13 Amazing Red Nail Polish Colors That Are Perfectly Festive for the Holiday Season

If you're looking for a go-to red for any and all occasions, you can't go wrong with this iconic choice from OPI. "Big Apple Red is a timeless classic cherry red. Plus, the formula goes on super smooth and stays put for a week," says Good Housekeeping's product and review editor Jessica Teich. 

This popular Smith & Cult nail lacquer has lustrous, warm undertones that are perfect for darker skin tones — plus, it's a beautiful opaque poppy red that glides on smoothly and is perfect for any look. 

"A splurge, but this shade is a chic alternative to a fancy Chanel bag," says April Franzino, Beauty Director at Good Housekeeping. "It's the perfect classic red, balanced with both warm and cool undertones that pop on and flatter any skin tone."

For a festive sparkle, this limited-edition glittery polish from Essie's Winter 2019 collection is the hottest holiday red this season. It's a beautiful velvet red finish with reflective glitter pearls, so you can show off your Christmas cheer all season long. 

For more of a dark berry shade, try this gorgeous color from trusted brand OPI — it's a favorite of  Jessica Teich, Good Housekeeping's product and review editor. "Malaga Wine is the perfect moody winter red — it looks amazing on toes and fingers," she says.

This Revlon nail polish in shade "Fearless" is perfect for — well, when you want to feel fearless. It's a crisp red shade with a fun coral-pink undertone, so it's the go-to choice for when you feel like going for a brighter, bouncier red. 

If you feel like splurging on one of the most coveted designer reds, this top-selling nail polish from Tom Ford is a classic, beautiful shade that complements any skin tone — and it's the perfect vivid crimson for a striking holiday manicure.

What's more festive and fun than a shimmery red? This polish from Zoya is cool red tone with a slightly metallic and shimmery twist, which makes it a perfect eye-catching polish for when you want to add an extra bit of sparkle for holiday parties. 

A fiery bright red with a hint of subtle orange undertones, Essie's "Russian Roulette" is a timeless favorite of Sabina Wizemann, senior chemist in the Health, Beauty & Environmental Sciences Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "It's sophisticated and mischievous at the same time, and works well on all skin tones," she says.

This ruby-colored nail polish from China Glaze has a gorgeous touch of rusty metallic that's perfect for when you want more of a mysterious deep red shade. Not only does it have more than 2,000 reviews on Amazon, but reviewers say it applies smoothly and evenly. 

For a red that keeps on giving, try this Miracle Gel from Sally Hansen — a beautiful dark red shade with warm undertones. A lab test at our very own Good Housekeeping Institute showed that this nail polish dried fast, chipped less, and lasted longer than regular polish. 

Not only is this classic red polish optimized for quick and precise application, it's 10-free, vegan, and cruelty free — which makes Sundays one of our favorite picks for nontoxic nail polish brands. No. 17 is an especially gorgeous primary red shade that can easily become your go-to classic.

If you want a nail color that matches that bottle of wine you're bringing to the holiday party, try this merlot-colored shade from Essie — it's a deep romantic burgundy shade with a hint of dusty brown that's perfect for the cold winter months.