in the business, and now, you can scroll through and get some much-needed inspiration from the celebrities and models of whose digits they have adorned. Below, find 30 of our favorite red-and-gold nail designs and get excitedabout the holiday season.

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Disco Ball: Holiday Edition

Use sparkly tinsel and festive disco balls as inspiration and create this glittery manicure, complete with holiday colors andample cheer. It's simplein execution (you just need three colors and a bit of sparkle), butadds a punch to your nails.

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Ornamental Detailing

Try this wine red shade and use pearls and gold tomake it look especially ornate. Made originally for the Met Gala by genius manicurist Mei Kawajiri, these nails are the perfect centerpiece for your holiday outfit. The ruby-red polish looks divine paired with gold nail accessories. You don't have to go so bold with the nail jewelry—a few golden additions will work just fine.

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Maroon and Gold

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This deep red isn't your standard Christmas nail look but instead echos a mature, refined take on a holiday color palette. We love how this matte wine color looks with shimmer gold foil and a thin black horizontal stripe. The overall effect is textured and intricate to look at, but it's beyond simple to create.

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Red and Gold Negative Space

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We're obsessed with this negative-space manicure. Painted with a simple red and gold design, it's exactly what you need to feel fun and on-trendat a holiday gathering. Plus, it's super easy to recreate: Just take a glittery gold polish and extend a diagonal line from corner to corner, fill it in, and thinly outline with metallic red.

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Red and Gold Holiday Extravaganza

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If you really want to get in the holiday spirit, these festive nails, done by LeChat Nails Educator Anastasia Totty, should fit the bill: "A great way to combine red and gold in a holiday set is by adding 3D ornaments, crystals, and beads in gold shades to a gorgeous red set of nails. Some white snowflake decals make it even more bright and fabulous! There is no such thing as too much!"

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Red and Gold Plaid

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Becausea red tartan is cozy, seasonal, and especially stylish during the holidays, why not paint the design on your nails? All you'll need is a gold, gray, and red shade and a small brush to create the thin lines on each finger. Once you're done, your nails will officially look like a Christmas present.

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Gold Glitter Tips

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Use accent nails to get your glitter on. Paint two nails red on one hand and three on the other, and reserve the red and gold sparkle tips for the remaining nails. We suggest Essie's Metallics Nail Polish ($9).

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Statement Jewels

Add shimmery, shiny, reflective accessories to your red manicure to double down on glamour. You can play with the shades and metallic finishes, and all you have to do is stop by an art store to gather the supplies. If you're looking for a way to get your jewels to stick, Totty says, "With my stones and jewels I prefer to use a gem gel, as it seems to hold a lot better and is flexible, so if you hit your hand on anything the stones stay on. I also apply top coat all around the stones to make sure they don’t snag and aren’t as easy to pop off."

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Abstract and Artistic

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This abstract design reminds us more of an oil painting on canvas than obvious holiday, and we're not mad about it. With a more subdued red and vague washes of orange, the color palette is one we'd be happy to rock all year round. But the deep, shimmering gold guarantees these digits a welcome invitation to any holiday gathering.

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Gold Foil Marble

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Marble might not be the first thing you think of for holiday nails, but pop some gold foil on and it's automatically festive. Plus this nail look goes so well with gold jewelry.

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Red Negative Space with Gold Stripe

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This shiny modern manicure uses negative space to its advantage. Cheery red tips add a twist on the typical French design, while golden vertical stripes play up the nostalgic holiday feels. It's like taking a trip to FAO Schwarz right before Christmas. Looking for the perfect red polish? Totty recommends LeChat's Little Red Dress ($6).

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Gold Foil Edges

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Think you've seen every possible way to use gold foil? Think again and feast your eyes on this candy apple red and gold accent set. Here, the gold foil is reserved for only the outer edges of the pointer fingers, making a case for the whole "less is more" concept.

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Sparkly Stripes

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Another negative space design fit for all the winter festivities, sparkly diagonal red and gold stripes look like the ribbons atop a Christmas present. We're all for it.

