Blue is the new neutral?!

Ah yes, you read that right. Blue IS the new neutral!  Blues and greens have been around in nail polishes for who knows how long but those color choices were usually for the "rebels" and more adventurous fashionistas. Blue nail polish in the corporate world?? Not a chance! More like mauve-y rose shades and pale neutrals.  Women with small children barely had time to paint their nails, let alone painting them various shades of blue!

I remember first seeing blues in the deepest variety back when almost-black shades of red and blue were all the rage.  Nails were short, round-ish square and painted very, very dark.  It was a striking look but the after-thought was surprising...."Hey my nails/toes go with everything!" Just like the lightest neutral counterpart, the deepest shade of any color is the opposite end of the spectrum...and as neutrals, have a tendency to go with every hair color, outfit and makeup combo. 

 

So where do blues come in? Well, in the last year or so, I've personally experimented with the rainbow in terms of nail color.  If you looked through my nail polish collection more than a year ago, you'd see a few purple shades, mostly reds and pinks and a couple rows of neutrals.  Various top coats and base coats and a few sparkly/glittery clear for a special touch.  That's about it.  Now you'll see various shades of blue, a few grays, deep almost-black shades in purples and reds, the standard collection of pinks and reds, the same rows of neutrals, and a few fun colors mixed in like neons and peachy shades reserved for beach season.  Besides the palest neutrals, I've found that the blue shades, from the lightest blue-gray to the deepest navy, surprisingly, suit my tastes no matter the weather or wardrobe.

 

Blue shades from medium to dark look best on short and manicured nails for a crisp application and flawless appearance.  How gorgeous is that Essie Mesmerize??  I fell in love with it, the brightest blue I had tried until then and I was hooked.

 

The lightest shades of blue can really be worn on short or long nails as you see above. These days, this shade can be worn in an office environment or out to lunch with girlfriends...by any age or personal style. 

 

Because of my skin tone on my body (light to medium olive), I typically can't pull off greens.  I did want to give two honorable mentions however, because they are so very pretty...and I can actually wear them myself! They will suit most skin tones, both unique in their right and do have a way of "pulling neutral", just as many blue shades do.

 

 

Gorgeous camouflage green is the best way to describe this color. More gray than olive, more green than brown...it's a great shade for this time of year, especially with all the camo wardrobe pieces on the market!

 

(photo credit: squarednails.com)

 

This was the hardest picture to find because the color truly pulls more green or blue depending on the person wearing it! It has the slightest shimmer, barely noticeable...the true coloring of its name.  Misty blue-green and one of the most unique neutral blues out there. A great formula, one or two coats and you'll have perfection.

 

If you're just dipping your toes (or nails) into the waters of blues and greens, start off with lighter shades and work your way towards deeper, more adventurous tones.  I think you'll be surprised..;-)