Nude Gel Polish Shades

A nude gel polish is the manicure that looks like a better version of your own nails. It is also the shade that goes with everything, which is why it is the one a salon runs out of first. The difficulty is that nude means something different on every hand: a beige that looks clean on one person looks chalky on another.

This page collects every nude we sell, from warm beige to rosy neutral and soft taupe, so you can compare them together. Each opens on its own product page with the shade selected. For a clean, softer white, see milky white; for a bold alternative, red. The full range is in gel polish.

Match the undertone, not the depth

Skin has an undertone as well as a depth: warm (golden or peachy), cool (pink or rosy) or neutral. A nude that shares the skin's undertone looks natural. One that fights it looks flat or grey. Skin tones run from fair to deep and from golden to rosy, so no single beige suits everyone, which is why a range of nudes is worth owning.

• Warm undertones suit nudes with a golden, peach or caramel lean.
• Cool undertones suit rosy, pinkish and mauve-leaning nudes.
• Neutral undertones suit most of them; start with a soft beige or a pinky taupe.

Hold the bottle or the photo beside the hand in daylight, and look at the tip of the finger, where the nail meets the skin. The shade that blends there is usually right.

One shade lighter, or the same?

A nude one step lighter than the skin makes the nails look longer and brighter. A nude that matches the skin exactly gives the elongating, nails-but-better effect. A nude a step darker looks deliberate and rich. Choose by the look the client wants.

Applying nudes without streaks

Pale colours show brush marks more than dark ones. Use thin coats and keep the brush moving, and cure each coat before the next. Two or three thin coats give a more even nude than one thick one, which cures unevenly and can wrinkle. Apply over a base coat so the colour has a smooth foundation; the Viraa Pro Base Coat is made for it. See base coat vs top coat for why.

Finishes that suit nude

Gloss. The classic: a clean, glassy nail. A no-wipe gloss top coat such as the No Wipe Top Coat leaves it smooth.

Matte. Nudes are the classic matte colour. The flat finish turns a beige suede-like and expensive-looking; the matte top coat guide covers how to apply it evenly.

With a French tip. A nude base with a white or a gloss tip drawn by hand is a quiet, modern French. Use a fine liner from the nail art brushes.

With an accent. A single nail in chrome or glitter over a nude set is the quickest way to dress it up.

For a salon

Stock several nudes, not one: a warm, a cool and a neutral at least, and the shades a step lighter and darker. For bulk prices see wholesale, and for top and base coats, top and base coat.