Neon Nails

Fluorescent lights don’t flatter our complexion—and neon shades on our nails don’t help, either. For 2010, it’s a softer, gentler nail color we crave. The spring colors from Yves Saint Laurent, Maybelline New York, and Essie (to name a few) include gorgeous pastel pink, blue, and lilac polishes. But beware: Matching pastel shades on hands and feet can be “a little nauseating,” says Ji Baek, owner of the Rescue Beauty Lounge nail salons in New York City. The experts recommend keeping nails short, and wearing a light shade on the hands and a richer version on toes. Until the new spring colors hit shelves in February, try the periwinkle Revlon Nail Enamel in Not So Blue-Berry, the pale purple OPI Nail Lacquer in Do You Lilac It?, and the aptly named Rescue Beauty Lounge polish in Pepto Pink.