Five tutorials for creating the best holiday nail designs from Alisha Rimando Botero, executive vice-president and creative director at Artistic Nail Design and Melanie McCulley, owner of Well Manicured in Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Nail Harmony Gelish educator.

Emerald Holiday Bling

You’ll Need

Artistic Nail Design Colour Gloss Soak-off Gel in Envied

Artistic Nail Design Colour Gloss Soak-off Gel in Gorgeous

Artistic Bonding Gel

Artistic Glossing Gel

Marbelizing Tool

After nail preparation, apply Artistic Bonding Gel and cure. Apply Gorgeous and cure. Apply a thin coat of Envied over the nail and while wet, care waves and lines with the marbleizing tool. Cure the nail. Finish with Artistic Glossing Gel and cure.

Midnight Matte and Shine

You’ll Need

Artistic Nail Design Colour Gloss Soak-off Gel in Determined

Artistic Bonding Gel

Artistic Glossing Gel

Nail surface cleanser

180 grit buffer

Striper brush

After nail preparation, apply Artistic Bonding Gel and cure. Apply Determined and cure, repeat and cure. Apply Artistic Glossing Gel and cure. Cleanse the nail with a nail surface cleanser and buff with the 180 grit buffer to create a matte shine. Dip the striper brush in Glossing Gel to create designs, such as animal stripes or prints, and cure. Cleanse the nail with the nail surface cleanser.

Starry Night

You’ll Need

CND Shellac Top Coat

CND Shellac Base Coat

CND Shellac in Asphalt

CND Additives in Antique Gold

CND Additives in Shimmer Silver

CND Additives in Winter Blue

Gel flat oval brush

After nail preparation, apply CND Shellac Base Coat and cure. Apply Asphalt and cure. Dip the tip of the gel flat oval brush, lightly moistened with IPA, into Antique Gold and brush onto one-third of the nail, starting from the cuticle area. Clean brush thoroughly. Dip the brush into Shimmer Silver and apply slightly below the Antique Gold, blending the two Additives together. Clean the brush thoroughly. Apply Winter Blue to the rest of the nail, blending all the colours together so that there is no defined line of single colour. Finish with CND Shellac Top Coat and cure. Remove the top film with 99 per cent isopropyl alcohol.

Off the Grid

You’ll Need

CND Shellac Top Coat

CND Shellac Base Coat

CND Shellac in Iced Cappuccino

CND Shellac in Hotski to Tchotchke

CND Shellac in Gold VIP Status

CND Additives in Titanium Pearl

CND Additives Sea Glass Additives

Gel flat oval brush

After nail preparation, apply the CND Shellac Base Coat and cure. Apply Iced Cappuccino and cure. Dip the tip of the gel flat oval brush into Titanium Pearl and brush over entire nail. Clean brush thoroughly. Apply Gold VIP Status and cure. Apply Hotski to Tchotchke over the entire nail. Do not cure; allow to set for 30 to 60 seconds. Use a stylus to draw lines in the desired pattern and cure. Dip the tip of the gel flat oval brush, lightly moistened with IPA, into Sea Glass Additives. Apply only onto the sections of the nail with Hotski to Tchotchke. Finish with Shellac Top Coat and cure. Remove the top film with 99 per cent isopropyl alcohol.

Gilded Glimmer

You’ll Need

CND Shellac Top Coat

CND Shellac Base Coat

CND Shellac in Tinsel Toast

CND Additives in Shimmer Silver

Gel flat oval brush

After nail preparation, apply CND Shellac Base Coat and cure. Apply Tinsel Toast and cure. Dip the tip of the gel flat oval brush, lightly moistened with IPA, into Shimmering Silver. Press into the sticky Shellac layer, creating a small chevron at the cuticle area. Create a second chevron in the centre of the nail. Finish with Shellac Top Coat and cure. Remove the top film with 99 per cent isopropyl alcohol.

Images courtesy of Artistic Nail Design and CND