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Half Moon with Gold Studs

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A half-moon design in a dark red polish leaves room for the delicate golden studs to shine. Use a circle stencil to nail a crisp curve just above the cuticle. Add as much nail jewelry as you'd like, but we're partial to the minimalist look shown here.

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Speckled Gold

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Bring on the holiday cheer in a super fun and festive way with this bright, glossy red and gold speckled design. We're especially loving how elegant the design is on long, oval nails. Try using a fire red polish like Cirque Colors polish in Toadstool ($13) for the base to get the same effect as shown here.

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Gilded Accents

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This cool, graphic bright red, white, and gold confection offers up a great mix of trend and cheer at the same time. We'd be into this styleany time of year, but it works especially well for the holidays.

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Christmas Cranberries

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Whether they're decorating a wreath, a table centerpiece, or adorning your nails, these seasonally appropriate berries always bring about a warmth that's decidedly holiday-ready. Plus, the all-around classic French mani and gold foil flecks on the accent nails add a charming air to the delicate artwork. The easiest way to ace tiny detailed work like this is with a nail art pen, like the Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Pen ($7).

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Flecks of Gold

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Half-moon manis are at it again. Golden flecks give these red nails an extra cheerful and sparkly tone. Get this look using theEncore Collection ($42) by Jinsoon.

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Gold Shimmer

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While jewels, foils, and bedazzling is fun, it's certainly not the only way to achieve a holiday-worthy manicure. This hyper-saturated, deep red gets added emphasis from a golden sheen over top. Get the velvety look with a few coats of Dear Santa ($13) from ILNP.

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Gold and Red Stars

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Yes, Snoopy and Woodstock also make an appearance on this themed design. What else would you expect with a holiday-themed manicure? Honestly, the red and gold outlined stars are just as eye-catching as our favorite Peanuts pets.

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Striped Gold

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Who said you can't mix matte and glossy nails? For the glossy ones, amp up the festivity with shiny vertical gold stripes. Use tape to get extra straight and crisp lines. If you want to freehand the stripes, Totty recommends LeChat's Dual Sided Tool Liner ($14)

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Moon and Stars

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Pay homage to the twinkling holiday night sky with these glittery starstruck nails. Ombré the nail with a gold-to-red glitter transition and top with star-themed nail charms. Here, the artist is using Cirque Colors Celestial Charms ($5).

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Merlot and Gold

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What we wouldn't give for a nice glass of merlot on occasion, and the holidays certainly call for such an indulgence. If you're not one for a glass of wine, paint your nails in the shiny, deep color instead. Plus, add gold foil detailing on top for maximum elegance.

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Heart Tips and Gold Jewels

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More on the simple side, these upgraded French tips are clean and fresh, but still holiday party-worthy. All you need is beige and ruby red polish, topped with a single gold jewel just above the cuticle on the middle finger.

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Sparkle Tips

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Paint each nail a sparkling color like the manicure seen here. A coat of red and a coat of gold glitter give off great holiday vibes without taking them too seriously. Plus, silver and white get to have their well-deserved moments here, too.

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Seeing Stars

Deck out a crisp red manicure with a few press-on gold stars for a nostalgic and fun nail design. And the best part? You won't have to try to paint a single star.

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Gold Accent

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A standard red mani looks extra festive when paired with a couple golden accent nails. Just look how fancy the deep wine red is with shimmering gold. Get the exact look using Essie's Nailed It and Good As Gold (both $9).

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Wire Nails

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Holiday-inspired nails don't have to be a huge statement. Instead, stick to a super minimalist and intriguing look. One red line on top and a gold metal accent along the cuticle creates a super simple look we love.

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Extra Set of Red

If you'd rather show off a moreeditorial style, look no further than these cool, funnail extensions. Attached with a gold hoop, this red double-nail design is a trendy and eye-catching take on classic holiday nails. Pro tip: You may want to practice with them before the party so you can get used to handling the extra set of claws.

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Over-the-Top Holiday Mani

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This over-the-top look combines the best elements of the holidays—like presents and festive patterns—and places them all on the tips of your fingers. Be sure to use extra sparkles.