L.A., NY, and London: My Chicest Coworkers Share Their Go-To Mani-Pedi Color Combos
Last month, I was at the nail salon, standing in front of a wall of nail polish, wondering which shades I should choose for my manicure and pedicure. I wanted them to be different yet complementary. Should I stick to a subtle shade for my mani (for me, that’s almost always OPI’s Bubble Bath $12) and choose a bold shade for my pedi (cherry red or cobalt blue)? After five minutes of indecision had passed, a thought occurred to me. I’m a beauty editor, and my coworkers are some of the chicest people I know, so why don’t I ask them for their go-to mani-pedi color combos? I put a reminder in my notes app to inquire.
Fast forward a few weeks, and I finally have their answers on lock. Since I don’t gatekeep, I’m sharing them with you. Ahead, see every mani-pedi color combo my stylish coworkers swear by. No more nail salon indecision for me!
Jamie Schneider, Senior Beauty Editor
(Image credit: Jamie Schneider)
Jamie’s First Combo
“Don’t get me wrong—I’m a huge fan of bold, punchy polishes. I write about them almost daily! That said, I am someone who usually resorts to naked manis, mainly because I despise the look of chipped polish and am constantly typing, ripping open packages, and overall not so nice to my poor nail beds. Chanel‘s Ballerina will forever be an at-home staple. It’s sheer, elegant, and gives my nails a subtle milky effect—just enough oomph for an everyday mani. I do like to be more adventurous with my toe polish, however, and take advantage of summer nail trends where I can, which is where Essie’s Butler Please comes into play. The deep cobalt just oozes cool.”
CHANEL
Le Vernis in Ballerina
Essie
Nail Polish in Butler Please
Jamie’s Second Combo
“If I must wear color on my hands, the hue has to be warm-toned. Lately, I’ve been loving the look of citrus nails—especially Hermès Orange Boîte. It’s impossible not to feel chic when you’re donning the house’s signature color. I’ll pair this bright, juicy shade with a spicy coral that’s equally energetic, like OPI’s Cajun Shrimp. The two tones complement each other quite beautifully without appearing too matchy-matchy, creating intrigue from head (or, well, hand) to toe.”
Hermès
Les Mains Hermès in Orange Boîte
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Cajun Shrimp
Aniyah Morinia, Fashion and Beauty Editor
(Image credit: Aniyah Morinia)
Aniyah’s Combo
“For my manicures, I always get one coat of OPI’s Bubble Bath and two coats of OPI’s Put It in Neutral! It is the perfect sheer nude with pink undertones. Despite my nails being stiletto-shaped and pretty long, I like to think of this color combo as the natural finish I need. I’m not getting engaged anytime soon, but I always say that I would wear this color combo on my wedding day. Truly timeless. As for my pedicures, I love wearing OPI’s Big Apple Red. I’ve been wearing open-toed shoes daily, so I love having that pop of red at the bottom of a good outfit. Pro tip: My mesh flats look best with a red pedicure!”
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Put It in Neutral
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Big Apple Red
Alyssa Brascia, Associate Beauty Editor
(Image credit: Alyssa Brascia)
Alyssa’s First Combo
“I’m a big fan of mismatching nails. Honestly, I’ll do different polish shades and designs on each nail if I have enough time to dedicate to them (I’m a DIY nail girlie through and through). But for busy summer trips when I need my manicure to ‘go’ with several outfits, I love this cute, limoncello-inspired duo from Essie. The sheer formula adds another trendy element to this pair (the jelly nails phenomenon), and this pale yellow shade looks so cute when paired up with the milky white on your toes.”
Essie
Nail Art Studio Jelly Gloss Nail Polish in Buttercup Jelly
Essie
Nail Art Studio Jelly Gloss Nail Polish in Arctic Jelly
Alyssa’s Second Combo
“I clearly have a thing for darker manicures with lighter pedicures, since this blue pairing is my other summer go-to. Deep, royal, or navy blue nail polishes are some of my favorite shades recently, and I love the in-between hue of this Londontown pick. A baby blue always feels so summery to me, and I think it’s a great alternative to your classic white pedicure in the summer. Paired together, these shades offer up a nautical East Coast summer vibe reminiscent of striped button-downs and linen pants—a summer aesthetic I can always get behind.”
