Our winter mani search is over before it even began, thanks to essie's Bubbles Only

While there's certainly no shortage of winter nail trends, and a plethora of festive-themed looks still to come, if you want to keep things simple, inexpensive and incredibly chic, we've found the perfect look in essie's Bubbles Only.

When it comes to your November and December nails, the choices are almost endless. You can go for the classic shades and shimmers that are so synonymous with the approaching festive season, like gold and forest green, or wait to see what merry twist the 2026 nail trends take on - like last year's velvet French tip nails. That said, if you just want to skip the overwhelm and indecision altogether, as well as a trip to the salon over the busy weeks to come, we've found the most perfect shade amongst essie's nail polishes - one that doubles as both a chic wintery mani and a timeless festive one.

Red is, of course, a very popular and classy Christmas nail colour, but some tones feel infinitely more, well, Christmassy and wintery than others, and essie's Bubble Only is the crème de la crème.

Why essie's Bubbles Only promises the ultimate, no-fuss winter mani

We're of the mind that you simply can't go wrong with a classic, rich red for the colder months and party season, and this luxe crimson from essie certainly supports our case - just look at it.

It's like you've taken every red Christmas decoration and chic red lipstick, added a handful of holly berries and blended them all up to create this infinitely luxe and merry hue. There's more depth to it than your average postbox red, which feels so suited to winter, while essie's Gel Couture formula delivers that elevated party-ready shine.

This shade is the sort that will suit all nail lengths and shapes, but looks especially sophisticated with a short square nail style or elegant almond nails. Best of all, it's an air-drying polish, which means if you're ever in a pinch this season and need to beautify your talons fast, just two or three coats of this, followed by the essie Gel Couture Top Coat, will deliver an expensive-looking mani in minutes.

And before you fret that traditional polishes aren't the best for longevity, our Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett, used to apply this essie range exclusively when she did her nails at home. She has since switched to professional BIAB treatments, but still sings the praises of the top coat, in particular.

"Before my regular BIAB nail appointments, I set aside an hour slot every Sunday to give myself an at-home manicure for the week ahead. I’m far from a professional manicurist; however, I’m someone who always likes to ensure my talons are dressed with a seasonal hue. So, it comes as no surprise that I’ve tried dozens of top coats over the years, in hopes of my DIY mani lasting longer than a couple of days. However, all that changed when I tried essie’s Gel Couture Top Coat on a whim.

"This clear polish boasts an easy, seamless application that smooths the appearance of the nail polish underneath (bye-bye smudges and fine lines) - all without requiring a UV lamp to lock it in place. The real winning factor of this top coat is its long-wearing nature and its ability to prevent chipping and peeling, giving my mani's up to two weeks of staying power."

More winter nail favourites

If you're on the hunt for a few more wintery and festive nail polishes, we've rounded up two more chic shades and, of course, essie's must-have top coat.