Nail Color Know-How

Pretty and polished or shiny and sparkly, fancy nails are everywhere. How can you find your own best manicured look?

Teens and Preteens

Young ladies may experiment with the entire spectrum of colors. Neons and brights in reds, purples, blues, greens, and sparkles are the rage. Stickers, sequins, gems, and other embellishments are popular.

For teens and preteens (the Limited Too crew), polish may be worn on long or short nails. Basically, anything goes. Most girls attempt to match their nails to their daily attire, so they change colors often.

If you purchase nail polishes for youngsters, be sure to grab a big bottle of polish remover, as they will want to mix and match their shines often!

Sophisticated Ladies

Adult women are more likely to select nail polishes that complement their own natural coloring. (Remember when everyone was consulting their Color-Me-Beautiful keys?)

For example, a fair-skinned blonde might choose a rosy pink, while a dark brunette with ivory complexion might opt for a burgundy red, and a mocha beauty might select a mahogany polish.

Many women will try to coordinate their nail colors to their lipstick. This creates a lovely look, although it is not longer a fashion rule. In fact, fingernails and toenails need not match. Plenty of ladies paint their toes a darker hue than their fingers!

Real grownups generally opt for subtle looks with natural colors, rather than rainbow hues, although some will still choose to make a daring and dramatic statement with nail polish.

Attention-Getters

Women aiming for a flashier look will still pick a fire-engine red, a shocking scarlet, or a bright fuchsia nail polish. Some will add gems, sequins, or other adornments (often to just one or two fingers).

Lifestyle Matters

Long, lovely nails are a luxury that requires considerable upkeep. Salon visits can be expensive, although manicures may be done at home as well, if you have the skill and the time.

Generally, shorter nails do not wear loud colors well. Darker hues simply make them appear short and stubby. If you can grow long nails, go ahead and try dramatic tones. However, if your lifestyle leads you to shorter fingernails, you may wish to stick with clear or light hues.

For example, if you are a seamstress, a typist, a cashier, or a guitar player, you may find it difficult to maintain lengthy, chip-free nails. In such cases, you may find it simpler to keep a clean, short manicure in modest colors (such as light pink, beige, or soft rose).

Black Polish

Generally, ultra-dark black nail polish is considered Gothic. Once popular only on Halloween, it is showing up all over on black-garbed adolescents. Be advised, however, that many middle and high schools do not allow black nail polish on campus. Also, prospective employers may frown on this dark choice.

A Note on Males' Nails

Believe it or not, many men are frequenting nail salons for male manicures and even pedicures. Even more are doing their own nails at home. However, most savvy men apply clear polish only, if they use polish at all. This is more a protective measure than vanity, we think. At least, we hope so!

Colored nail polish on men makes a dramatic statement. Unless you mean to say so, it's better to stick with clear varnish, or simply buff nails till they shine!