These 7 Nail Colours Guarantee a Manicure That Radiates Health
Some nail colours exude sophistication, and these healthy-looking nail colours never fail to make your hands look well-manicured.
As a beauty editor, I love a nail trend as much as the next person. But realistically, I love my nails to look natural and healthy-looking for the most part. This means I naturally turn to sheer nail colours and neutral nail colours for the most part. Call me boring, but there is nothing I love more than a healthy-looking nail colour. You see, I can be swayed by nail colour trends every now and again, but for me, healthy-looking nail colours are often responsible for some of the most timeless and expensive-looking manis I see on the most well-manicured hands.
Of course, the foundation of healthy-looking nails is a good nail care routine. From filing your nails to applying a cuticle oil each day, all these habits stack up to make your nails look their best. But a fresh lacquer of a healthy-looking nail colour can make all the difference in the appearance of your nails, whether you're DIY'ing your nails at home, or getting a gel manicure or other types of manicures. A good nail colour can disguise discolouration, blur imperfections and add a healthy-looking gloss in just a coat or two. They're like a skin tint for your nails.
As a natural-looking nail connoisseur, I've worn hundreds of nail polish colours over the years. So, ahead, I've rounded up the most natural and healthy-looking nail colours to try, as well as the healthy-looking nail polishes that will ensure your nails always look glossy and pristine.
Healthy-Looking Nail Colours
1. Sheer Pink
I'd argue that a sheer pink nail colour is the chicest shade you could choose. Our nail plates have a naturally pink-ish hue, and so a pink polish is the ultimate way to make your nails look healthy and bright instantly. Opaque pink nails look great too, but sheer pink polishes allow your natural nails to peek through, giving a "your nails, but better" result that looks more natural.
Shop Sheer Pink Nail Polishes:
Chanel Ballerina, as pictured in the manicure above, is one of the most timeless nail colours of all time, with its pretty sheer blush tone.
Hortencia is one of the prettiest sheer pink Manucurist nail colours, which adds a healthy-looking veil of gloss to your nail plate.
Essie's Mademoiselle nail polish is a classic for a reason, delivering a sheer pink wash of colour to your nails that makes them look instantly manicured.
2. Milky White
Next to sheer pink, a milky nail is one of the best nail colours to make your nails look healthy. It's important to look for sheer, cloudy finishes with an off-white tone, rather than opaque bright white, which can often look too stark on the hands. Sheer white nail colours brighten the nails in just one or two coats, allowing your natural nails to peek through.
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Part nail strengthener, part brightening nail polish, this adds a healthy-looking pearly glow to your nails.
Marshmallow nails are amongst some of my favourite for healthy-looking manicures.
OPI's Funny Bunny is one of the best milky nail polishes out there.
3. Soft Peach
If you're after something neutral yet something different from pink, may I suggest a soft peach milk hue? Peachy shades brighten the nails whilst reading as a neutral, and they never fail to make the nails look brighter and healthier. They look great worn alone, but also incredibly chic as an ombré manicure with a soft vanilla French tip.
Shop Peach Nail Polishes:
Manucurist Active Smooth nail polishes are like a nail-perfecting skin tint that adds a healthy-looking wash of colour to your nail plate.
This sheer peach shade from Westmoreland Cosmetics adds a pretty peachy hue to the nails.
4. Tinted Blush
Tinted blush tones that you find in nail tints always look beautiful and have the added benefit of making your nails look incredibly healthy. They often have bright pink, peach or purple tones, but the sheer, watery textures mean you get a pretty wash of colour rather than anything creamy or opaque. Consider them as the liquid blush nail polishes of your nail care routine.
Shop Nail Tints:
One of y favourite new nail polishes is Essie's Glass Nail Polishes, which add a glass-like effect to the nails.
5. Beige Crème
If whites or pinks feel too bright, then soft beige tones are another great nail colour to consider if you want to achieve healthy-looking nails. Look for almond milk tones or creamy hues with brown undertones for a sophisticated manicure that makes your hands look polished.
Shop Beige Nail Polishes:
6. Soft French
If a traditional French manicure feels too stark on your hands, then consider the soft French manicure instead. This muted version of the classic manicure features a soft, sheer white polish applied on the tips instead of an opaque white shade, which looks far more natural. It's great to brighten the tips of your nails whilst looking totally natural. It's like "no makeup" makeup for your nails.
From French Manicure Polishes:
7. Sheer Shimmer
If you're after a natural-looking nail colour with a twist, then why not consider a shimmer nail polish? Rather than opaque, frosted metallics, look for nail polishes that have a translucent consistency and fine flecks of pearl. They'll add a healthy glow to your nails, instantly making them look brighter, and they'll catch the light in such a beautiful way.
Shop Shimmer Nail Polishes:
Essie's Gel Couture Nail Polishes has a formula that rivals gel manis, and this shimmer looks so pretty, even with just one coat.
OPI's nail polishes are amongst my favourites, and this shimmering pink will make your nails look like they're glowing with health.

Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman
Home and junior beauty editor at Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections.
With a degree in fashion journalism from the London College of Fashion, she has 10 years of industry experience and has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.
Eleanor’s journalistic focus is providing readers with honest and helpful beauty content. She has interviewed celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson.