The Absolute Best Nail Colors For Women In Their 40s

As we age, many elements in our beauty routines change, from skincare to makeup techniques. A skincare routine for those over 40 needs active ingredients like vitamin C and retinol, for example, while there are also certain bob haircuts that flatter women in their 40s. Aging doesn't have as much of an impact on our nails as it does on other areas of our beauty maintenance, but you may still want to keep particular colors in mind for the most flattering look possible. To find out which shades women over 40 should consider during their next salon visit, we had an exclusive conversation with celebrity and editorial manicurist Sonya Meesh, who notes that no color is strictly off limits. Your personal style is much more important than your age when it comes to selecting a hue, but Meesh, whose work can be found on Instagram, recommends several colors that tend to work well on older hands, from neutral palettes to bold and edgy tints. There's something for everyone, whether you lean toward shimmery gilded tones or something darker and moodier, like navy. 

Aside from choosing colors that are known to complement women in their 40s, you might want to also take other measures to keep the hands looking youthful. A shorter nail length is often recommended by experts since the clean and subtle look suits the sophisticated vibe that women in their 40s tend to favor. In terms of nail shape, squoval is a popular choice for women over 40 since it balances well between classic round and the more polished-looking square. Additionally, keeping your skin moisturized with something like the Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, even if you don't make it to the salon, will keep your hands looking beautiful no matter the color you choose.

It doesn't matter if you prefer clean neutrals or boundary-pushing tones; there are plenty of shades on both ends of the spectrum that suit women in their 40s. "I find that rich and saturated colors work best across the board," Sonya Meesh tells Glam exclusively, particularly recommending oxblood and deep jewel tones. "I personally love a navy," they add. Jewel tones, including ruby, sapphire, and emerald, definitely fit Meesh's criteria of "rich and saturated," and they may help prevent your hands from looking washed out. The one caveat here is to take your skin tone and vein color into account: If you have blue veins, you might want to avoid dark, blue-based polishes, as they can make your veins more pronounced. Ditto with green. If you like the idea of jewels rather than jewel tones, Meesh also reveals that champagne gold is a great choice for women over 40, and sparkly rose gold is another safe yet unexpected option. Metallic tones are complementary for older women because of the way they reflect light and add a hint of fun without going overboard. 

However, if you are more of a neutrals fan, Meesh insists that you can't go wrong with barely there "sheer natural." Neutrals are widely touted as being perfect for women in their 40s, not in the least because they give off a sophisticated and minimalistic vibe. Nudes and neutrals tend to result in younger-looking hands, even though they aren't inherently young or fun colors. Browns also tend to look great on women in their 40s, provided they don't offer too much contrast with one's skin tone and undertone. Try to opt for warm browns if you have a warm undertone and cooler browns if you have a cooler undertone. You can make neutrals even more understated by going for chic in-between shades like gray and taupe. 

The above nail colors will always be fantastic choices for women over 40, and you can enjoy wearing them all year long. But if you like to live a little more dangerously when particular times of year roll around, there are still many shades that are perfect for this age group while also being season-specific. Black isn't the first hue that's often recommended for women above a certain age, but for fall and winter, it's an absolute green flag, along with purples and dark browns. For the holiday season, in particular, classic red will always be appropriate, and it happens to look especially chic on women in their 40s. When the warmer months emerge, go bright with mint or orange.Coral is another seasonal shade that complements women over 40, as it brings a fun and youthful energy without being harsh, and this one is also a wonderful hue for summer.

The other way to experiment with your nails if you still feel confined by these suggestions is to keep up with the current nail trends. While some aren't designed for older hands (for example, the maximalist junk-nails manicure trend), there are still manicure trends that are ideal for women in their 40s. In our exclusive chat, Sonya Meesh recommends tortoiseshell as a more creative choice for those who get tired of solid colors. Meanwhile, French nails are as sophisticated as they come, and you can make them even more exciting with the endless variations of this look that drift in and out of fashion, from the corner French manicure (an unexpected twist on the classic nail shape) to a textured French manicure, which upgrades your nails with ease.