For fair and light skin tones, sheer pink nude, classic blue-toned red, bright pink, cool dusty rose, lavender, and navy are pretty options. For medium skin tones, beige nude, orange red, peachy pink, sky blue, and deep grape are attractive shades. For dark skin tones, sheer beige or cream nude, deep wine or crimson, bright fuschia, dark berry, and cobalt are flattering polish colors.
Creme nail polish is usually the standard option. It provides solid, shiny color that is ideal for both formal and casual occasions. Metallic nail polish has a rich, shiny finish that resembles metal. It can be very striking, but metallic polishes have a tendency to streak so take your time when applying them. Matte nail polish offers no shine, so the color has a natural appearance. It can be very chic, but also provides a low-key look that is ideal if you don’t want your polish to stand out too much. Glitter nail polish provides large, eye-catching chunks of glitter than are usually suspended in a clear base. It offers an extremely striking look and can be layered over colored polish for a bolder look. The drawback to glitter polish, however, is that it can be extremely difficult to remove.
You can add a pattern to all of your nails or to just a select few, such as the ring finger on each hand. Nail polish pens often make it easier to add dots, stripes, and other designs to your nails. You can find them in a variety of shades to match any look. To add polka dots to your nails, it helps to have a dotting tool that you dip in polish and press onto your nails. If you don’t have one, you can use a toothpick to carefully add dots to your nails. For clean, even lines, it helps to use striping or medical tape, which won’t leave residue behind, to mark off your nails. If you want to do nail artwork, such as paint shapes like hearts, stars, or flowers, purchase nail art brushes. They have fine tips, so you can be as precise as you need. If you aren’t particularly artistic, you can buy nail stickers that often have fun shapes and designs that you can add to polished nails.
Acetone-free polish remover is less drying on your nails and skin, so it’s usually a better choice. However, if you’re removing glitter or other difficult to take off polish, remover with acetone can take it off more easily.
A slightly rounded shape is the most classic option. It helps elongate short or wide fingers, but it’s flattering on most people. [5] X Expert Source Mia RubieNail Artist Expert Interview. 23 April 2020. An oval shape works well if you have long nails or wide nail beds. A square shape is most flattering on short nails or nails with wide beds. A “squoval” shape, or a combination of the oval and square shapes, has a minimal look that is flattering on all hand and nail types. The almond and stiletto nail shapes are more dramatic and tend to look best on long, slim fingers.
If you don’t have a metal cuticle pusher from a manicure kit, you can use an orange stick. It is made of wood and available at most drugstores and beauty supply stores.
A base coat can also help your polish last longer on your nails and prevent dark polishes from staining your nails.
Never shake a bottle of nail polish to mix it. That can add air bubbles that lead to bumps when you paint on the polish.
To get the right amount of polish, pull the brush out of the bottle and wipe it off on the inside of the bottle’s opening. Next, redip just the tip of the brush into the polish to get a precise bead that won’t run down the brush and flood your cuticles when you apply it. While you want a decent amount of polish on the brush, be sure that there isn’t too much. If you apply a thick layer of polish, it will be more likely to smudge, chip, or nick.
Don’t worry if the polish is streaky after you paint the stripes. Applying additional coats will help smooth out the finish.
If you plan to use more than two coats of polish, let it dry for a couple of minutes between each coat.
Be sure the polish has dried for a couple of minutes before trying to correct mistakes. You may smudge the polish on the nail itself if it’s still wet. Check that your liner brush is clean before you dip in the nail polish remover. If you don’t have an eyeliner brush to use, a pointed cotton swab can also work well.
It’s best not to apply more than 3 coats of nail polish. The more polish that you apply, the more likely your nails are to smudge and chip.
Read the top coat’s instructions to see when to apply it. You can apply some to wet polish because they actually help the polish dry faster. Other top coats require waiting for the polish to dry for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before applying them. If you’re wearing a matte polish, skip the top coat. It will add a shiny finish that will spoil the matte finish of the polish.
Don’t hold your fingers under cold running water. The force of the water can smudge or damage the polish’s finish.
Setting your polish with cold water can help if you want to go bed shortly after painting your nails.
