Beauty tips : Fabulous nails for the Holidays

The Holidays are the time to go all out. Treat yourself to a manicure that will turn heads! Here, we take a look at four trends that will have people showering you with compliments.

Nail polish strips

You no longer need to make a trip to the beauty parlor to get one-of-a-kind nail designs. Now you can get the same great results at home using nail polish strips.

What's more, no drying time is required, and results last about 10 days. Why not try out nail polish strips in animal-print or plaid motifs—a must-have this Christmas!

We like: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

Candy cane nails

On Christmas Eve, why not opt for a candy cane manicure? To do so, you'll need three nail polish colours: bright red, silver (all the better if it's glittery) and white. Apply a coat of white over the entire surface of the nail. Let it dry. Next, paint on narrow red stripes (like on a real candy cane), then paint an even narrower stripe between the red stripes using your glittery silver polish.

Go glitter

Glitter is a Holiday time classic. You can wear it in gold or silver shades, or opt for a more unusual colour. Around Christmas time, you can get glitter nail polish in colours such as forest green, red and midnight blue.

Pro tip: For impeccable glittery nails, start by applying your nail polish as you would normally. On the second coat, instead of sweeping the brush over the nail, dab it—that way there'll be more glitter!

We like: Leading Lady from Essie, a supremely deep red with glitter / Sapphire from Lise Watier, a sophisticated midnight blue shade / Gold from Mavala, a very chic golden colour

Brighten things up

There's nothing like bright-coloured nails to get people talking at family get-togethers! Opt for rich, intense colours—they'll spice up your outfit and create a colour block effect, which is all the rage this season.

Before you apply your nail polish, it's important to apply a base coat. Next, apply two coats of nail polish. Watch out: it's important that you let the first coat dry completely before you apply a second coat. Lastly, if you want your manicure to last, apply a top coat.

We like: London from Mavala, a deep red that screams "femme fatale!" / Spanish Moss from Revlon, a long-wearing and festive shade of green / Jet Set to Paris from Revlon, an electric shade of blue.