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What does your nail polish say about you?

Are you a sexy red? Or a demure ballet pink? Or maybe a bold and daring black? Fact is that whether they’re glammed up with sparkly polish or left unadorned, nails can tell a lot about a person.

Try to remember for a moment, what’s your instant assessment when you see someone wearing black nail polish? Now do you see my point? And does it make you wonder exactly what secrets your own nails are spilling?

Here’s the scoop from the colour psychology geniuses over at Pantone, who explain how your choice of nail polish could be making that first impression for you.

Red

Red nail polish is the ultimate statement of glamour – a bold, look-at-me colour that speaks of passion, fire and confidence.

It marks you out as someone who is daring, dramatic, outgoing and doesn’t shy away from the spotlight.

Play with this hue when you want to show off your diva side!

Orange

This cheerful tropical colour is popular amongst women who are bubbly, creative and love the warmth of summer. They are generous, make friends easily and are first in line for any kind of fun outing.

Yellow

Yellow is associated with the sun and warmth. Plus, it’s impossible to ignore. Women who accessorise with punchy yellow nail polish tend to be spontaneous, extroverted and bohemian, with a unique sense of style.

Lavender

Softer shades of purple, such as lavender and lilac, are graceful and collected – pointing towards a personality that’s feminine without being overtly girly.

Purple

Creative people are drawn to this complex combination of blue and red – wearing it on your nails shows that you are confident, artistic, individualistic and not afraid to stand out from the crowd.

Pale pink

Soft pink nails belong to someone who is quiet (or doesn’t want to stand out) and youthful without being cutesy.

Women who opt for this hue are impeccably groomed, making this the perfect colour for svelte career professionals.

Hot pink

Chic, sexy, bold and playful… hot pink is associated with fun and spontaneity. You have to be a confident soul to wear this feminine colour as it’s bold and eye-catching.

Burgundy

Deep and dark, like the wine for which it’s named, burgundy nail polish is chic, trendy and indicative of an edgy personality that appreciates a good challenge.

Green

Going “green” with your nail polish exudes earthiness and spunk. It is a strong colour and has a lot of power, making it the top choice for women who have a sense of adventure and don’t shy away from risky choices.

Blue

Forget any tranquil associations – when worn as a nail polish, blue is not for the faint of heart. It’s fun and experimental, giving the impression that you live an adrenaline-filled lifestyle full of constant excitement.

In short, blue nail polish tells the world that you are youthful, fun and willing to try new things.

Neon

Rocking a neon hue is a good sign that you’re up for a good time. You are hip, vivacious, energetic and talkative with a “life is too short” attitude.

You are the life of the party and strike up conversations with strangers – probably while dancing the night away in a cool nightclub.

Nude

Suntanned taupe and nudes are for clean-cut, beachy girls (hello Jennifer Aniston!) who are glamorous yet secure enough not to follow every trend. Pretty and polished, they are feminine without being high maintenance.

Dark brown

A deep and rich colour, dark brown indicates boldness and authority. It is also the signature of a woman who is earthy and energetic, given it’s associations with Mother Nature.

Black

This dark and stormy colour reflects a daring, “don’t mess with me” femme fatale who is a trendsetter and doesn’t care what anyone else is doing.

And no, wearing black nail polish doesn’t mean you are depressed or going goth: rather, it’s a way of rebelling against the norm and showing some of the darkness in your personality.

Gray

If your colour palette contains hues of grays and greiges, you are the quintessential modernist: cultured, well read, androgynous and cool fashion maven.

White

The chic one: you are classic and confident, know what you like and no one can change your mind. You also don’t want to be bothered by chipped nails.

French manicure

A classic French manicure reveals a glamorously conservative side. You don’t need a whole new colour: your nails look good as they are, and you simply emphasise and define yourself.

Gold

This neutral-but-not colour is for the woman who is glamorous, fashion forward and knows how to mix couture pieces with the high street. A true style maven!

Glitter

Blinged-out nail polish is the playing ground of glamour girls like Katy Perry – even if real diamonds are out of the question, nails can still look decadent enough to break the bank.

Chrome

Chrome nails are for an iron maiden who isn’t afraid of anything. She’ll save herself from the tower, thank you very much!

