The Modern Nude Nail

Hi guys, today I’m going to share some of my favorite nail polish colors with you and talk about my latest obsession: the Nude Nail. The French manicure is challenged by flesh-toned hues. Finally, a new neutral is born.

The goal of the Nude Nail is to elongate the fingers with a monochromatic look. It can be tricky to find your appropriate nude. All you need to do, however, is simply take your foundation–yes, your base that you wear on your face–and scan the nail colors in the store until you find your best nude. Like a paint chip, as you compare the color of your foundation with the nail polishes, you will find your match. Remember to look for a creamy nude with good opacity that really covers the nail like concealer. Trust me, it will look so elegant and super classy.

One of my personal favorites is Monogamous by Illamasqua, below. Monogamous is a creamy flesh-tone with a hint of peach and is most suitable for really pale skin with pink undertones. I love this color, as well as the formula.

The amazing thing about Illamasqua polishes is not only their fast dry time (five minutes) and long wear (until you take it off), but also their rich opacity. One coat will usually suffice, which is good news for us girls who are always in a hurry.

There’s nothing monotonous about being Monogamous in this fashionable color. It will look fresh on its own, or you can top it with one of Deborah Lippmann’s many stunning glitters.

The great thing about the nude nail is, you can easily fancy it up with a little sparkle or a sheer metallic top coat, or an artsy manicure, shown above. With the collection of unique shades by Deborah Lippmann and Illamasqua, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Deborah Lippmann’s Fashion, above, is the number one request at fashion shows and shoots for all the models. It is a beautiful fleshy color, not quite as grayish-taupe as you see in the picture. (FYI, Deborah’s polishes are consistently more beautiful in person than when they’re viewed on a computer screen.) Not only are the colors beautiful, but the formula is outstanding—dries quickly and lasts.

For those with the darker skin tone of singer Mary J. Blige, No More Drama, below, would look perfect. In fact, it was Mary J. Blige herself who developed this color with Deborah.

I just love the monochromatic look of the Nude Nail. It’s so modern. Deborah’s Glamourous Life, below, is a rose-gold metallic that I’m also totally digging.

It is a next-to-nude that was seen on all the models in the Badgley Mischka Spring 2012 fashion show, below.

Orly’s Coffee Break, above, is a beautiful caramel nude. But remember not all nudes are created equal, so pick your colors with care and enjoy going nude.