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Best Nail Colors for Older Hands + DIY Gel Manicures

If you ever feel indecisive about what nail color to choose, here are some flattering nail color ideas to consider. Plus, if you want to do your own gel manicures at home, here’s my curated list of tips and what I use.

Did you know that our hands can be the biggest reveal of our age? That's why well-manicured nails draw attention and have almost as much impact as well-styled hair. And just as our hair color needs may change as we get older, our best nail polish colors may also evolve. Choosing the best nail polish color for mature women and finding the right nail color to enhance the skin tone as we age can make a huge difference. While there are no hard and fast rules for determining a good choice of nail polish for older hands, knowing what is most flattering for the tone of your skin can be helpful. But at the end of the day, your best nail color choice will be your individual preference. So whether you love rose gold, soft pastels, bright colors, or a French manicure, by all means, follow your personal style choice. But if you ever feel indecisive about what nail color to choose, here are some flattering nail color ideas to consider. (Plus, if you want to do your own gel manicures at home, get my curated list of tips and what I use at the end of this article.)

How to Find Your Skin Undertones

Because the skin becomes thinner as we mature, the veins on the back of your hands may become more visible. That's why when it comes to choosing the best nail colors for older hands, it's helpful to have an idea of what colors complement your skin undertone.  How do you know what skin tone you have? Here are a few quick and easy ways to find out:

The Wrist Test

A good way to find out your skin undertone is to look at the veins on your wrists. Do they appear blue or purple? You probably have cool undertones. Do they appear greenish? You likely have warm tones. 

The White Paper Test

Hold your skin against a piece of white paper. Does your skin look pinkish? You probably have cool undertones. Does your skin look yellow? You probably have warm undertones. If you don't see a particular tone, you probably have neutral undertones.

Best Nail Colors for Skin with Warm Undertones

If you have darker skin with warm undertones you'll notice a slight golden or honey tone. If you have a lighter skin tone with warm undertones it will have a more peach to golden look. When choosing a color, people with warm skin tones should lean towards the warmer side of any nail color. 

Since I do my own gel manicures at home, I've experimented with many different shades of nail color. As a result, I've discovered the best colors for me. Since I have a light complexion with a warm skin tone, I've noticed that dark colors make my hands appear less youthful, especially colors with cool undertones like darker shades of navy, blue-based reds, and cool tones of purple. The darker colors seem to have the opposite effect of what I want: they highlight the veins and dark spots on my hands, and make my skin look dull. Instead, I've found that neutral colors, browns, warm soft pinks, warm pale pinks, and delicate shades of warmer taupes are much more flattering on me. Sheer nudes and sheer pinks are also a great option for me. I also love wearing classic reds with orange undertones for a pop of color. 

Best Nail Colors for Skin with Cool Undertones

If you have a fair complexion with cool undertones, it will have red and blue hints. If you have darker skin, you'll notice slight purple or red tones. Those with cool undertones should lean towards the cooler side of nail polish colors. Think light blues, navy blues, lavenders, purples, and pinks. Blue-based reds and burgundies are also an excellent choice. Taupes are also flattering if you have cool undertones. 

Best Nail Colors for Olive Skin 

Olive skin has warm, cool, and neutral undertones, so just about any color is flattering. If you have an olive skin tone you can wear a wide range of colors. Vibrant colors, burgundy, navy, and bright pink can all look great on olive-skinned people, as well as natural hues and colors with warm undertones. 

Daily Handcare Routine

While we're accustomed to a daily skincare routine for our faces, our hands need some TLC too. The tops of your hands have constant exposure to uv light and are often among the first places sun-induced damage and the resulting age spots appear. Here's what we know: sun protection and daily moisturizing to prevent dry skin go a long way in maintaining a more youthful look. While any moisturizer will work, hand creams with anti-aging ingredients such as retinol will help prevent fine lines. Also look for ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter. Just as with your face, it's important to moisturize every night and use sunscreen every day.

The Importance of Nail Health 

While I love that gel polishes last for at least two weeks as opposed to just a few days with regular polish, that means our nails are covered for a long time. For this reason, a fungal infection in the nail bed can develop before you're even aware of it. That's why it's a good idea to allow your nails to have a break from polish periodically, especially if you're doing gel or bio-gel manicures at the nail salon. 

At Home DIY Gel Manicures

I've been doing gel manicures myself at home for over a year now. It's a fun DIY project that's not hard at all once you get the hang of it. I love that it allows me to always have a fresh-looking, long-lasting manicure, not to mention the cost savings. I've gathered together a nice collection of colors, and it's so fun to try new mani/pedi color combinations whenever I want. You can easily put together a gel manicure kit for basically the same price as one salon manicure. I've learned the pros and cons of different brands since investing in my DIY gel manicure supplies, and people are always asking me what to buy.  So here's my curated list of what you need to create a DIY gel manicure kit and get started doing your own gel manicures. 

At-Home Gel Manicure Tips:

  • It's important to prep your nails thoroughly before applying the base coat. Buff them a bit to create a smoother surface, and use a zero-lint square to wipe your nails with rubbing alcohol to remove any oils. 

  • Push back the cuticles before applying polish. Avoid getting polish on the skin around the nails as you apply each coat. This creates a better bond on the nail making your manicure last longer.

  • Cure the polish under the light for two minutes after each coat. 

  • If the polish doesn't cure properly under the light, you may have purchased a bad product or it could be expired. 

  • Beyond Polish is a reputable source for gel polish. My favorite brand is CND Shellac which I purchase from Beyond Polish. You may see CND on Amazon, but it is most likely fake and won't cure properly. Sally Beauty carries a few decent brands such as Gelish and ASP, but I have found they don't apply as well or last as long as CND. 

  • I like to buy the matching traditional CND nail color for pedicures.

  • It may take some practice, but the more you do it, the better you will get at it!

I give myself a manicure about every two to three weeks, with a few days break in between to keep them healthy. During this time, I like to apply some Vitamin E oil and give my nails a few days with some light and air. I've found that the gel polish naturally starts to easily peel off after a few weeks, leaving my nails undamaged. With salon bio gel and gel manicures, they soak your nails in acetone and file off the old polish every time. I did this for years, and I found that putting my nails through this process continually made my nails weak and thin. My at-home manicures are healthier for my nails, and they usually last about two weeks. 

So next time you're shopping for a nail color, what will it be? Cake Pop or Strawberry Smoothie?

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