Year-round sun-kissed skin, caramel complexion, or post-vacation golden glow: how to reveal the beauty of your hands when you have medium skin? With a few colorimetry guidelines and by considering your skin undertone, we help you identify the most flattering polishes for a manicure that truly matches your complexion. Let’s nail it!
Find the right colors with colorimetry
What you need to know to use it well
Colorimetry allows you to detect the colors that highlight you based on your skin’s natural pigmentation, your hair color, and your eye color. It’s used in wardrobe choices by opting for colors that brighten your complexion: the right tones awaken your skin, the wrong ones dull it. The same logic applies to nail polish! The right shade visually lengthens your fingers, enhances your hands, and even accentuates your tan. Conversely, a wrong shade can clash with your skin color.
Find the shades that beautify you thanks to colorimetry.
What is your skin undertone?
Here, it’s about identifying not the visible color of your skin (light, medium, or dark complexion) but your undertone: that subtle and permanent nuance that influences how colors interact with your complexion. There are three main undertone families:
- Warm: your skin tone leans towards golden, peach, or olive
- Cool: your skin shows pink, bluish, or reddish undertones.
- Neutral: unsure? You probably have a mix of both.
Identify your skin undertone to better choose your colors.
🔎 Simple tip to find out: hold your wrist in natural light and observe your veins. If they appear blue or purple, you likely have a cool undertone. If they look green, your skin has a warm undertone. And if you hesitate or see a bit of both, you’re probably neutral, which opens up an infinite colorful playground for you!
The “perfect matches” for medium skin
Good news! Medium skin tones can dare almost any color. Here is a selection of polish colors tested and approved by us, whether you lean more towards warm OR cool undertones.
6 colors to flatter neutral skin with warm undertones
Like a chromatic resonance, the following shades capture the warmth of your skin and extend it to your fingertips. The result: a harmonious and perfectly coordinated look.
Warm colors for sunny days
Starting with Crème, a gourmet and irresistible off-white polish, between almond milk and whipped cream. The perfect ally to envelop your hands in softness and a great alternative to the classic pure white polish, the ideal shade for a subtle and elegant French manicure. It also pairs easily with your entire wardrobe.
This vitamin candy pink is Pink Paradise! Our bubble gum polish or the pop twist that colors your hands (and your days) by brightening any look. It brings out the golden tones of your skin with an immediate good mood effect.
Another wonder on tanned or caramel skin is Shimmer: a golden-bronze glitter polish with cool undertones, as sparkling as a meteor shower. A shade that radiates an otherworldly energy on your nails… Cosmic love!
Sunny and pop shades to enhance neutral skin with warm undertones.
Your polish shades to brave the cold season
It evokes the elegance of an Italian late summer… Indian Summer is this warm brick red polish infused with ochre light, easily paired with a beige or camel linen summer outfit. It creates a manicure full of character and sophistication.
Among the brown shades, here is another tone you can easily match with your wardrobe: Orme, a creamy light brown polish that naturally hugs the skin. A reinvented beige in cappuccino style, a discreet shade balanced and light, offering a change from classic nude colors. What else?
Among the soft shades, choose Sauge, a muted green-gray with a vegetal touch that creates a soothing contrast on warm skin. Fresh and original, it’s perfect both in urban settings and in the countryside.
Warm, soft, or vegetal shades to get through the cold with style.
6 colors to electrify neutral skin with cool undertones
The trick here is to play on contrasts that warm the complexion without overpowering it.
Your allies in spring and summer
Mint is this fresh, light, and easy-to-wear menthol polish that has everything to please: a pastel green with a slight blue tint and a clean style, lovely on slightly pink skin. A shade that breathes joy of life! And so do we.
Among the best-selling polish colors is Armeria. A punchy fuchsia mauve with a touch of pink and a strong personality. Sparkling, vibrant, a bit cheeky, it adds flair to every gesture and amps up medium complexions with cool undertones without turning fluorescent.
A red polish deep raspberry, between Pomegranate and carmine: here is Pomegranate. A color that dresses your nails like a jewel and enhances your complexion with controlled intensity. A timeless shade you never tire of. So precious!
Fresh, intense, or fruity shades to awaken cool undertone skin.
Your assets for autumn and winter
Moon is a white polish with pearly reflections, between controlled shine and discreet chic. It dresses nails with an iridescent white veil, like a pearl of light… An essential pearly polish for those who love the delicate effect of pearl nails. A must-have in the vanity of olive or golden skin with cool undertones. As chic for everyday wear as for special occasions!
Like a stormy sky at your fingertips, Poppy Seed is a blue-gray polish mysterious with shifting accents that bring a stylish modern touch to your nails. Neither too cool nor too neutral, it’s ideal for a sober and distinguished manicure.
With its retro vintage charm, Aubergine captivates curious minds. This dark purple, inspired by flea markets and rare objects, tastes like beautiful finds… A great alternative to black polish for assured refinement.
Deep and radiant shades to make your seasonal looks come alive.
Your personalized color diagnosis with the Color Finder
Still unsure? Feel like your hands change color with the seasons? Welcome to the evolving complexion club! The right polish color depends on countless factors: your undertone but also your style, your desires, the weather, your outfit… That’s why we created the Color Finder.
👉 A simple and quick tool to find your perfect match among our classic Green™ polishes and Green Flash™ semi-permanent polishes. Just indicate your skin shade, your mood, or the desired effect, and the algorithm guides you in one click to THE color that will suit you perfectly. Try it here!
Medium skin tones, rejoice: besides naturally glowing, your complexion matches (almost) every palette. Pastel polish, nude polish, violets, fuchsia… you can dare it all. By mastering your undertones and playing with contrasts, you have the power to enhance your complexion all year round without mistakes. It’s your turn to play—and dare!
