Nail Polish Colour - How to pick

[Lesina]

I have started to get gel manicures to keep my nails nice but really struggling to select a nice neutral shade that looks smart and importantly compliments my skin tone. I have quite pale skin but my hands are slightly reddish, particularly in the cold. I did select a very pale cappuccino shade but it looks dreadful :(

Completely at a loss on how to pick a shade that will compliment my skin tone.

Any advice?

I am very pale too, nudes shades don’t work well on me. Brighter shades seem better on me, coral, bright pinks & reds.

Ask for help in the salon. They see hundreds of different shades on hundreds of different skin tones and should have an idea of what will work well.

Pale neutral shades look terrible on me so I always chose bright bold colours. Is there a reason you need to pick an neutral colour!

I have pale/white hands and soft neutrals just don't work on me and give me mannequin hands, if I paint my nails I always go for a dark rouge noir rip off colour.

Would a sheer pale pink be a little bit better with a pale skin tone that sounds as though it might be cool in tone as well? If you wanted something more subtle/neutral rather than bright.

Something like this maybe?

My go to is OPI bubble bath which is a pale pink - looks very natural. Similar shades are shellac nude knickers or the gel bottle marshmallow. I have to stay away from beige shades as they look awful on me.

I'm pale too and nudes and pastels look wrong on me! I tend to go bright or very dark. My favourites right now are summery reds or this lovely indigo colour I have.

Why does it need to be neutral, is that a work requirement?

I tend to go for the same colours as I would find suit me in terms of clothes, which for me is brights- turquoise, bright pink, coral or similar.

@flowery

Why does it need to be neutral, is that a work requirement?

I tend to go for the same colours as I would find suit me in terms of clothes, which for me is brights- turquoise, bright pink, coral or similar.

Not a work requirement, having never really painted my nails at all, I am a little unsure of using strong colour though I love them on other people.

Sounds like we have similar hand colouring. I have a rose pink colour which really suits me - it's a classic understated shade (it's the same kind of colour as my 'perfect match' lipstick). It acts like a neutral in that it goes with pretty much everything and gives me hands like a proper grown up.

I also suit the more vivid pinks like bubblegum pink, deep blues and greens, chocolate, coral and turquoise. Basically all the colours that suited me best when I got my colours 'done'. What colour clothes suit you best?

I'm rocking black at the moment. Suits my return to work mood. 😂

@Lesina

I have started to get gel manicures to keep my nails nice but really struggling to select a nice neutral shade that looks smart and importantly compliments my skin tone. I have quite pale skin but my hands are slightly reddish, particularly in the cold. I did select a very pale cappuccino shade but it looks dreadful :(

Completely at a loss on how to pick a shade that will compliment my skin tone.

Any advice?

Whatever colours suit you in clothes. This is fail safe. If you can wear mocha / burgundy /Scarlet /shocking pink then you can wear it on your nails.

Try them all OP!
I alternate each time between pale and dark.