Even though we're now in Autumn and slicking glossy, dark shades on our digits, I still have a soft spot for lighter, cleaner fresher colours. I've championed white nails for years now. I'm usually not a fan of anything that appears harsh or stark but white nails were always my one exception and now that they're 'in' it makes me happy to see more and more people embracing snow white talons. I know everyone isn't a fan though and over the last 2 years or so my collection and love for milky, sheer or almost almost white shades has grown. I've picked out 8 that I feel would suit most skin tones.
L-R: Essie - Delicacy, Revlon - Powder Puff, Leighton Denny - It Girl, Leighton Denny - Sensual Glam, L'Oreal - Opera Ballerina, Nails Inc - Whitechapel, Essie - Neo Whimsical, Essie - Waltz
Essie - Waltz, Essie - Neo Whimsical, Nails Inc - Whitechapel, L'Oreal - Opera Ballerina
Leighton Denny - Sensual Glam, Leighton Denny - It Girl, Revlon - Powder Puff, Essie - Delicacy
Essie - Delicacy: My mum who hardly ever wears nail polish loves this shade. On the rare occasion she lets me loose on her nails this is the shade she always picks. Delicacy is a sheer and shimmery pale pink, one coat offers a healthy, clean, barely there mani but it can be built up to an almost opaque finish.
Revlon - Powder Puff: One of my pound shop finds and it's a goodun! The finish is matte/suede which I just don't do - go glossy or go home! But it's nothing a dollop of top coat won't fix. (swatches)
Leighton Denny - It Girl: This shade is described as pink but not too girly. To my eye it looks more peachy and just like most of the polishes in this post, it's a sheer colour but unlike the rest it can't really be built up to full opacity. It Girl contains subtle shimmer and would make a nice change from the usual pale pink french mani colours or worn alone to even out nail tone.
Leighton Denny - Sensual Glam: A pale cream with delicate shimmer particles - my Harpers Bazaar freebie back in 2011 and as you can see from this post I wasn't the biggest fan of this shade at first. I'm not sure whats changed but I quite like it now even if I don't wear it very often.
L'Oreal - Opera Ballerina: Most of you who read my blog on a regular basis will know this is my favourite nail colour of all time. I've lost count of how many bottles I've gone through now but I'll continue to buy it as long as L'Oreal sell it. One coat gives a gorgeous clean look to the nails, it's one of the few shades I actually love the look of when there's visible nail line but it can be built up (see here)
Nails Inc - Whitechapel: See here and here for swatches. Whitechapel is no longer listed on the Nails Inc site, I'm not sure if it's been discontinued or has just sold out but you can still find it on Amazon and Ebay. This is a true white shade but is softened by the pearlised finished.
Essie - Neo Whimsical: Not white or sheer but a gorgeous clean shade all the same. I haven't swatched it here on the blog yet but have uploaded swatches on my Instagram here.
Essie - Waltz: To me, Waltz is the white version of Opera Ballerina so obviously I love it and don't need to say anything else apart from look at the swatches.
All swatches on the nail wheel are 2 coats with no base or top coat. I know it's hard to see the true colours on a white nail wheel as the polishes themselves are almost white but I hope they're clearer in the linked swatches.
What's your favourite nail colour?
Do you own any of these shades?
