Have you ever spent so much time picking out a shade for your special occasion to walk out in the sunlight and straight away be disappointed? Ever put on a colour that looked incredible on your friend’s hands but utterly unattractive on yours? Don’t worry; you are not alone. We’ve all been there!
When looking for lipstick or concealer, we put a lot of energy and work into picking the correct shade but generally don’t bother as much when it comes to nail paint. Well, not anymore. We assembled a guide on choosing the perfect nail paint for different occasions: a vacation, date night, or a formal interview. We guarantee these will look fabulous on your hands.
Step 1: Consider your skin tone.
Light skin tone
If you have a light skin tone, be very mindful when choosing nudes and pastels. Try going for darker shades in these colours like browns, magenta, and mauves with cool undertones to enhance your skin to make sure some lighter shades don’t wash you out.
Medium skin tone
Medium skin tones can pull off almost every shade, starting from gorgeous oranges to standard reds. Medium skin tones blend both cool and warm undertones. Silver and metallic nail paint shades look beautiful too. Reds with gold undertones look incredibly flattering on this skin tone.
Deep skin tone
People with a deep skin tone can have a lot of fun when it comes to nail colours. If you tend to stay close to dark shades only, experiment with new shades! You are missing out on a lot! Try vibrant neon shades because they look specifically gorgeous on darker skin tones.
Step 2: Consider the season.
- For summers, go for fun, bright, vibrant yellows, oranges, and blues. An excellent white manicure is iconic for the summer months.
- For spring, choose muted soft pastel shades of pink, blue, green, and yellow.
- For fall, opt for deeper reds and burnt orange shades to match the shades for falling leaves.
- And lastly, for winters, pick darker shades of purple, grey, silver, and black.
Step 3: Consider the occasion.
Coming to our foremost step, pick the right shade that will compliment the occasion you will be attending.
Formal occasions/ interviews:
A significant part of our lives comprises formal occasions such as day-to-day work schedules, interviews, business meetings, business dinners, etc. These occasions are extremely particular regarding what you wear, how you present yourself, and how you carry yourself.
Formal occasions are where you want to be on top of your nail paint game. Neutral colours like greys, beiges, even peachy shades are suited for any professional occasion. Stay away from dark coloured or glittery nail paint and stick to muted colours like soft pink, mauve, or nude. Try a matte polish to give more of a sophisticated look.
A beach vacation
A relaxing beach vacation much deserved after your exhausting daily work or study routines demands a manicure as perfect as the holiday.
Go for bright blue or teal shades to match the glorious ocean, or opt for bright oranges and yellows to match the flowers in bloom. If you want to keep it iconic, go with a fresh white manicure that compliments your golden tan.
A night out clubbing/ a party
What better occasion to try out a sparkly glittery nail paint shade to give you a fun and care free look than a night out? Try glittery reds, deep blues or black to achieve a brighter manicure than the disco lights.
A first date
Dates! The nerves and excitement of a first date are unmatched. So naturally, you want to look all shades of perfection for that special someone. For your first date, go for a flirty feminine manicure with pink or red shades. Pastel peach, creamy pink, peachy pink, and bright cherry red are some options to consider. All these shades are very romantic.
A wedding
The first colour that comes to mind when you think of weddings is red. The reason being how well it goes with a variety of bridal outfits. Considering the diverse Indian cultures and wedding outfits, red is the perfect choice for a bride. However, if you are wearing a white bridal gown, stick with a beige nude shade.
For Haldi, you can go for a yellow and stick with a sparkly shade that matches your outfit for sangeet, and all eyes will be on you.
Step 4: How to apply nail paint like a pro.
Now that you have picked your perfect shade, it is time to apply it in a way that makes sure it looks smooth, shiny and lasts the longest.
- Start by washing your hands and wiping them clean to avoid any lumps and bumps from dust remaining on your nails.
- Always apply a base coat to ensure your nails stay healthy and protected from any nail paint chemicals and provide a smooth base to apply the nail paint.
- When putting on nail paint, shake the bottle well, take a good quantity and start from the middle of the nail going out. Apply in smooth strokes with a steady hand.
- A crucial step to make your manicure last longer and avoid chipping is to cover the nail tips with nail paint.
- Let it dry and finish off with a shiny or matte top coat t to lock in the paint.
- Lastly, do not apply nail paint before bed to ensure it doesn’t smudge or get marks from twisting and turning at night.
With this complete guide, you are all set to go out and take the world by storm, doing all of it with perfectly manicured nails. We hope now you can choose the perfect nail paint for your special occasion. Download Health and Glow Cosmetics app to get all these shades for your fingertips at the click of a button.
