Hey everyone!

Black nail polish is one of those forbidden colors. When you’re a teenager, black nails mean goth. They mean rebel, or punk, or whatever else. It’s a lot of look and reputation. And when you’re older, black nails seem like an odd choice. A black manicure on a woman over 30 really says she has incredible style- or that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Black nail polish can be that hard to pull off.

You have to keep it perfect, of course. Chipped black polish is the worst. Unless you’re going to a rock show and that’s the look. But nothing looks messier to me than a black manicure that’s chipped most of the way off.

And yet nothing looks fresher than a black manicure if done correctly.

Here are my tips to doing black nails right:

✽- Buy good polish. A black polish with a good formula will go a long way with helping it look better on your nails, and it will last longer.

✽-Take care when applying the color. Use q-tips dipped in acetone to clean the edges.

✽- Use a base coat so your nails don’t get stained.

✽- File your nails beforehand! Dark colors look great on short nails and long, but they’ve got to all be filed nicely to the same length. Don’t skip this step, since darker colors are not as forgiving.

✽- Top your manicure with your glossiest, most long lasting top coat (mine is Seche Vive)

✽- Take the extra time and really let it dry. Don’t rush this manicure.

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Dark nails are not forgiving when it comes to application, but they will elevate your style.

I like how much black nails can say-  they can change a whole look. It all depends on what you wear! When I wear Black Onyx with a black dress, I feel like the tough girl who was raised in a skate park in New York. When I wear it with a pink top and white skirt, I feel like a sophisticated girl ready for a fun weekend.

Seriously, pair black nail polish with your favorite outfit and tons of rings. You’ll feel classy and fancy and cool, no matter how old you are or what your style is like. ❤︎

There are a lot of black polishes on the market– China Glaze has a good one called Liquid Leather, and CND Vinylux has one called Black Pool. My favorite is OPI’s Black Onyx because it has a really cool graphite undertone & dries really glossy. I recently bought another full sized bottle.

Just some notes on Black Onyx’s formula– it is opaque in two coats. It’s slightly streaky on the first. Some blacks are One Coat Wonders, but not this one. I do three, and as I said, I always add a fat layer of a shiny top coat. It is a true black. It’s on the runny side. And it lasts for a few days on me.

Black polish also looks really good matte. I have GOT to get a matte top coat again! But seriously, after bright blue, black is probably the best color to matte-ify.

And it’s my FAVORITE pedicure color! A few months ago I was deliberating over what color pedicure to give myself, thinking I wanted something dark like Malaga Wine, and I decided to just see how black looked. I was blown away! It is literally the BEST color for toes. Maybe this is because it lends itself so well to a shorter, square nail. But seriously, you have to try black polish for your next pedicure. Trust me!!

What do you think about black polish? What’s your favorite one? I’d love to try some other brands!

Let me know 🙂

-Taylor