The top 5 nail polish shades as chosen by a Beauty Editor

Rimmel nail polish, Christian Louboutin nail polish and Nailberry nail polish

published 20 August 2022

They're the classics for a reason

Sure, nail art is super fun and the different looks being offered at London's best nail salons go way beyond the days of novelty cartoon drawings on index fingers. But as a beauty editor, there is nothing that I like more than a simple fresh manicure consisting of one solid shade.

Of course, there is a time and a place for being more playful - I always go for something a little more adventurous and cute for my Valentine's Day nails - but for my everyday look I'm not interested in having fun nails, I want to look smart, sophisticated and expensive.

Perhaps it's my age? I'm well and truly into my mid-thirties now and want to look the part. And I do this with the help of some of the beauty industry's chicest nail shades. I rely on these five shades to help me elevate my everyday look.

1. A sheer nude

2. A dark burgundy

Max Factor Masterpiece Xpress 60s Nail Polish in Mellow Merlot, £5.99 | Boots
I absolutely love a glass of red wine (who am I kidding, I absolutely love six glasses of red wine). There's just something about the colour. The deep red just calls to me. And that translates rather nicely onto the nail too. Perhaps it's the French vibe? But a dark rouge nail just looks sophisticated. I tend to use this mostly in autumn and winter when you can most likely find me in the corner of a cosy pub drinking a glass of red wine.

3. A greige

4. A pillar box red

5. A pale pink

Essie Nail Lacquer in Mademoiselle, £7.99 | Lookfantastic
Most people will tell you that Ballet Slippers by Essie is the perfect pale pink. Unfortunately for them, all of these people are wrong. Because the perfect pale pink shade is in fact, Mademoiselle. The brand calls it a 'grown-up pink' and I couldn't agree more. It's not the childish hues of your early years - this isn't baby pink. The high shine finish makes it expensive looking and the colour is a heightened, more perfected version of your natural nail.

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Katie Thomas is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK. With over 10 years of experience on women's luxury lifestyle titles, she covers everything from the best beauty looks from the red carpet and stand out trends from the catwalk, to colonic irrigation and to the best mascaras on the market. She started her career on fashion desks across the industry - from The Telegraph to Brides - but found her calling in the Tatler beauty department. From there she moved to Instyle, before joining the Marie Claire digital team in 2018. She’s made it her own personal mission to find the best concealer in the world to cover her tenacious dark circles. She’s obsessed with skincare that makes her skin bouncy and glowy, low-maintenance hair that doesn’t require brushing and a cracking good manicure. Oh and she wears more jewellery than the Queen.