Nail Polish

Nail Color and Skin Tone

Just like cosmetics, nail color looks best when it works well with your skin tone.

• Orange-red shades, brown colors with yellow undertones, and peach and yellow based polished are great for bronze and olive skin tones.
• Although medium skin tones are versatile, burgundy shades are especially complementary.
• Pinks and berry reds are good choices for pale and ivory skin.
• Deep corals, purples, and strong reds work well for darker skin tones.

Finishes

In addition to the vast variety of colors that have become available, there is also a number of finishes. Matte polishes have a beautiful, natural look, perfect for daytime wear. Wet or super shine looks are popular and add a touch of glamour. Metallic finishes, available in many colors as well as golds, silvers, and bronzes, are popular as well. Creamy and pearl finishes offer a delicate feminine look, while glitter finishes are fun and flirty.

Types of Nail Polish

There is a wide variety of nail polishes available. Standard polish contains drying, hardening, and coloring agents. It needs ample time to dry in between coats and to dry completely. For best results, apply a base coat, then nail color, and finish with a top coat. Base coats help color adhere to the nail smoothly and evenly. Ridge-filling base and sensitive skin base coats are also available. Top coats provide a protective finish and help keep your nails looking beautiful longer. Some lines include combination base and top coats; the same product can be used for both applications. Other types of nail polish include:

• Fast-Drying: This may be labeled quick-drying, sixty-second, or some other derivative, but the composition of these nail polishes allows them to dry more rapidly than standard polish. These are popular with today's busy women, but the polish may chip more quickly.
• Long-Lasting Polish: Extended wear polishes are made to last longer between applications without chipping.
• Strengthening Polish: Usually fortified with protein or other strengthening agents, these help to protect and build up weak or brittle nails.
• Growth Enhancing: These are designed to promote growth of hard-to-grow or overworked nails with vitamins, calcium, or other ingredients.
• All-in-One: These time saving polishes contain a base coat, color, and top coat in one application.

Brands and Prices

Many brands of nail polish sold at drug and department stores are excellent quality. Prices generally range from $2 to $10. Popular brands include Maybelline, Cover Girl, Sally Hansen, Revlon, and Neutrogena.

Salon and higher-end department store brands are more expensive, usually ranging from $8 to $20 per bottle, but boast some of the hottest shades and deliver high quality. Some of the most popular brands include Lippmann, OPI, and Sephora.

Natural Polishes

Most nail polishes do contain chemical ingredients. Many companies now formulate their nail products without formaldehyde and a controversial ingredient called DBP, but most still contain other chemicals. If you are looking for more natural alternatives, some companies, such as Suncoat Products and Honeybee Gardens, make natural and water-based nail colors and treatments.

Application

• Prepare: When applying nail polish, prepare your cuticles first by using hand cream or cuticle oil to soften the cuticles. Push them down gently with a hoof stick. Shape and file your nails as desired, then wash them thoroughly or use polish remover to remove all residue of grease or oil that might prevent the polish from adhering to the nail.

• Apply: Allowing polish to dry in between coats, start with a base coat and follow with your desired color. Start at the base of the nail and draw the brush gently towards the tip, applying thin rather than thick layers of polish.

• Finish: Usually at least two coats of color is recommended, but apply more or fewer coats as you wish. The more coats you apply, the more intense the final color will be. Finish with a final top coat, and allow to dry thoroughly, generally at least 10 minutes, before you resume activity.