Nail Colors for Olive Skin
Olive skin has a warm cast the bottle never shows you. Something that looks perfectly neutral on a card will usually pull warm — or slightly green — once it’s on your hand.
All 403 shades are here on an olive-skinned hand. Blues, reds and purples give you the most that will really stand off your hand — but nothing here is off-limits, so try the ones you’ve always been told to avoid too.
Set your nail shape and length, then work down the color bar until something stops you.
The best nail colors for olive skin, by color
Not sure where to start? Here’s one pick in every color. The first one stands out most on olive skin. The second is the softer way in.
- Red: Rich red crème (RC21), a true pillar red. Softer: Pale red crème (RC29), more of a blush rose.
- Pink: Espresso pink crème (RAR2033), a cool, near-black berry. Softer: Pale pink crème (BP87), more of a rose pink.
- Nude: Pale nude shimmer (FXA-FA05), a bone nude.
- Plum: Espresso plum shimmer (RCR11), a warm, near-black plum. Softer: Rich plum crème (RC2915), more of a damson.
- Purple: Espresso violet crème (RAR2018), a cool, near-black violet. Softer: Soft violet crème (BP67), more of a lilac.
- Blue: Deep blue glitter (R27), a midnight navy. Softer: Pale blue crème (BP75), more of a sky blue.
- Green: Soft green crème (RC09), a true green. Softer: Pale green crème (FXA-FA14), more of a pale mint.
- Orange: Rich coral shimmer (RC2406), a warm coral. Softer: Soft coral glitter (RC12), more of a peach coral.
- Yellow: Pale citrine crème (RAR2011), a citrine. Or try Rich citrine crème (SLA-B018).
Tap a color and its page opens on an olive-skinned hand, so you can see every shade in it.
By color family on olive skin: red · pink · nude · plum · purple · blue · green · orange · yellow · black · grey
Questions people ask before they buy
What nail colors look best on olive skin?
Start with Rich red crème, Espresso plum shimmer or Soft green crème. Each one stands well clear of olive skin. Want something softer? Try Pale red crème or Pale nude shimmer. Nothing here is off-limits, so try the ones you’ve always been told to avoid too.
Should I avoid any colors on olive skin?
No — every one of the 403 shades is here to try on olive skin, including the ones you might assume won't work. Try before you rule anything out.
Can I see one color family on olive skin instead of everything at once?
Yes. Red, pink, nude, plum, purple, blue, green, orange and yellow each have their own olive page. Black and grey open on every skin tone. Start with red or pick any of the others above.
Does nail shape or length change how a color looks on olive skin?
Yes. Set your shape and length while you're comparing colors — the same shade reads differently short and round than it does long and stiletto.