Duo-chrome

This futuristic two-tone look indicates a person who’s way ahead of her time and loves technological advancements. Their curiosity and love of learning leads them to find the latest invention – whether for smartphones or nail polish.

Nail wraps

Adorning your nails with funkily designed wraps tells others that you are trendy, fashionable and fun. Oh, and you want attention!

Painted designs

Intricate nail art tells the story of a free spirit who has a creative imagination and is a risk taker. She isn’t afraid to experiment and embraces change.

Clear

They call you “au naturel” because you don’t have time to have it any other way. You are too busy to play with colour. And you don’t need a whole new colour: your nails look good as they are!

What nail polish color do you typically wear? And don’t cheat and say clear! Personally, I am all about a burnished gold or a soft glitter. You?

Also read: What does your lipstick say about you?

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Comments

  1. Noor says

    October 4, 2018 at 02:10

    In fact I just got done putting a fresh coat of blood red nail polish on my nails.

    Reply
    • Mustang Jane says

      October 4, 2018 at 05:43

      You go girl! Love my red polish. Because of my coloring, I stick with jewel tones. I look washed out in pastels.

      Reply
    • hi says

      November 18, 2021 at 01:30

      I need to paint my nails black, or grey.

      Reply
  2. Tkeyah says

    October 4, 2018 at 04:23

    I mostly polish my toes and nails, hot pink, light pink or glitter, the glitter is fun to me.

    Reply
  3. nails spa ladies says

    October 4, 2018 at 04:45

    I am love french manicured polished nails nude nails and very shiny clear polished and manicured nails

    Reply
  4. Fiona says

    October 4, 2018 at 05:26

    I usually wear clear on all nails except one or both my pinkies. on those, i wear burgundy, black, gray, mustard yellow, really anything that attracts my eye at the time.

    Reply
  5. Elle says

    October 4, 2018 at 08:54

    I wear French, Reds and shades of Green

    Reply
  6. becky says

    October 21, 2018 at 23:25

    Wow, this is awesome. Sending it to all my friends. I feel it’s dead on when it comes to predicting personality.

    Reply
  7. Caitlin says

    November 25, 2018 at 10:42

    For me the description doesn’t match me but I love a sparkle red in any shade. Normally what I stick to but sometimes I’ll make them purple or blue depending on what my hair is At the time lol

    Reply
  8. Haley says

    January 14, 2019 at 23:00

    I love red nails.

    Reply
  9. Disara says

    May 11, 2019 at 13:11

    I LOVE glitter nails. But this time I used only plane bright yellow, which I’m satisfied about. It highlights out from my tanned skin. I used to wear black nail polish wherever I went, to whatever I wore, but recently stopped using it cos I noticed a lot of other friends/ non friends of mine started using black. Maybe they copied me. HAHA! So now, I’m more into bright colors. 🙂 Just my opinion, pearly pink color makes you look old. (I’m a teen, and I don’t like to look like I’m in late twenties. LOL)

    Reply
    • Wiser says

      May 16, 2021 at 08:21

      Like being in one’s 20s is sooooo ooooold. Wait until you turn 40.

      Reply
  10. Jimmy donald says

    July 15, 2019 at 15:15

    How often do you look at your nails? And why? Why is this important to you?

    Reply
    • Nat says

      July 10, 2020 at 09:27

      Because your mom told you take care of your nails. It shows good hygiene

      Reply
  11. LexiAnn says

    September 29, 2019 at 19:49

    I love my long pink and white acrylics. It’s my signature style. I have a standing salon appointment every Friday for my mani/pedi. Of course I get a matching pink and white Tammy Taylor french pedicure. I think the look is very feminine and I get a lot of compliments. I never wear a color.

    Reply
  12. Natasja says

    April 21, 2020 at 18:27

    I love going between deep darker (cooler toned) reds, burgundy’s, dark purple and black and also, you cannot go wrong with a nice french. It’s my birthday tomorrw and I have opted for red this year.
    Thanks for the post! Thoroughly enjoyed it!

    Reply
    • anubha says

      April 21, 2020 at 21:17

      Happy happy happy birthday… hope the red brings you loads of cheer and power through the year. How are you celebrating?

      Reply
  13. Kaga Nails says

    May 2, 2020 at 00:35

    I like very shinny nail polish and the purple shade. I have number of colors of gel nail polish.

