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The 31 Best Lunar New Year 2025 Nail Art Ideas to Try Now
From stylish snakes to lucky red design accents
Lunar New Year 2025 is the Year of the Snake. The annual holiday is celebrated widely by the East Asian community and commemorates the first new moon of the year. According to experts, the snake represents intelligence, wisdom, creativity, renewal, and mystery, meaning this year is one to shed your old skin, if you will, through introspection.
Celebrating the arrival of the holiday also serves as a way to honor the deeply rooted traditions of Asian culture. This writer especially loves discovering all of the designer mooncakes available. In addition to the snake, red is a prominent color worn in celebration that is often found in the best Lunar New Year 2025 nail design ideas. The hue is thought to bring good luck and prosperity and ward off the forces of evil. Many of our favorite looks also incorporate fiery dragons, lanterns, red envelopes, knotted cords, fireworks, and more. And let’s be honest: Few things signal new beauty beginnings better than a fresh manicure.
Here, we’ve rounded up some of the best Lunar New Year 2025 nail designs we’re bookmarking from across the internet. From signature snake motifs and opulent jade designs to allover red manicures and sculptural accents, we’re hoping these styles will bring a little luck and inspiration your way just in time for the holiday.
Koi Serenity
Inspired by the peacefulness of koi fish, the set is a garden filled with lush bamboo, jade pendants, and lotus flowers in bloom.
Mother-of-Pearl Snakes
The artist takes najeon chilgi, a Korean craft where mother-of-pearl pieces are inlaid on lacquerware, to another level with this set.
Floral With Gold Accents
We love the simplicity of the set with red aura nails and French tips detailed with gold-chrome accents.
Wet Jade
Looking for a new take on a traditional jade design? This simple yet impactful design idea brings the cult stone to another level with a few water-inspired droplets as nail accents.
Airbrush Lanterns
The paper lantern is a classic way to celebrate Lunar New Year, and this airbrush design focuses on making them appear as realistic as possible. Use the artist’s stencil to get the design.
Editors’ note: Get the nail look here.
Lunar New Year Snake Skin
A yellow and red color combination like this design is a classic staple for Lunar New Year in 2025 and beyond.
Soft Apricot
This hand-painted set is ripe with Lunar New Year symbolism with the hand-sculpted white jade snake and apricot branches.
Reptilian Finish
Start with a green-gray base and apply blooming gel. Add black dots to achieve snakelike skin. Voilà, you’re on theme.
Fallen Stars
The green is delicious and multidimensional like jade and was inspired by falling starlight.
Phoenix Nirvana
Embrace opulence with this red, gold, and blue set covered with extravagant 3D traditional elements.
Fine China
Detailed like fine china, the hand-painted snake is a work of art. The key to this design is a fine brush.
Lucky Gold and Red
Prefer to keep your manicure simple? This lucky red and gold nail look is destined for you.
Cute Characters
The Asian community deeply loves these two characters; their red accessories are the perfect way to commemorate Lunar New Year 2025.
Velvet Hearts
Here’s a velvety cat-eye twist on the timeless heart shape. Professional nail artist Siri’s trick for crafting an expert-level design is using a humble paper clip.
Bejeweled Crimson
Bring in luxury with this wealth of a set. Start with a glittery red base and add red Swarovski crystals and gold-chrome heart embellishments.
Kawaii Snakes
Who says snakes always have to be edgy? This nail set adds a little playfulness to the reptilian creature thanks to soft pink polish shades and adorable bows.
Sculptural Jade
Simply put, this manicure look is pure art. The sculptural 3D set primarily takes inspiration from jade and its different cuts and wonderful colors.
Tết
Tết is the shortened Vietnamese word for Lunar New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán) and is a way to honor the holiday.
Glassy Red
Incorporating red cat-eye gel to build dimension, the artist adds gold for prosperity and florals for new beginnings.
Jelly Gradient
The delicious jelly-like gradient is a perfect way to wear lucky red.
