The Best Pinky-White Nail Polishes for Your Next Manicure
"It's kind of like the LBD of nail polish."
By Brittany Burhop Fallon, Beauty Director
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If I had a dollar for every time someone complimented my nails while wearing OPI’s Let’s Be Friends (it’s a best-seller that they finally brought back from the limited-edition graveyard), I’d probably have a new designer bag on my arm. It’s the perfect white-pink shade that goes with everything—I even wore it on my wedding day, despite the irony of its name.
And it turns out, I’m not the only one who loves this color. I spoke to several salon owners who said this type of opaque pinkish-white is one of their most requested shades, and you’ll see many celebrities wearing it too. “Pinky-white shades never go out of style because they work so well at enhancing the true beauty of every skin tone,” says celebrity nail stylist Mazz Hanna. “They elongate the fingers on pale skin for a subtle, yet elegant statement, and they offer darker skin tones a bright contrast, without the harsh effects of a classic white polish. It’s kind of like the LBD of nail polish—it’s always in style, no matter the season, and brings out the best in everyone.” I couldn’t agree more.
Scroll through to see our list of the prettiest pale-pink polishes—a mix of regular and salon-only gel—so that you’re ready to go come #ManiMonday.
This creamy, soft-nude pink is a celebrity favorite: It girl Sofia Richie even wore it on her wedding day to keep her nails beautifully neutral so her dress would make the statement. For her rehearsal dinner, Richie’s manicurist Georgia Rae applied one shade of OPI’s cult-classic Funny Bunny, a sheer white polish (this one doesn’t contain any hint of pink).
The brand describes this shade (probably my favorite nail color of all time) as cotton-candy pink, but I’d say it’s even lighter than that. It’s also super creamy, but I still prefer three coats when I’m trying to hide any frustrating ridges on my nails.
From the brand’s limited-edition spring 2022 collection comes this creamy, dreamy pastel shade to complement the turn of the seasons. And depending on the lighting and the skin tone of the person wearing it, the tone can veer more pink or more lilac, but either way, it’s a crowd pleaser.
New from the brand’s 2022 collection—the formula and brush have been updated for better application—is this pale-pink shade that applies like a traditional nail lacquer, cures under LED light in 30 seconds and stays on for up to a whopping three weeks.
The brand has a ton of classic neutral-pink shades to choose from, so we’re taking the guesswork out of it for you: This one is the end-all-be-all of O&J’s light pinks—dainty, pretty and a must for hands and feet (it looks so good on toes in the sand!).
Before I discovered Let’s Be Friends, this creamy pink (it’s almost a white with a hint of pink, though it looks more lavender in this photo) was one of my go-to shades, and I could easily find it at the drugstore in any city. Now, many years later, it isn’t as easy to find, but I’m happy to see it’s still a beloved hue and available on the brand’s site.
A vegan nail polish with serious lasting power and high shine for a non-gel formula, this color is super versatile and will go with everything in your wardrobe. Plus, the brand’s NailPure formula also contains a patented Regenerating Complex to rev up the production of keratin in your nails so they become stronger and healthier over time.
Described as “impossibly romantic,” this one is more sheer, for those who like a little more of a natural look, but it’s nonetheless a salon staple. Click here to find a salon that has it.
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