How to Choose the Best Nail Polish Color for Your Skin
Are you ready to rock a manicure that perfectly complements your skin tone? Let's learn how to choose the best nail polish color for your skin! Don't worry, we'll guide you through the process of how to pick a nail polish color that will make your hands look downright stunning.
How to Match Nail Polish Colors to Your Skin
First, let's talk about undertones. Your skin's undertones play a crucial role in finding the ideal nail polish color.
How to Determine Your Undertones
To determine your undertone, take a look at the veins on your wrist. For best results, do it in daylight.
If the veins appear blue or purple, you have cool undertones, while green veins indicate warm undertones. If it's difficult to tell, you likely have neutral undertones.
But let’s be honest, it’s not always easy to tell the undertones by looking at the wrist. If you want to confirm what you think you see, here is an alternative method for determining skin undertones.
Use White to Decide on Undertones
Do you look better in white or off-white clothing? People with neutral undertones can wear either. But if you look extra pale in off-white, you probably have a warm undertone.
Grab a piece of white paper and hold it against your skin. If it brings out pink or blue, you have cool undertones. If it brings out yellow, you have warm undertones.
Choose the Best Polish Color for Your Undertone
Now that you know your undertone, let's explore the best polish shades for different skin tones. Remember, you are still free to wear any color you want!
Fair Skin with Cool Tones
For fair skin with cool undertones, go for vibrant blues, purples, and classic reds to make your nails pop. Midnight blue is stunning as is pure red. But be cautious with very dark colors as they may make you look washed-out.
Nail artists also recommend sheer nudes with blue-toned or dusty pinks, sophisticated grays, and milky pastels.
Fair Skin with Warm Tones
If your fair skin has warm undertones, try pastel shades, peachy pinks, and soft corals. Avoid beige and very dark colors as they may make you look pale.
Happily, there are many pastel and nude polish colors that suit fair skin! We love jelly nudes like these:
Lavis Jelly Nude Gel Collection
Here’s a fun way to effortlessly enjoy the jelly nails trend. With twenty-four translucent shades, there’s a match for every skin tone and outfit. Whether you love baby pink, cool blue, or warm taupe, these gels are so easy to apply!
Medium or Olive Skin with Cool Tones
Medium skin tones with cool undertones look amazing in deep reds, metallics, and berry shades. Surprisingly, a cinnamon-colored polish might be just the thing you need! But be choosy with white or milky shades. Instead, have fun with bubblegum pink and express yourself with plum, and teal.
Medium Skin or Olive with Warm Tones
Meanwhile, warm undertones shine in rich oranges, golds, and warm-toned neutrals. But skip the yellowish polishes and those that are bluish-pink. To the contrary, sweeten up your manicure with apricot.
Lavis Pastel Colors
With over four dozen enchanting shades to choose from, your only problem will be deciding where to start. These gorgeous pastel gels are made for professionals but ideal for beginners. The polish flows smoothly without bubbling or shrinking and cures to a brilliant shine.
Dark Skin with Cool Tones
Melanin-rich skin with cool undertones is stunning with jewel tones, deep purples, and bold blues. However, if you need something a little more subtle, mauve provides a touch of sophistication.
Dark Skin with Warm Tones
At the same time, warm undertones glow in rich reds, oranges, and bronze shades. Take a pass on nudes unless it’s rosy beige. In its place, go for copper or cocoa.
How Nail Polish Color Can Change Your Appearance
The shade you wear can make you look younger or more mature, thinner or stronger, and healthier, too. Even the finish can affect your look.
Enhance a Tan
Here’s a neat trick. If you want to look more bronzed, go with gold or yellows and oranges to make your hands look more tanned. We found the perfect pastel yellow gives us a healthy glow.
The only downside is that if you aren’t already sporting a base tan or olive skin, these shades might not work for you. At least that’s easy to fix with self-tanner.
Make Your Hands Look Younger
Did you know that something as simple as nail color can make your hands look younger? If you have cool undertones, try lilac or soft pink. If you have warm undertones, choose coral and peach.
If you need to look more grown-up, skip the pink and go for an elegant gray with the appropriate undertone. For instance, here is a cool-toned gray and a warm-toned gray.
Change the Size of Your Nails
It’s also true that the polish color can make your nails look smaller or larger. For example, plain white or pastel blue give the illusion of larger nails. At the same time, deep colors like burgundy make the nails look smaller.
If you would like longer, slimmer fingers, wear nail tips with a sheer nude finish. And if you wish your fingers were more substantial, try black. It’s amazing what colors can do for your appearance!
The Finish Effect
The typical nail polish finish is glossy, but you may find that a matte finish provides the effect you desire. It’s stylish and elegant and just as long-lasting as a high-gloss coat.
Conclusion
Embrace your unique beauty and confidently show off your gorgeous nails with the right polish color. By understanding your skin's undertones and choosing the best polish shades for different skin tones, you'll always be ready to make a statement with your manicure. Let the world see your fabulous nails! When they ask where you got that gorgeous color, send them to our new arrivals page to help them find their new favorite shade.
