White may be one of the most mysterious colors in the makeup aisle — and even the clothing department. There are ways to wear the color, however, without looking pale or ashy. White and off-white as an accent hue makes your brights even bolder, for instance. See how to use the pearly makeup shade on eyes, lips, and nails when you keep reading.
The old adage that you can't wear white before Memorial Day has pretty much fallen to the wayside. Not only does this apply to clothing, but it applies to beauty, too. And when it comes to nails, no longer is the milky hue relegated to French tips or for an era where floral miniskirts and pale lipsticks were de rigueur.
White nails seem to be everywhere these days, and can be found in Spring and Summer 2012 collections ranging from Chanel to Essie. See five different ways to wear the trendy tone now.
Bright, expressive nail color has been a hallmark of the last few seasons, but could the soft, creamy nude shades that have been popping up on the red carpet testify to an impending backlash? In the last couple days alone, Ashley Greene, Lauren Conrad, and Victoria's Secret model Marisa Miller have all been spotted wearing similarly sweet shades of ecru on their digits. What do you say: Are you in the mood for a change of polish pace? Or would you be sad to see bold brights cycle out of fashion?
With the matte nail trend going full force, it's all about polishes with white, off-white, and nearly white tones. While it has the low-shine finish that's so very of-the-moment, it's not a chalky, dull look, but it's not an overly sheer or glossy look, either.
The always-fashionable Gwen Stefani has been spotted wearing a more opaque version during her current tour with No Doubt, and other celebrities, such as Paris Hilton, Rachel Zoe, and Molly Sims, have taken part — each with her own twist on the trend.
To get the look, try Essie Nail Polish in Blanc ($8), a snowy white; OPI Nail Polish in Alpine Snow, a matte white; or make your own light polish into a matte one with Essie's Matte About You ($10). See more celebrities who have worn variations of this white/almost-white trend below.
History is repeating itself once again with the return of the pale white nail. But this time around instead of being ultra opaque or iridescent, the colors are less intense and more sheer. Just the other night at the Sleepwalking movie screening, I noticed the feminine fingertips of Charlize Theron, Tinsley Mortimer and Beth Ostrosky. Here are two sheer white nail shades I think you'll really get into for spring.
White Satin by Chanel ($19) is a limited-edition shade of glossy white. The first coat is very sheer, but you can layer it to create a more potent polish. And if you're into french manicures, one coat looks beautiful over the white tips.
Barielle Nail Shades in Sensitive ($8) is sheer shell white color that has a high shine finish and claims to be salon-strength. Also, it's tolulene free — awesome.
In addition, Zoya also has a new white shade out for spring called Purity, but from what I understand it's heavier and more opaque than it is sheer.
Memorial Day is just around the corner, and if you follow traditional fashion rules, that means it's officially time to start wearing white. So why not take a cue from Scarlett Johansson and try wearing it on your nails? (It works on real people too: Check out what Retail_therapy has to say.)
Pure white and off-white nails are very trendy right now, and both shades look especially good with tanned skin and summery clothes, like brights and pastels. Here are three products to help you get the look.
OPI Nail Lacquer in Fit for a Queensland ($7.50). This shade from OPI's Summer Australia collection has an iridescent finish.
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