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If you’re looking to embrace a touch of opulence for your next manicure, look no further than gold nails. A solid metallic mani option for anyone who’s gotten their fill of chrome, this is the perfect alternative (or complement) to gold jewelry for creating a luxurious moment. Metallics, in general, tend to be a popular choice during fall, winter, and especially the holiday season, and gold is a great option if you’re trying to make the sunnier vibes last. According to celebrity nail artist Sonya Belakhlef, “Gold is truly the perfect choice for transitioning from summer to cooler weather—it’s like carrying a hint of that warmth and glow with you.” To help you decide which gold nail look suits you best, ahead we’ve gathered over a dozen gold nail ideas, from French tips to chrome finishes and even leaf paper accents.
Meet the Expert
- Sonya Belakhlef is a nail artist, designer, and photographer who has done manicures for the likes of Mary J. Blige, Ashley Graham, and Natasha Lyonne.
- Mazz Hanna is a nail artist, certified crystal healer and aromatherapist, and the founder of her eponymous nail and skincare brand.
Gold French
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If you’re looking for an understated way to try gold nails, start simple with a French tip. To easily get the look at home, use French manicure stickers to section off your tips, then fill them in with your favorite gold polish.
Warm Gold French
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Belakhlef loves gold French tips, as they’re a fun twist on the classic that’s easy to achieve on your own. All you need is a high-quality gold polish like Orly’s Lost In The Maize ($11), a steady hand (or a manicurist on speed dial), and you’re all set.
Gold Nail Stickers
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If you don’t have the patience or funds for hand-drawn designs, you can always opt for a pack of gold nail decals. This metallic set—from Nails of LA by celebrity nail artist Brittney Boyce—offers a variety of expressive designs, including smiley faces, lightning bolts, dollar signs, and more.
Negative Space Luxe
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“Negative space designs are always so cool and intriguing when done with gold,” Belakhlef says. For a design like this, they recommend making sure you push back your cuticles, dehydrate the nail, and apply a base coat (use a smoothing or ridge-filling one if you have unevenness). Then, apply a thin first layer and allow it to completely dry before moving on to the gold polish.
All That Glitters
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If you find yourself struggling with technical nail art (totally normal), create a shimmering look in just one step with an ultra-glittery gold polish, like Mooncat’s I’m a MF Supernova ($14). According to Belakhlef, it’s way more forgiving if you mess up, plus the sparkles are absolutely gorgeous.
Gold Foil Flecks
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Nail art or a masterpiece that belongs in an art museum? This intricate design is initially done on Après Gel-X tips ($32), but it’s also easy to recreate on your natural nails. The best part? Since there’s no right way to replicate a foil pattern, no one will be able to tell if your design turned out differently than planned.
Golden Swirls
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There’s something captivating about gold nail art glistening in the sunlight, especially when the base is kept minimal. All you need for this look is a thin nail striping brush to carefully paint golden curves across each of your nails, making the result almost too easy not to go for.
Gilded Outlines
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Due to its pearlescent nature, gold polish has a tendency to accentuate any damage or texture on your nails. Thus, ensuring you have well-groomed cuticles and a smooth nail plate before applying the polish is essential, explains nail artist Mazz Hanna. This is especially important for a design like this one, in which the gold pattern wraps around the border and truly highlights the nail itself.
Gold-Dipped Tips
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Recreating this French tip chrome design is a breeze with a high-quality polish like Chanel’s Le Vernis in Phénix ($32). “It’s the ideal gold shade that complements every skin tone and nail length,” Belakhlef tells us. “Their new and improved wide brush ensures a smooth application.”
Midas Touch
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If you’re not fully sold on allover gold polish, ease your way in by outlining your nails with a touch of gold. This design features OPI’s Do You Take Lei Away ($11) and Essie’s Caught on Tape ($9).
Coquettish Charms
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We’re getting major Cleopatra vibes from this gold nail charm design, which makes the ongoing coquette trend feel extra luxe. If you’re already upping the ante with gold, take it up a notch with charms and pearls like these.
Chrome Quartz
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This chrome quartz nail design feels like staring into a crystal ball, hoping and praying for all of your dreams to come true. While you could try to recreate this design at home, we recommend heading to a pro for best results.
Golden Nugget
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Want to feel like a million bucks? Try a bold gold (say that five times fast) nail polish design that exudes the look and feel of royalty.
Long and Luxurious
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Imagine the power of typing with these stunning, ultra-long gold nails—they’re practically guaranteed to make your workday fly by. Either head to a pro to recreate this level of intricacy, or create a similar look by attaching charms and metallic accents to a gold base.
Ultra-Glossy French
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Just like with any French tip design, a glossy topcoat is essential to emphasize your luxe gold nails. “I love Chanel’s Le Vernis Gel Coat ($32) and JinSoon’s Hyper Gloss Top Coat ($22),” Hanna says.
Floral Gold Leaf
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For those looking to showcase their nail art prowess, using nail varnish on gold leaf paper is the way to go—think TikTok-worthy viral nail art. We love the rose art here, but you can create it with any floral design you like.