Londontown
Nail Color in Under the Stars
Gucci
Vernis à Ongles in Lucy Baby Blue
Eleanor Vousden, Who What Wear UK Beauty Editor
(Image credit: Eleanor Vousden)
Eleanor’s Combo
“I’m a loyalist to my manicure and pedicure colours. No matter the time of year, I’m usually wearing a sheer pink on my hands and a variation of red on my toes—and I rarely deviate away from it. Call me boring, but it sees me through any season and occasion! Right now, I’m loving Essie Gel Couture in Sheer Fantasy, a milky pink that makes my hands look neat (and easily lasts over a week without chipping with the Gel Couture To Coat on top). As for my toes, my favourite is Chanel Incendiare, a bright flaming red with orange undertones that is my favourite to wear in summer with sandals.”
Essie
Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish in Sheer Fantasy
chanel
Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color in Incendiare
Maya Thomas, Associate Beauty Editor
(Image credit: Maya Thomas)
Maya’s Combo
“I’m not a fan of mismatched nails, and often go for soft, neutral shades that look like my nails, but better. For my manicures, I tend to go with natural-looking pink shades that give my short nails a clean and put-together look and pair beautifully against deep skin tones (usually accomplished by leaning away from a white base and towards cream). For my manicures, I like to go a couple shades darker while still staying in the warm pink territory, and love a little shimmer here and there. This particular combination earns me nonstop compliments and keeps my nails looking fresh.”
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Baby, Take a Vow
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Let Me Bayou a Drink
Grace Lindsay, Who What Wear UK Junior Beauty Editor
(Image credit: Grace Lindsay)
Grace’s Combo
“I’ve tried a lot of different manicure and pedicure combinations over the years, but I always come back to these particular polishes. On my hands, I like a milky white or almond shade, as I know this will go with any outfit in my wardrobe. I’m currently loving Essie’s nail polish in Limo Scene as it has a beautifully warm cream undertone. However, I like to add a pop of colour on my toes, so I tend to opt for a baby pink hue. OPI’s nail polish in the shade, It’s a Girl, is a personal favourite, and I always get compliments on this colour during the summer months.”
Essie
Nail Polish in Limo-Scene
OPI
Nail Lacquer in It’s a Girl
(Image credit: Emma Hughes)
Emma’s First Combo
“To be honest, I get tired of almost any nail polish shade that isn’t a classic or neutral. Bright colors and Pinterest-worthy designs are fun for a while, but if I had to stick with one tried-and-true combo for life, it would be this slightly boring, but always flattering, duo: mani is two thin coats of OPI’s Bubble Bath and one thin coat of OPI’s Funny Bunny.
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Funny Bunny
Emma’s Second Combo
“I call this pairing the ‘birthday week special.’ It’s my go-to when I’m traveling or have a big event coming up. Micro French manis look especially polished and photo-ready on short, rounded nails. Big Apple Red is the perfect pedi red for me. It’s so chic peeking out of a pair of kitten heels.”
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Alpine Snow
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Big Apple Red
Kaitlyn McLintock, Beauty Editor
(Image credit: Kaitlyn McLintock)
My First Combo
After seeing all of my coworkers’ mani-pedi combos, I finally decided on a couple of my own. If I’m feeling bored with neutral nail colors (which happens often), I’ll reach for my favorite bold color: blue. There’s just something about it that feels fresh, fun, and soothing all at the same time. My go-to mani shade is Londontown’s Amalfi Love Nail Polish. It’s somewhere between periwinkle and cornflower, and it feels as fresh and summery as the blue sky. I love pairing it with Londontown’s Poolside Dream. The vibrant cobalt blue looks so clean and eye-catching on the toes.
LONDONTOWN
Lakur Nail Polish in Amalfi Love
LONDONTOWN
Lakur Nail Polish in Poolside Dream
My Second Combo
If I want a mani and pedi that works for every season and situation, I’m going with one of my favorite color combos: pink and red. OPI’s iconic Bubble Bath has been featured on this list multiple times and for good reason; it’s the perfect shade of light pink. I like to pair it with my favorite red nail polish ever: Hermès Rouge Casaque. It’s a glossy, high-intensity scarlet color. One is sweet and subtle. The other is sophisticated and stands out. They’re the perfect mix.
OPI
Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath
Hermès
Les Mains Hermès in Rouge Casaque
