NAIL COLOR THEORY

It must be said that there is no such thing as color that’s “bad” or “wrong” for you—with even the smallest amount of conviction and confidence, any shade can work. There is, however, a science behind why certain colors seem to be your colors whether it’s neutral, bold, or bright in tone. This is where color theory comes into play: by analyzing hues, undertones, and complementary shades, you’re able to grasp which types of polishes might best suit your skin tone.

HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR SKIN TONE

Skin tones fall under cool (blue in undertone), warm (golden or olive in undertone), or neutral (somewhere in between). Though it may be easy for some to determine their undertone with one look, it may not be so obvious for others; skin tone, after all, is incredibly nuanced. One of the simplest—if not quickest—tests to help find out where you fall on the spectrum is to use a standard sheet of white printer paper to compare against your inner wrists.

• Compare your skin to the paper; does it look pinkish or blue-toned, or does it look golden to red? If the former, your skin is on the cooler side. If the latter, you have warm undertones.
• Take a look at your veins, too. Blue veins are typical of cooler skin tones, green representative of warmer skin tones, and purple is usually indicative of a neutral undertone. 

COOL VS. NEUTRAL VS. WARM

• LIGHT: Bespoked, a pastel beige with pink undertones
• RED: Guilty Pleasure, a hot cherry
• BLUE: In the Clouds, a pastel baby blue
• BRIGHT: Berry Punch, a statement, radioactive pink
• DEEP: True to Form, a deep greige-taupe 

• LIGHT: Murray Me, a vanilla French crème with the slightest greige undertone
• RED: Double the Deck, a true, full-bodied red
• BLUE: Dainty Daze, a dreamy periwinkle
• BRIGHT: Tipps Time, a modern, tropical green with (surprise!) neutral undertones
• DEEP: Chim Cher-ee, a jet-black cream

• LIGHT: The Full Monty, a warm, tea-tinted beige
• RED: Piccadilly Square, an ultra-bright blood orange
• BLUE: Reverse the Charges, a Mediterranean Sea blue
• BRIGHT: Flashback, a vibrant sunset orange
• DEEP: Chivvy Along, a decadent, deepened teal 

With Love,

Team Londontown