How to Choose Nail Polish Colour That Suits You

Co-authored by Mia Rubie

Last Updated: March 25, 2024 Fact Checked

Picking out nail polish colour can be a very fun endeavor. However, with so many different colours and styles, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Luckily, there are ways to narrow it down. Factors like the season, your skin tone, and your personality can help you pick out the perfect polish for any occasion.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Choosing Based on Your Skin Tone

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1
Go for nude shades if you have a light or medium skin tone. Nudes tend to work best for light-coloured or medium-coloured skin. Lighter skins benefit from a pinkish nude. Avoid beige if you have pale skin, as it could create a yellow undertone. If you have medium-coloured skin, you can go for either beige nudes or nudes with a pinkish undertone. Both will look great on your skin.^{[1]
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- Dark skin tones don't look as good with nude shades, but if you want something lighter and less noticeable, try pastels.
If you love pink, you'll be happy to know it works for every skin tone. Pale skin tends to look great with any type of pink, from soft baby pinks to bright fuchsias. Peachy shades of pink look great on medium skin tones. Dark skin looks great with very bright, vibrant pinks.^{[2]
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Blue is a universal colour that looks great on pretty much any skin tone. If you have pale skin, played down blues like navy blues look great. Medium skin tones look good with sky blues or pastel blues. Vibrant shades, like cobalt blues, look good on dark skin.^{[3]
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Experiment with purple. Purple looks good on pretty much any skin tone, but different shades match better with different tones. If you have a pale skin, opt for lavenders. For medium skin, go for a pastel shade with hints of gray. For dark skin, both pastels and brighter shades of purple look great.^{[4]
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- Deep purple polishes with berry undertones also work great if you have a dark complexion.
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Choose the best red for your skin tone. If you have pale skin, go for a bright, classic red and avoid sheer tones. For medium skin, red-orange shades look great. For dark complexions, go for a deep wine red.^{[5]
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- If you have pale skin, hold up a bottle of red polish to the light when shopping. If you can see through the polish, it's too sheer for your skin.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Selecting a Polish for an Occasion

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1
Opt for neutral colours for formal occasions. Neutral colours tend to work anywhere, so they're a safe option if you're wearing polish to work or a job interview. For an every day look for professional occasions, you can opt for grays, whites, beiges, and light peachy shades.^{[6]
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- For example, wear a beige polish to a job interview.
- For a fun color that's still neutral, opt for gold with a little bit of shimmer.^{[7]
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  Mia Rubie
  Nail Artist
  
  Expert Interview. 23 April 2020.}
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Go with holiday-themed colours. You can wear the colours associated with a particular holiday for a fun, festive look. For example, wear red, glittery polish for Christmas or bright orange polish for Halloween.
- Holiday-themed colours can be a particularly great choice if you're going to a party commemorating a particular holiday.
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Choose a colour based on season. Some colours are more appropriate depending on the time of year. It can be fun to transition your choice of polish colour with each new season.
- For the fall months, go for colours like grays, dark blues and purples, silvers, cherry shades, and burnt oranges.^{[8]
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- For the spring months, try greens, whites, bright pinks, yellows, reds, and bright blues.^{[9]
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- For the winter, try deep purples, light pinks, grays, and silvers.^{[10]
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- For the summer, try shades like light pinks, greens, bright reds, corals, and light nude shades.^{[11]
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Add sparkles for a fun event. If you're going for a night out on the town, incorporate a little fun into your look. Add nail polish in sparkly shades or add a sparkly topcoat over a dark base. A little glitter and sparkle can make for a fun, carefree look.
- For example, paint your nails black and then wait for them to dry. Once dry, add some glittery gold polish over the black to create a fun, sparkling look.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Picking a Polish Based on Personality

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Maybe you see yourself as someone with a wild side who enjoys partying. Metallic colours, like metallic blacks, blues, and silvers, really give off a party vibe. These can be a great option to convey your fun loving personality.
If you want to give off a punk rock, edgy vibe, black nail polish can be great. When paired with things like leather, hoodies, and band t-shirts, black polish can appeal to your rebellious side.^{[12]
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Pick bright colours for an energetic look. A variety of bright colours can give off an energetic look. Pick oranges, greens, and yellows if you want to emulate energy. Bright pinks can also work for an energetic look.^{[13]
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- If you want something both bold and energetic, go for a bright orange or green. These are somewhat unusual colours that can add a touch of quirkiness to your look.
- If you want something very bright, you can even go with white polish.
If you want to give off a serene demeanor, look for softer, more played down polishes. Shades like light purples and pinks have a feminine, soft feel. You can also try pastel shades of blue.^{[14]
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Show off sophistication with darker polish. If you want to look sophisticated, choose a deep polish with berry tones. A deep purple polish or a wine red polish can really reflect a classy personality.^{[15]
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- Deep polishes look great when paired with former outfits, like evening gowns.
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Go for bright red to look bold. Red is traditionally thought of as the colour of confidence. If you want an overtly bold look, opt for a bright red polish. This can be great for an event where you want extra confidence, like a first date.^{[16]
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- For example, try something like candy apple, true red, or an red-orange colour.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What are some nail polish colors that will go with anything?

Mia Rubie
Nail Artist
Mia Rubie is a Nail Artist and the Owner of Sparkle San Francisco, a nail studio based in San Francisco, California. She has over eight years of nail artist and management experience and is known for her push-the-envelope designs and artistic eye for colors. Her clients include Sephora, Target, and Vogue. Her work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and StyleCaster. She holds a BBA focusing on Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations from San Francisco State University. You can find her work on her Instagram account @superflynails.

Mia Rubie

Nail Artist

Expert Answer

My favorites are nude, red, and gold. I feel like gold is a very modern neutral.

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Question

How do I match two or more colors on my hand?

Community Answer

You could do a base coat in one color and some designs in another color. You could also do two colors alternating from nail to nail. When trying to decide which two colors to use, consider the theme of the event, the time of year, etc.

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Question

I am 81 years old with very thin hands. I have fair skin with grayish veins, and my nails are in good condition. What is an attractive nail color for me?

Community Answer

Bright red is a good color to go with, or a pastel color for someone with fair skin.

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