How to create a festive yet sophisticated manicure this holiday season

 Nail file, nail polish remover, Chanel Le Vernis 167 Ballerina, Chanel Le Vernis Chaine d’Or and a top coat.

Start by filing your nails into a short, rounded square shape. “The micro French suits a shorter nail length, shaped to compliment your finger and nail plate,” advises Petroni. “The shorter the nail length, the finer the micro French becomes to keep the look elegant and sophisticated.”

Even if your nails are bare to begin with, Petroni recommends swiping them with polish remover before painting. This “ensures that the polish will ‘anchor’ to the nail and be less likely to chip and peel away from the nail plate.” Try: Chanel Le Dissolvant Douceur, $32 or OPI Nail Polish Remover Acetone Free, $10.95.

Using the Chanel Le Vernis 167 Ballerina, apply two coats of colour. Petroni says this is the ideal amount to create a smooth and even finish, where brush strokes and imperfections are less visible. “Once you have painted all 10 fingers with the first coat of colour you can immediately start painting the second coat on all 10 fingers.”

Allow your base colour to dry for 10 minutes before moving onto the micro French tip.

Using the new Holiday Nail, Le Vernis Chaine d’Or, and a steady hand, paint a micro French tip onto each nail. Petroni describes the shade as “a delicate translucent gold lacquer that can be layered to create a heavy metal effect.” You can use the natural outline of the white tips of your nails as a guide. Alternatively, you could skip the base shade altogether and simply paint a micro French tip onto a naked nail — that way you can use a fine brush or cotton tip dipped into polish remover to smooth your line and touch up as needed.

Seal in your hard work with a top coat for extra longevity and voila! A chic holiday manicure just in time for Christmas.