Here's the thing — every time I have an acrylic client who insists that the pinkest pink is too pink, I show her the basic pink. Usually the issue is that they don't like pink. At all. So I reach for the peaches and cream, or clear. I hate using clear. From any manufacturer, it just doesn't age well. It's not the product, it's not the sunlight and tanning booths, it's not the polish. It's the breaking, picking, chewing, and whatever people do to their nails that makes me cringe when they come back with their natural nail bed all beat up and the product chipped up, then expect me to magically restore their nails to their original perfection. Can't be done. And can't be faked with clear.

Today, I found myself dealing with the most common complaint I have about not using pink: one of my "peaches and cream" clients was worried about the "discoloration" of her acrylic.

Thing is, there isn't any. Her acrylic is in perfect condition and remains the lovely, soft natural peach color that the powder goes on as. But it's not pink. It has no violet undertone to counter the yellow/orangeness of the peach. It's not pink— it's peach. And that looks yellow to her.

But she doesn't want pink.

I don't know what to do? I have learned over many many years of working with color — long before I started doing nails even — that I have a better color perception than many people, and I know it's very common for people to not like the natural color of their teeth or natural nails because all the models in the magazines have computer enhanced white teeth when real teeth are off-white ... and so are natural nails.

I just don't understand: How do you like the color when we pick it out and then not like it two weeks later when it looks exactly the same?

Just let me use the pink.