20 Dark Green Nail Polish Ideas Trending for Winter

Just like wardrobe staples shift for the coldest months of the year, so do manicures. When it comes to manicures that are picture-perfect for winter, darker hues tend to be the star of the show. Instead of reaching for your go-to bottle of navy, plum, oxblood, or slate polish, though, why not try dark green this season for something fresh and perfectly timely?

Whether you hadn't considered the shade before or simply need more inspo, we're here to show you just how pretty dark green nail polish can be. From classic French manicures to abstract swirls and animal prints, ahead you'll find over a dozen dark green nail art ideas to try this winter. Have fun trying to pick just one to recreate.

01 of 20

Mint and Evergreen Combo

Mint and dark green tips faux stiletto French manicure — @heluviee

As beautiful as dark green polish is on its own, pairing it with its palest counterpart can make for a lovely contrast. Here, you can see how well mint and evergreen coincide. To recreate this nail art idea, consider using nail striping tape or an ultra-thin striping brush to perfect the sharp lines.

02 of 20

Tortoiseshell Accents

Dark green manicure with tortoiseshell and gold leaf accent nails — @thenailboxxchi

Tortoiseshell may be most popular in fall, but here you can see how nicely this nail art idea pairs with high-shine spruce lacquer. For an even more luxe appeal, add gold flake accents, like WFAUIBR's Gold Leaf Gilding Resin Flakes ($6).

03 of 20

Green and Black Snake Print Nails

Looking for something a bit more wild? This snakeskin-inspired nail art idea is bound to turn heads.Given its intricate nature, we will note that you’ll likely need a pro to help recreate it.

04 of 20

Green and White Checker Nails

French manicure with dark green and white checker print long tips — @manicures.as

Checkered nails are very in in 2022, so as we close out the year and head into 2023, you can’t go wrong with this dark green, baby blue, and white nail art idea.

05 of 20

Minimalist Abstract Emerald

Negative space manicure with abstract emerald swoops at tip and base — @heluviee

Remember: You don’t have to cover your entire nail in dark green polish to make an impact. Here, you can see how a minimalist abstract outlined approach is just as beautiful.

06 of 20

Green and Blue Wave Nails

Dark green, blue, and white manicure with wave design accent nails — @lolo.nailedit

Love the green, blue, and white color palette but prefer a more abstract design? This wavy option will fit your fancy.

07 of 20

Metallic Green French Heart Tips

Heart-tipped French manicure using metallic dark green nail polish — @imarninails

Considering dark green isn’t the most conventional nail polish color, consider pairing it with a reimagined classic nail art idea. Here, we have a French mani, but instead of smooth, curved lines, the tips are metallic green hearts.

08 of 20

Retro Groove Nails

Manicure with neutral base and green and white retro wave nail polish design — @nailsbylindseylu

Dark green nail polish works well in ombré designs, too. Instead of dedicating one nail to each color of the fade, though, consider this retro striped swirl idea.

09 of 20

Earthy Green Nails

Taupe nails with earthy olive green splotches — @lolo.nailedit

These might not be the darkest green nails, but they do still offer a moodier, dustier take on the hue. To recreate the look, start with a khaki base and top it off with army green accents.

10 of 20

Matte Swirl Nails

Matte dark green nail polish with light green and cream swirl designs — @nailsbylindseylu

A manicure doesn’t have to be shiny to make a statement. This matte evergreen nail art idea proves it.

11 of 20

Gold Leaf Accents

Dark green manicure with light green swirl and gold flake accent nails — @phoebesummernails

Green and gold pair beautifully, making this marble-accented nail idea a total show-stopper. Best of all, it won’t take as long to recreate since three of the nails are solid green.

12 of 20

Dark Green Vortex Nails

White and dark green vortex swirl nail design with select French tips — @manicures.as

For a more artistic take on the green nail polish trend, consider this vortex-esque nail art idea. Since it’s not meant to look perfect, it’s an easy mani to bring to life using dark green and white nail polish, as well as a slim nail striping brush.

13 of 20

Dark Green Mix and Match

Green gradient manicure with wavy French accent nail — @heluviee

Evergreen, sage, and white can make one heck of a palette for a winter-ready nail look, don’t you think? By keeping the wavy accent to one nail per hand and painting the rest in solid colors, you get all the statement with minimal hassle.

14 of 20

Chrome Dark Green Nails

Chrome dark green nail polish manicure — @kimkimnails

With a chrome finish dark green nail polish, you won’t even have to bother with intricate designs. The lacquer will speak for itself.

15 of 20

Green and White Angular French Tips

French manicure with white and dark green angular faux stiletto tips — @heluviee

Here we have a sharp, criss-cross French manicure using green and white polish with a slim stripe of silver for a little extra festive flair.

16 of 20

Textured Dot Nails

Dark green manicure with textured ivory dots and French tip accent nails — @manicures.as

These textured dot nails remind us of Seth Rogen’s Insta-famous pottery. You, too?

17 of 20

Croc-Inspired Nails

Dark green nail polish with croc-inspired design — @gotg0ld

For another wild-inspired dark green mani, check out this croc recreation. These nails almost look wet thanks to the application method. Needless to say, you’ll likely want to book a manicure appointment for this intricate design.

18 of 20

High Contrast

Manicure with olive green, neon orange, and transparent striped sections — @nails_of_la

Just because you want to rock dark green nail polish doesn’t mean you can’t pair it with a brighter shade. Just look how fun army green and neon coral look paired together.

19 of 20

Abstract Evergreen

Manicure with dark green abstract designs — @digitzbydev

Create interest with just one color by going for a different dark green abstract design on each nail and embracing the negative space. Since there's so much variation, it doesn't have to be perfect.

20 of 20

Shimmering Spruce

Shimmering dark green manicure — @melanated.mani

Last but not least, let us remind you: Nail art is great and fun and snap-worthy, but solid polishes can be, too. Case in point: This Death Valley Nails Born With Thorns shade ($14).

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