20 of the Best Nude Nail Polishes for Every Skin Tone

You can never go wrong with neutral nail polish — it’s guaranteed to go with every outfit and makeup look. All nudes aren’t created equal, however, and the best nude nail polish for one skin tone may not be the most flattering pick for another. With that said, we want you to find your perfect nude, so we’ve rounded up the best natural-looking nail polishes for every skin tone.

Best Nude Nail Polishes for Deep Skin Tones

Essie Expressie Cold Brew Crew

This warm, mid-tone brown is the perfect accent to deep skin with warm undertones. The neutral shade has a quick-drying formula that dries in under a minute for a mess-free DIY manicure.

Essie Gel Couture Fab Florals

If you have red undertones, you’ll love the way this clay-colored shade brings out the warmth in your skin. The Gel Couture formula is long-lasting and chip-resistant, without the need for a UV lamp. 

Essie Expressie Take the Espresso

Bring the drama to your nude manicure with this deep chocolate brown. The color looks almost black, with a warm brown hue that shines in the sunlight. 

Lights Lacquer Americano

We love this warm buttery brown, which glides on fully opaque with just one coat. It creates a sleek, monochromatic look that appears fresh out of the salon.

Best Nude Nail Polishes for Dark Skin Tones

Essie Limo-Scene

Let your natural nails shine with this sheer, milky hue. Whether you wear it solo or as base for a French manicure, it’s the perfect understated neutral.

Essie Paintbrush It Off

This warm brown polish does a beautiful job of enhancing golden undertones in dark skin. Plus, like a classic camel coat, it will go with any outfit. 

J. Hannah Hepworth

Those with dark skin and cool undertones will appreciate this taupe-y nude hue. It’s chic and demure, perfect for manicure minimalists. 

Olive and June Caramel Budino

This rich, honey-tinged brown brings ’90s nudes back. It looks stunning on all dark skin tones, especially those with yellow undertones. 

Best Nude Nail Polishes for Olive Skin Tones

Essie Skinny Dip

Skinny Dip is like a sheer veil of peach for your nails. To make the color look as seamless as possible, keep your fingers moisturized with a cuticle oil, like the Essie On a Roll Apricot Cuticle Oil. 

Essie Sew Gifted

This sandy, peachy-nude will perfectly complement the golden undertones in your olive skin. It’s a cream formula, so it’s great if you’re looking for a nude polish that’s still packed with pigment. 

Essie Vanity Fairest

This pinky-nude shade is set to become your go-to sheer nail polish. We love it worn alone or as a base for a French manicure on olive skin. 

JINsoon Earth Clay

Give your nude manicure a crafty spin with this pottery-inspired shade. It’s a warm, balanced brown that’s not too light or too deep on your olive skin. 

Best Nude Nail Polishes for Medium Skin Tones

Essie Talk to the Sand

A pinky-nude polish like Talk to the Sand looks natural and elegant on any nail shape, from long and oval to short and square. 

Essie Expressie Buns Up

Go classic and neutral with this soft beige shade. It’s the perfect barely-there polish for medium skin tones.

Essie The Snuggle Is Real

Nude meets mauve in this delicate mid-tone shade which will enhance warm and neutral undertones.

Essie Lady Like

Complement cool undertones with this equally cool-toned, creamy nude shade. A hint of rose makes this polish stand out from your standard nude.

Best Nude Nail Polishes for Fair Skin

Essie Topless & Barefoot

One of our editors swears by this pinky-nude shade — she says it goes with her entire closet  and “looks fantastic with a squoval nail shape.”

Essie Ballet Slippers

This cult-favorite polish is a sheer, pinky-nude that lets your natural nails take center stage. It’s the perfect color for achieving a glossy, naked nail look.

Essie Expressie Crop Top and Roll

Crop Top and Roll is a sweet, pinky-peach nude that dries down fast and complements fair skin with warm undertones. It looks equally adorable alone or as a base for some floral nail art. 

Essie Gel Couture Fairy Tailor 40

This translucent baby pink polish offers a whisper of color and shine on fair skin tones. We think this would look stunning under chrome powder or a metallic topper, like the Essie Expressie FX in Iced Out Top Coat. 

Photo: Chaunte Vaughn