Having just completed my third decade on this planet is making all sorts of existential questions pop inside my head. Like…
Where am I going?
What am I doing?
What is the meaning of life?
Chicken or egg?
Jess or Dean?
To rent, or to buy?
To dream, or to earn?
To match nails and lips, or not to match nails and lips?
The list could go on and on, but I’m sure you’ll agree with me that this last question is the one that needs to be answered first. I mean, how am I supposed to figure out my place in the universe if I can’t even decide what lipstick to pair with my nail color, right? 😉
So, let’s see… In my earlier makeup-loving days, I had a phase when I would often wear red lipstick and red nail polish at the same time, but, now that I think of it, these days I definitely tend to avoid that. Instead, I prefer to use two different shades that go well together. For example, I like pairing orange and blue, like I did today.
I also tend to avoid wearing the same color on my fingers and toes. Something I do pretty often in the summer months is wear a bold shade on my fingers and a neutral on my toes, where my nail polish tends to last longer. This way, when the polish on my fingers chips, I can change it without having to worry about the new shade not matching well with the one on my toes.
Where do you guys stand on the whole “to match or not to match” conundrum? Do you have any favorite color combinations to share with me? Sandal season is just around the corner. I need inspiration! 😉
Marisol says
First of all #TeamDean lol, I used to match my nails, with my toes and lips too but I feel so adventurous now that I know that I´m not the only one that does.. how about matching shoes and bag? Ugh…
Carolina Braina says
You know what’s funny, when I watched Gilmore Girls when it first aired I was Rory’s age and I was totally #TeamJess. But when I rewatched it in more recent years I was like, no way, what a jerk! I still liked him when he came back as an adult, though.
As for matching shoes and bag, I often do it when it’s colors like black or brown, but if I’m wearing a pop of color (either shoes or bag) I won’t match.
Becky says
I have both feet firmly in the no-matchy camp. Always when it comes to fingers and toes! I’m all about bright teal-blue on the fingers right now and neutral toes. That cobalt blue looks beautiful!
Carolina Braina says
I don’t think I have any teal-blue nail polishes!
Becky says
Two words. Illamasqua Venous. It is the one! And such a great nail polish formula too!
Becky says
Two words. Illamasqua Venous. It is the one. And such a great nail polish formula too! Pulling more blue is Essie’s Go Overboard, both are beautiful!
Carolina Braina says
Thank you, Becky!
Sara Lumbreras says
I love red lipstick, and I looooooove matching with red nails. I think matching is classic and elegant (and sexy, hehe). That’s the combination I wear most of the time. However, I also like to clash it with intense blue or green on the nails.
Carolina Braina says
I loooooove red lipstick, but as I said in the post I don’t really match it with my nails anymore. I love the idea of using intense blue instead!
Alexandria says
I love to contrast my colors so that it really hits you when you see it. I think that’s a reflection of my personality as well.
Carolina Braina says
It’s great that we can express our personality through makeup, isn’t it?
Kiss & Make-up says
I guess I don’t really have a stance. Sometimes I like matching colors, sometimes I mix ‘n match. ‘s All good for me!
RAEANNE MADISON says
I, too, spend waaaay too much time thinking about nail, toe, and lip colors! I tend to go neutral on my nails, bold on my toes, or visa-versa. I have been loving light, pinky neutrals on my lips for Spring, but I’ll definitely throw in a bold color when the mood strikes. I work in a very relaxed casual environment, with occasional business meetings so I’ll usually tone down my lip and nail colors as needed.
Carolina Braina says
Neutral-bold is probably the safest pairing. I do that a lot with eyes and lips, as well.
sarahc says
I’m a firm believe in do what you like, so no matchy matchy unless you want to! My favorite is pastel or light pink nails and gray toes. 🙂
Carolina Braina says
Ooooh, I love the sound of this!
mave says
I am all about matchy matchy especially red lips and red nail polish, but sometimes I do like to mix it up with neutrals playing opposite bolder colors. It’s up to how I feel.
Carolina Braina says
One of the best things about makeup is that we can change it whenever we like, however we like! 😉
Erin says
I don’t have a stance I suppose. You do what you like. For me, I rarely take it into account. I prefer to have something different on my toes and nails entirely. As for my lips, most of my lip shades go with my polish shades as I don’t have that many. The only shade I have trouble with is a peacock green, which usually looks better with a more edited outfit and a cooler toned lip product.
Carolina Braina says
I love peacock green, especially on the eyes, but I don’t have any nail polish in that color.
Lulle says
I try to use shades that work together (especially for toes/fingernails) but I never match. My grandma used to match…
Carolina Braina says
I think in the past it was practically mandatory! 😉
Monica P says
Sure why not .. I’ll match my eye shadow and lip color .. if I wear a purple type eye, then I’ll probably wear a mauve lip. Or maybe I have pink on my lid and brown in my crease and wear a pink lip .. I think it works out a-ok ( for me anyway ).
I don’t match nails/toes. My toes are darker nail polish and light polish on my fingers. I may try to coordinate the colors .. but not too often.
Good topic!
Monica.
Carolina Braina says
I like coordinating colors on the eyes and lips, too!
Rachel R. says
I’m 46. Growing up, it was standard practice to match nails and lips. Avon and many other lines had the same exact shades in their lipstick lines as they did in their polish lines. I want to say I didn’t see this changing until the mid-80s. I think matching nails & lips is fine. It can look really professional, polished, and sophisticated. I’m none of those things, so if I match my nails to anything, it’s my clothes. Usually though, I do whatever I want on my nails regardless of whether it will match my clothes or my makeup. I have an eclectic style, so it works. The exception is a special, dressy occasion. Then I will match or at least coordinate. I usually match my finger- and toenails, or at least coordinate them.
LindaLibraLoca says
I don’t really plan my looks so excessively that I Would coordinate lips and nails. Sometimes they match, sometimes they don’t. As for fingers and toes: I will wear either red or neutral on my toes and experiment on my hands.
And I never watched Gilmore Girls, so I can’t answer that one.
But it is egg. Has to be for genetic reasons. You can change the DNA when creating the egg by spontaneous mutation, but what is inside the egg DNA-wise will not change. Just saying.