There's nothing worst than taking the time to plan a trip to the nail salon and realizing that none of the shades leave you with that clean, polished look you crave. The process of selecting a neutral shade that complements a deep skin tone can be made that much more difficult when there's no immediate reference for how trending nude shades look on darker skin. (No one wants to spend their appointment testing endless similar polish shades.)
As someone who's experienced that painful process firsthand and is a self-proclaimed manicure enthusiast, I'm always on the hunt for neutral nail colors that are versatile enough to be great on any skin tone and look absolutely immaculate on my own. Recently, I had the opportunity to go straight to the source and ask the ridiculously talented celeb nail artist Elle Gerstein for her go-to shades as well as her tried-and-true process for creating the perfect manicure. Gerstein has been behind the gorgeous nail looks of celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Storm Reid, Blake Lively, and Mariah Carey.
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Her philosophy for achieving a clean, polished look for any manicure is to prep the nail and give it a great base coat like her personal favorite, Butter London's Priming Base Coat. "[It] makes the nail have a good even base for sheer colors, as it will prevent and camouflage the streaking and discoloring, " she explains. "A lot of the newer base coats are like concealers for nail problems such as white spots, ridges, streaking, and polish-stained nails, as they disguise and conceal so you can wear sheer colors and still look flawless." After giving your nails the TLC they need, it's time to move on to selecting your color. Keep scrolling to reveal the neutral nail colors we're loving for medium- to deep-toned skin.
Nail Colours For Dark Skin Tones That Are Super Flattering
Show off deep skin tones by opting for pearly white polishes for a clean look. If you'd like to take it one step further to add a hint of eye-catching shimmer, try layering your chosen white shade with a sheer pearly polish like the ones below by JINSsoon and Nails Inc.
Looking to add some warmth to your look? Try a nail polish shade that's not quite orange or brown and has a rosy undertone to it. It can be applied as a sheer pop of color to the nail but is also buildable if you're in the mood for something with a little more punch.
Take it from Gerstein: Rosy tones are the way to go. When deciding on a shade, she looks for a hue that leans toward being sheer and brown to avoid it appearing white or opaque on darker skin tones. This one by LeChat Nails is her go-to color.
Nail Polish For Your Skin Tone
I'll always love a good neutral, especially if it plays up the natural tone of my skin. For deeper skin, brown-based neutrals can serve as a versatile nude shade. It also helps that they're all over the place right now and range from warm, sandy tones like the one above to
Off-white shades are universally flattering on all skin tones but look absolutely ethereal on deeper ones. I'm loving both of these creamy white hues—one perfect is for everyday wear, and the other adds a dreamy finish to any night-out look.
Kick things up a notch by trying a toffee-beige shade for depth and dimension. Staying away from "muddy" brown can save your finished look from washing out your gorgeous skin. You're welcome.
Top Neutral Nail Polish Colors For Every Skin Tone
You can never go wrong with a pretty milky tone to bring a touch of effortless romance to your look. My favorites are ones that go on semi-sheer but give the nails a healthy-looking blush tone.
Another one of Gerstein's top picks? A chic chocolate brown. Her favorite is LeChat Nails' Nail Lacquer in Coco Kisses, as it "looks very polished without competing with the skin." I am a girl that loves beauty, and getting my nails done at a salon is always an extra special treat, especially during the summer months — mainly because I love dark nail colors, and I am usually shamed for being the lone girl in the nail salon asking for black in July. But, hey, to each their own, right?
We’re often our own worst critics, but chances are you’ve grown so much and are closer to all your life goals than you think.
The 7 Best Nail Polish Colors For Dark Skin 2023
I like to save my mani money for the fall and winter, and let my natural nails do their thing in the summer since I’ve given up on painting my nails at home.Bright summer colors look amazing on dark skin, but there is nothing like rich blues, deep greens, and a flesh-tone nude on my brown skin. Making the right polish choice can be tough, especially with all of the new launches that pop up each season, but I’m going to share some of my favorites with you all in hopes you fall in love with a new shade you’d never thought about trying.
There was a time when the term "nude" was not inclusive of dark skin, but thanks to black women creating space for women in the fashion and beauty industries, we have nude undergarments, lip colors, shoes, and nail polish that truly match our range of skin tones. Pear Nova’s creamy oak 5-free lacquer is a gorgeous match for brown skin.
When I saw this polish, I gasped. It was so pretty, and I knew this would look good on a range of dark skin tones. Rust Worthy gives you leaf-falling fall vibes with a splash of glam.
Of Our Favorite Nail Polish Colors For Dark Skin Tones
Dark greens are going to be a major player this fall, and Oribe's deep teal is so full and dark that depending on the lighting it could get mistaken for black — which I love.
A classic red polish is always a good idea no matter the season, but Smith & Cult created a nail color that reminds me of a candied apple sprinkled with 14-karat gold. Match this shade with gold stackable rings or a statement accessory, and you probably won’t stop looking at your candied nails.
The name of this midnight blue 10-free polish says it all. I can envision many beauty editors wearing this chic color as they sit front row at fashion week.
The 7 Best Nail Colours For Your Skin Tone In 2022
Greens are big this season, but OPI's "Aber-Green" is not jewel-toned like Oribe's polish — the moss-green hue will complement dark skin just as well.
White nail polish is a summer staple, and I think it is a color you can take into fall. But, if you're looking for a lighter hue with more color, a soft grey is an option.
Gold is one of my favorite colors to wear as an accessory because it brings out the gold undertones in my brown skin, and this champagne-inspired polish from Ella + Mila is no different. Though this is rose gold, you get the same color pop with a spin on a classic.
Nail Colours That Look Stunning On Deeper Skin Tones
Just because we're moving into a time of cooler temperatures and a darker wardrobe doesn't mean pink is off-limits. I am of the mindset that you do you, so if you want to keep rocking that neon pink, go for it. If you want an option that is a deeper hue without losing the color pop, give this magenta metallic color a try and match it with a bright pink lip.
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Have you ever seen a wine-hued lipstick on deep brown skin? If you have, you know it's a showstopper. I'd imagine this deep-wine colored polish would have the same effect on a fresh manicure.
I couldn't make this list without a shade of true black polish. If you’ve mastered your at-home mani, splurging on a lux polish from the iconic house of red bottom shoes isn't a bad treat-yo'-self gift for all the coin you’re saving not visiting the salon every couple of weeks.
Best Olive And June Colors For Your Skin Tone — Created Colorful
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Maya Allen is a beauty editor with over five years of experience covering hair, makeup, skin, and nails. She is currently the beauty director for InStyle Magazine.
Evelyn Lim is a nail expert with more than 18 years of experience. She currently serves as the chief educator of Paintbox, a top nail studio in NYC.
Liquid Glass Lacquer
Out of all the decisions you have to make in a day, choosing your nail color probably isn't the hardest. But with so many shade options, it can take quite some time. Thankfully, widely inclusive color options make finding shades that suit your skin tone fun. Practically every day, another new nail shade launches. And brown-skinned beauties, there are so many shades made with you in mind. The best nail colors for dark skin tones span, well, pretty much all hues of the rainbow. It's true—there's not one shade that doesn't look good on your melanin-rich skin. High-impact shades pop against dark skin tones, and deep, sultry shades look seamless. Rejoice: We lucked out in this category (unfortunately, there are still limited foundation shade ranges for dark skin tones).
If you usually stick to the
