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Christmas Has Come Early, Thanks To The Candy Cane Nails Trend

@sansungnails on Instagram

Christmas Has Come Early, Thanks To The Candy Cane Nails Trend

By Charlie Colville

2 weeks ago

Time to don your festive swirls and stripes

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… in the nail salon. And while glittering hues and festive reds never lose their appeal, there’s only one manicure on our wish list this year: candy cane nails.

What Are Candy Cane Nails?

Candy cane nails are a festive manicure that puts the spotlight on red and white stripes, recreating the appearance of the season’s most iconic sweet treat.

@vivianmariew candy cane nails are my fav ♥️♥️ using my fav glitters Rosetta and Dorothy from @Daily Charme (use ‘vivian’ for off!!) #christmasnails #rednails #glitternails ♬ Holly Jolly Christmas (Sped Up) – Michael Bublé & Sped Up Songs + Nightcore

But don’t let its sugary description fool you. The trend typically falls back into fashion every Christmastime, but it reached new heights of popularity last year, thanks to Hailey Bieber. When the socialite debuted a set of candy cane nails, finished in her signature glazed look, she showed that Christmas kitsch could be made Christmas cool – with the right curation.

Creatives have since been quick to rebrand the look with trendy details and finishes. Think glitter, chrome and glass-like textures, alongside marble designs, inverted French tips and glossy, thick-banded stripes.

@deniizyavuz Hailey bieber nails>>>> #haileybiebernails ♬ Escapism. – RAYE & 070 Shake

How To Ask For Candy Cane Nails In The Salon

Candy cane nails come in all shapes and forms – meaning your manicure will likely be a bespoke creation. You’ll need to collaborate with your nail tech on this one, and clearly communicate what you have in mind. (You can use pictures from Instagram and Pinterest to get your vision across.)

Can You Recreate The Look At Home?

If you fancy turning your hand (and nails) to the trend yourself, you’re in luck. You can master a trendy twist on the trend at home, with ease. Here’s how to do a candy cane French manicure:

  1. Prepare Your Nails: Start by filing your nails into your desired shape, typically a square or almond shape for a French tip look. Gently push back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher.
    Lightly buff the surface of your nails to help the polish adhere, then clean off any dust with a prep solution.
  2. Apply Base Coat & Colour: Apply a thin layer of base coat to each nail, then let it dry before applying a layer natural-hued nail polish to the entire nail as the base colour.
  3. Add The Red: Now it’s time for the fun part. Using a small nail art brush or striping tape, create a diagonal line across the tips of your nails where you want the stripes to start. Then paint the tips of your nails with red nail polish, ensuring you cover the area above the diagonal line.
  4. Add White Stripes: After curing, use a detail brush or dotting tool to add thin white stripes over the red tips, mimicking the look of candy canes. You can alternate between red, white and green stripes for added effect.
  5. Finish with Top Coat: Apply a top coat over the entire nail design to seal in your work and protect against chipping.

Manicure Inspiration

1. Christmas Marble 

2. Coquette 

 

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A post shared by ♡ (@simlynail)

3. Candy Cane Frenchies

 

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A post shared by Louise cb (@nails_by_louise.cb)

4. Stripes & Mistletoe

5. Colour Trip

 

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A post shared by (@jellybayn_nails)

6. Nutcracker Pastels

 

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A post shared by Taryn VanAlfen (@taryns.nails)

7. Chrome Base

8. Dainty Decals

9. Invisible French

 

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A post shared by ♡ (@nails_by_rebecca_jayne)

10. Sugar Plum

11. Cat Eye Details

12. Stripes & Bows

 

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A post shared by PALM (@palm.nailsbyemma)

13. High Shine

 

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A post shared by Nail Art by Kat (@nailartbykatx)

14. Stiletto Nails

 

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A post shared by nailsby.neci (@nailsby.neci)

15. Candy Cane Nails

Featured image: @sansungnails on Instagram

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