In Allure's October 2011 special issue, readers were given a Beauty101 cheat sheet full of helpful tips on how to fall forward by mastering this season's trends. Here's what they had to say about Metallic Nails:

The hottest nail color right now isn't just one shade, but it is one finish: metallic. Wear Fall's best polishes well with these easy tips.

• File nails short. As with most trendy polishes, metallics can look tacky on long nails.

• Select a color. Gunmetal and silver look best on fair skin; copper suits medium complexions (try CND's Copper Chrome); and both gold and bronze flatter dark skin (Deborah Lippmann's Nefertiti).

• Create a smooth surface with a ridge-filling basecoat, such as Orly Bonder.

• Roll — don't shake — the bottle of polish between your hands for a few seconds to mix the iridescent pigments.

• As you paint, hold the side of the brush flat against the nail to keep metallics from streaking.

• Because metallics look best when they're really glossy, never skip topcoat, and actually go for two layers of it. Tell your clients that after three days, they can paint on a fresh coat. But avoid fast-drying formulas, which don't add as much shine.

• Take off polish with acetone remover; nonacetone ones aren't potent enough to tackle the shimmer.