5 Nail Colours You Need

I don't call myself a nail fanatic because my polish collection is apparently small...it's terrifying to know how many people have more than a hundred bottles of polish whereas I think the average is probably like, ....five?  Six?  And I think that's for someone who likes to paint their nails on a semi-regular basis.  Then  Michelle Mismas from All Lacquered Up asked people how many bottles they own and the answers were terrifying.  Granted, half of them were probably nail bloggers, but having only 30 or so polishes when I read the post made me feel horrendously inadequate.

The box on the right is exclusively blue/green

So a follow up to my five must-have eye shadows, I thought I'd do the same capsule collection for nail colours.  What's next, cheek colours?   Probably not.  We flush one colour, and one colour only.  Watch me eat my words in a week.

If you're not a compulsive nail polish purchaser like me, here are a few colours that are nice to have on hand that can cover most moods/occasions.  

Neutral:  This is a light, nude colour you can wear every day - a go-to colour, if you will!  The Nailene colour below (if you can find it...haven't seen it in a while) is beyond gorgeous.  Meant as a French manicure base, it's the sheerest gold-pink with the finest shimmer running through.  Gorge!

OPI Bubble Bath, Essie Mademoiselle, Nailene French Manicure Beige

Dark:  Everyone needs a vampy colour for nighttime, or even just when you want to feel a little sexy and dangerous.  I've gathered a bunch of my favourite options here along with some cult favourites. I couldn't resist putting in a few Chanel colours, pardon the overload!

Chanel Rouge Noir, Chanel Blue Satin, Chanel Black Satin, Rimmel 60 Seconds Deliciously Dark, Essie Little Brown Dress, OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

Red:  The colour of confidence!  There's something so 'done' about a perfectly lacquered red nail.  Red is such an essential make up colour, you need at least one to fall back on, even if you think it's too loud.  You can range from a coral-y orange-red to a deep, blue-based cherry (my personal favourite!).

OPI Big Apple Red, Orly Rose-Coloured Glasses, China Glaze Ruby Pumps, Essie Lollipop, OPI Quarter of a Cent-Cherry

Metallic Shimmer:  If you want something less out-there for night (say, a wedding or a conservative office party) or even just a jazzed-up day look, I highly recommend a shimmer.  These can be your best friend since even a single coat can add a hint of finish to your look.  They also kick all other polishes up a notch!

Orly Luxe, OPI Sparklelicious, OPI Pearl of Wisdom, China Glaze The Ten Man, Deborah Lippmann Nefertiti

Fun Colour: Something that doesn't fall into any of these categories that is something you pull out when you're feeling adventurous.  Most people often only wear these colours on their toes but I say hands should also have fun!

OPI That's Hot!, Orly Orange Punch, Chanel L.A. Sunrise, OPI Green-Wich Village, China Glaze Audrey, American Apparel African Violet

So there you have it, lovelies.  Dress your nails.  No need for them to run around naked - we're all civilized folks here.