Chic looking nail polish colour recommendations please.

[MordechaiVanunu]

I'm trying to take more care of my nails and keep them varnished, but I can't find an everyday chic looking colour that I'm happy with.

I only like dark colours for evening wear, they feel too vampy on me for day wear.

I've tried beigey nudes, I have one on now- No 7 So Simple, and I just look like I have corpses hands.

I don't like the porn star white tipped French manicure look.

I think I want a pretty pale but not milky pink, that makes my nails look healthy but also 'done', so more than a pinky clear, and maybe slightly brighter than pale, but not little girly.

Does this colour exist?? Do I want too much??

The best nudes I have found are 'my fair lady' - ciate; and 'basil st' - nails inc.
For a healthy sheer pink 'south molton st' by nails inc is great - I wear it teamed with a white nail pencil and it just looks like the most healthy, natural manicure.

I have always wondered how people use a white nail pencil. Do you put it under the nail white, or on top but under polish?

wet it and put it under the nail - then wash the residue from your skin. super easy and quick - my nails can look quite transparent and it just makes them look more opaque (without the scary porn star look!).

I was looking at south molten street and wondering if that was what I wanted.

I've never heard of these nail pencils. Can you buy them in boots? Do they really just wash off skin? I think my nails are probably a bit short for that at the moment. They are in recovery after a 3 week manicure removal left them weak and peeling. They are growing now and stronger but still quite short, just peeping over top of finger type short.

Where can I buy nails Inc polish? Do I have to get it from the Internet?

I'm beginning to think maybe I should branch out into a darker colour?.
What do you think vampy or chic?

I prefer OPI to Nails Inc, but it's a personal thing. My fave nude is "Coney Island Cotton Candy".

I prefer neutral fingernails, but if I'm going dark then I'm going to just go for it - I've currently got <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=cuckoo+for+this+colour&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=509&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=0ywi1DBUJGjkxM:&imgrefurl=www.vampyvarnish.com/2010/07/opi-swiss-collection-fall-2010-swatches-review-part/&docid=S8OYzg9rigdXYM&imgurl=www.vampyvarnish.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/OPI-Cuckcoo-For-This-Color.jpg&w=500&h=533&ei=3klVT6--MKmj0QXwyrHVCw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=93&sig=109662308950655765491&page=1&tbnh=156&tbnw=139&start=0&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=59&ty=119" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cuckoo for This Colour on (although more coats so it's darker). I don't feel brave enough to go for black/dark purple. Red is always a good option, but I feel it's a bit too "look at me", because if I want cheering up I wear red lipstick and I don't like having both together.

I have both but tend to wear nudes on my hands and dark reds on my feet in the winter. I do wear deep colours on my hands if it works for the outfit though.

South molten st is the best transparent pink I've found - it just looks healthy (I tend to just do one coat over the top of my nail envy and then top coat on top - I find 2 coats starts to turn the whites abit pink).

You can buy the nail pencil's in boots - I use a rimmel one. It is just like running eyeliner under your nails - it deposits a layer of white under the nail. Only about £2 so not a disaster if you hate it but I've been using them for years. It would work on your length of nail - I get them really sharp and it defines the white better.

Dark colours show up unhealthy nails better...get them in great condition and then treat yourself to a fab vampy colour (my fave is victoria from nails inc - its a rouge noir). You can get nails inc in boots etc but it is £11 a bottle so try ebay etc first.

Essie do a fantastic selection of natural but groomed pinks. Some of them are classics such as Mademoiselle but they're always bringing out new ones. I also love their greys as they go with everything - Chinchilly is my favourite and I also like Jazz tho that has a slight taupe tone you may not like.

If you are open to colours as well as beige, nudes, pinks there are some lovely teal, mint, acqua colours around at the moment - e.g. Dior Waterlily, Estee Lauder Teal Topez and lots of similar cheaper ones. Those colours have always been my fave and I think they look classy but not boring. Lots of other nice pastels and sensible colours around too.

Dark can be chic or vampy - depends on how dark, the colour, nail length, whole outfit and your look IMO, so hard to say! I think you can get away with dark more easily in the winter where something like a deep plum looks great, but maybe a bit out of place in spring.

to be honest - I have mostly nails inc colours because I get them as freebies with glamour/ coke etc . I use opi nail envy religiously but have never tried the laquers. I do like an opaque creme colour though and nails inc do them better than anyone I think. Don't really like leighton denny colour formulas - think they are too runny - but his precision corrector is brilliant. And his nail file is the best on the market.

PastGrace I LOVE that OPI polish you just linked.

you can't beat coral toes in the summer...they look like jewels!

Thanks Ellen. It always goes down quite well on here.

MrsM another vote for the nail file - I particularly like that it comes in a glass case. I snapped my last one by sitting on my sponge bag (in a suitcase, waiting at the airport).

I love Nails inc Basil St . Leighton Denny does a really lovely pale grey called 'Zero Gravity' .

On Essie which I (just) prefer in texture to Nails Inc, also recommend Ballet Slippers and Delicacy. They're all on the Nails by Mail site.
For non 'natural' colours fancy trying the new Chanel blues for summer.

OP, while checking Amazon for PastGrace's shade I saw OPI Dulce de Leche and think that could be just the kind of pink to match your description link

stilla - when glamour did their last nails inc promo I bought 5 each of the victoria and basil street - love them both.

mrsmartin great minds n that I had a few basil st's from Glamour.

I've just looked on Leighton Denny as my Zero Gravity came as part of a set - they have a very similar colour that has just come out message in a bottle

stilla are you a fellow qvc'er?

Ellen that is gorgeous!

This thread is going to get expensive...

outed !

Oh I love that grey! I never thought of trying that sort of colour - will have to give it a go.

I have Rose Lounge by Bourjois as my day to day colour (this is the one that Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day - though I've been wearing it for a long while before that). It lasts really well. It is a pretty pale pink. If I want more colour I wear just one coat of South Molten St by nails inc too (that looks good in summer). Have never tried the white pencil tip - I will have to have a go at that too.

Another vote for the essie range.
Or the lttle mavala bottles. Size is great to try out something new.
I LOVE the grey.

Love all these!

I'm happy with most colours but don't like special effects (ie shatter, glitter etc). And I only like blue and green if it is super dark. Other than that I pretty much have every colour going - must have 60 bottles now...