    Reply
  14. Sassi Boem says

    June 13, 2020 at 21:24

    Pale pink or white is my fav since it looks natural. On holidays, I opt for black with a gold or silver shimmer. I paint my nails very rarely. Only if I’m going to a wedding or a graduation, usually. 1-2x/year.

    Reply
  15. Greta James says

    June 16, 2020 at 21:50

    Thank you so much for pointing out that glittery nails can help you look fashionable and expensive! For the last few weeks, I have been craving a change in my style. I want to stand out and express my self in a more open way. I really like your point about glitter; I think that I will look into buying silver glitter nail polish strips that can make me feel fancy for a great price.

    Reply
  16. Jennifer says

    July 29, 2020 at 09:04

    Loved reading through these! I currently have a dark purple chrome polish on my nails hehe. I find that expressing yourself through your nails is both a fun and empowering way to make yourself feel classier and put together. Especially with the fact that we look at our hands all the time!

    Reply
  17. Heather Lynn says

    July 30, 2020 at 12:17

    I just had mine done yesterday. Black French Tips. My go to when I’m able to have them done other then that I can’t stand color on my fingers. I always do a shade of teal on my toes.

    Reply
  18. Vanesa says

    September 24, 2020 at 07:38

    I love black nail polish and light purple is okay

    Reply
    • Kristopher Wright says

      June 25, 2021 at 01:37

      I love Black Nail Polish too.

      Reply
  19. Therese says

    September 28, 2020 at 05:55

    I’m more of a deep color girl and I love trying new things to keep it interesting but when I’m not sure my go to is Silver chrome.

    Reply
  20. Lee says

    October 14, 2020 at 04:06

    I choose to use black because yes i am a huge anime fan, and Naruto Shippuden is one of my all time favorites and some of the Akatsuki where black nail polish, and besides its common in anime for some that are tough to wear black nail polish,or have black nails. Its just the best nail color for those obvious reasons. ;3

    Reply
  21. Lee says

    October 14, 2020 at 04:12

    good choice

    Reply
  22. Eli Richardson says

    January 27, 2021 at 23:14

    It’s awesome that you talked about what the color of your nail polish could reveal about you. My sister’s daughter’s birthday is coming up, and I’m looking for the perfect gift for her. She’s been into makeup and nail polish lately, so I just thought about getting a manicure or something like that for her and my sister. I think your article will be interesting for them both. I’ll be sure to share it. Thanks for helping me learn about how color psychology applies to your nail color as well.

    Reply
  23. Suannya Gayen says

    June 24, 2021 at 14:30

    Currently i am wearing green … But i will like to try tomato red for sure.❤️

    Reply
  24. Annapurna Dwivedi says

    July 7, 2021 at 18:00

    Loved the collection!

    Reply
  25. Najla says

    February 24, 2022 at 06:45

    I mostly wear blues and purples on my toenails, and would love to wear all sorts of colors on my fingernails, but I’m very active and maintenance would be a nightmare. For those, I stick to nudes, lavender and clear.

    Reply
  26. Shagun says

    March 6, 2022 at 23:46

    This piece of content is really insightful.

    Reply
  27. Rachel says

    May 9, 2022 at 16:44

    Seems like i’m an earthy person. I always love green or dark brown

    Reply
  28. Gianna says

    September 30, 2022 at 08:05

    Normally I just do white, lavender, or blue.

    Reply
  29. sakera begum says

    October 23, 2022 at 19:40

    This was such a great post! I’ve been using black polish since reading this article, and it’s amazing! I don’t mind my daughter using it too. Goes on beautifully, lasts for days, and the remover makes my nails and cuticles feel so much healthier. Black nail polish is common in anime for something hard to wear. , or have black nails. This is just the best nail color for these obvious reasons. I’ll be sure to share it. Thanks for helping me learn how color psychology applies to your nail color too!! I appreciate your hard work. I’m pinning it for future reference.

    Reply
  30. SNS Nails says

    December 5, 2022 at 19:20

    What a great breakdown! It’s totally true that our nails say a lot about our personalities and they’re one of the best ways we can express ourselves and change up our look. Loved the perspectives here.

    Reply
  31. Courtney says

    February 12, 2023 at 04:49

    Always Red, Bf wants me to paint them hot pink this time which will be a first for me but I think it will look pretty. ♥️

    Reply

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