How To Find A Nude Nail Polish for Your Skin Complexion

What does the “nude” nail look like in 2018?

There have been advancements in beauty when it comes to defining that term more accurately. Just think of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty foundation launch in 40 hues (and the countless beauty companies that scrambled to catch up, launching more inclusive extensions of their foundation ranges).

But what about nail polish? For many of us, ‘ballet slippers’ and most so-called ‘nudes’ aren’t a color match. It’s a frustration that me and many other women of color feel.

Atima Lui, founder and CEO of The Nudest, shares the same sentiment. “Sometimes you just want to be neutral or have something that feels good for a conservative work environment or even a wedding,” says Lui. “And it’s a really hard thing to do when you’re a woman of color.”

So Lui invented the NUDEMETER, a patent pending skin tone matching technology that utilizes photo research, computer vision, and product data to match users with products that compliment their unique complexion. The tech takes into account both undertones and sun exposure to create inclusive nudes and a language of 54 skin tones. It’s already being used by several brands, including the hosiery brand Nude Barre.

And there’s a great need for Lui’s technology in the nail polish space. “There’s a common misconception that people on the lighter and middle spectrum of skin tones are the only ones with undertone difference,” Lui says. “This is not the case. Dark skin can have yellow or red undertones that some nudes won’t work with.”

Still, there are options out there. They just aren’t labeled nude. “In the nail polish space, it might be called Chocolate Chip or something like that,” says Lui.

Ahead, 45 nail polish hues that all could be labeled nude—broken down with the consideration of undertones and pinks, creams, browns, golds, and “nudes” for all.

Deep skin tones:

Dark skin with warm undertones:

Dark skin with neutral undertones:

Medium to olive skin tones:

Light to medium skin tones

Very fair to light skin tones