8 Tips for Choosing the Right Nail Polish ...

Different colors of polish work well with different seasons. For instance, for the upcoming spring (in hopes that it ever comes), both pastels and brighter colors work well, and that can carry on into summer. Darker, dramatic colors look good in winter, and for fall, metallic shades are excellent.

Likewise, choosing the right nail polish based on the occasion or the event you're attending is a good idea. Obviously, you'll want a different shade for work or for school than you will for going out at night. In a professional environment, neutral shades are a good idea. Conversely, at evening activities you can go all out with metallic shades and brighter colors.

Your skin tone has a lot to do with picking out the perfect polish. You need something that complements the color of your skin. If you're very fair skinned, lighter shades with pink or blue undertones are a good idea. Dark skin looks wonderful with lighter colors as well, but also looks incredible with dramatic, dark shades. Olive toned skin will look beautiful with gold toned shades of polish.

Some women like to make their nail polish match their makeup. Generally, the match up occurs between your polish and the shade of lipstick you choose to wear. This is actually a good idea, because if your skin looks good with a certain shade of lipstick, then the same shade of nail polish will likely look good as well.

The same thing goes for the clothes in your wardrobe. If you have a lot of purple clothes, and look good in them, then a corresponding shade of polish will probably look great on you too. Ditto red, black, green, and so on.

Sometimes trends get a little crazy, and should be avoided at all costs – and that goes for nail trends as well. However, there are times when the going trends for nail polish are really spectacular, and you can certainly choose the right nail polish based on that. You won't necessarily want to bedazzle your nails or anything, but you can pay attention to color trends.

There's no saying that the traditional rules of nail polish have to apply. Sometimes you just have to go with the whole trial and error approach. Find out which colors work and don't work by trying new ones. After all, just because you're fair skinned doesn't mean darker shades won't look good with your skin – but you'll never know unless you try.

If you can't decide between different nail polishes or really want to go all out, don't be afraid to do it. You can layer your nail polish so there are two or more colors on each finger, or you can paint different nails in different shades. As long as you wear this look to the appropriate places, you're golden, so don't be afraid to take a walk on the wild side!

Painting your nails is a great way to express yourself, as long as you have the right nail polish for your look. Hopefully these tips for choosing the right nail polish can give you some ideas about what to choose. What colors do you like the paint your fingernails?

Top Photo Credit: Whitnickle