For top nail colors, Allure suggests a charcoal gray such as Essie’s Smokin’ Hot or a blackberry shade like Essie’s Carry On. And how do you match it to your skin? First decide on pale, red, or dark polish, and whether you have a cool or warm skin tone. To figure out whether you’re cool or warm, hold your arm next to a white sheet of paper. If your skin looks reddish, then you have a cool undertone; if your color is a more golden shade, you have warm undertones.
From here, choose the shade that flatters you best. For a cool skin color with a pale polish, for example, pick a sheer polish like OPI’s Bubble Bath, but warmer undertones should be paired with a polish that carries more body. The article also gives ideas on how to avoid biting your nails, as well as comparisons of soak-off gel lacquers, such as OPI’s Axxium, Bio Sculpture Gel, Orly GelFX, and CND’s Shellac.