If you’re not on the white nail polish bandwagon yet, we’re pretty confident we can change your mind. White polish is the ultimate standby to keep in your manicure kit, with so much potential to help you achieve different looks! In this post, we’ll discuss some of our favorite white nail polish styles, and point you toward the best white nail polish colors for creating different nail effects.

3 reasons we love the white nails trend

  1. Easy to pull off: White nail polish looks great on almost any skin tone (unlike vibrant reds and neutral shades, which can be tricky to match to your skin tone). And while sophisticated and on-trend, it doesn’t require extremely long nails to pull off. It looks equally amazing on longer almond-shaped or rounded nails,  longer squared nails, shorter rounded nails, and shorter squared nails. Regardless of your nail shape, white polish will draw attention to your nail shape, giving them a clean, groomed look.
  2. Perfect base for nail art: White nail polish also creates the perfect canvas for nail art. We love the simple, understated look of this black line art on a white background–which you could easily mimic with the right tool (we have our eyes on Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pens). More complicated designs like these tiny works of art and these golden embellishments also look amazing on a white background.
  3. Great contrast color for mismatched nails: If the idea of using the same nail polish color on each fingernail bores you, you can use white polish to create a gorgeous contrast effect with the other colors on your nails. We love the way white nail polish pops with neutral and darker tones like these gray nails, lighter and sparkly tones like these pink nails, and bolder colors like these salmon nails.

Our favorite white nail polishes

Despite what you may think, not all white polishes look identical–and polishes with different finishes, textures, and effects can help you to achieve the specific style you’re dreaming of. Here are some of our favorite white polishes for creating different looks:

  1. Essie’s Nail Color in Marshmallow: A no-nonsense white polish to stash in your manicure kit. You can add layers as desired to reach the ideal level of opaqueness. Meanwhile, this formula is formaldehyde free, and therefore less likely to damage your nails over time.
  2. OPI’s Alpine Snow Nail Lacquer: This is our go-to, matte polish for white nails that pop. Intensely pigmented and long-lasting, this polish is sure to deliver the maximum effect.
  3. Hatch’s Speckled White Nail Polish: This unique color creates a gorgeous, speckled, eggshell effect without any hassle. It’s eye-catching yet understated, super easy to use, and–best of all–vegan!
  4. Hatch’s Don’t Forget the Cannoli Ivory White Creme Polish: This ivory tone is the perfect color for anyone who’s into the white nail look, but who’s looking for a slightly more natural color than all-out white shades. Vegan and nail-healthy, it’s a great color to have on standby for all occasions.

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