Softer than black but just as edgy… I have a new obsession! I may be a bit late, but I am loving the gray nail polish trend that’s been spotted everywhere. I’m a little tired of black nails and this is the perfect alternative – I adore dark nails so this still fits the bill, and though some might think gray is a ‘boring’ color, gray nails are anything but. It looks edgy, sophisticated, punk and beautiful… just like black.
When I first saw gray nail polish, I had to try it. I was too impatient so I went to my local beauty supply store and bought one for four bucks; what a steal! Though the polish smudged and flaked within a day (what did I expect?) it was good enough for me to ‘confirm’ that I love the color and it suited me. Fast-forward to me furiously researching online and writing this post!
Want to try out the gray nails trend? Here are some nail polishes I found:
- OPI Nail Polish in “You Don’t Know Jacques”
- OPI Nail Polish “Sheer Your Toys”
- Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail polish “Gunmental”
- YSL La Laque Long Lasting Nail Lacquer in “Tuxedo Gray”
- Zoya Nail Polish in “Freja”
- China Glaze Nail Laquer in “Recycle”
What do you think of gray nails? And if you know any other brands that make gray nail polish, feel free to add to the list.
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{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
love it
rocked chanel particuliere all last week
You’re much more ahead of the trends than I am!
Is Chanel nailpolish good? The price scares me … I’m too poor 
meh…the colours are gorgeous but it CHIPS like there’s no tomorrow. honestly for the price it should have better staying power. i have to wear like three layers plus really tough top coat if i want it to stay for more than a day or two :/ but the colours and packaging are so cute they are tempting, haha.
my nails are gray right now!
im wearing rimmel london nail polish, i forgot the name, but its gray with a hint of purple.
Ooh great, Rimmel just came here! Will have to check it out
Is it Rimmel ‘Steel Grey’? I got it last week and I love it
my mom hates it though haha, oh well. Chips so easily though… nts: don’t put on nail polish the day before moving out of your dorm 
i love chanel particuliere too! comes with a tint of brown (:
Seems like a popular shade.
I just Googled it, looks really nice!
Love grey nails!
Yay! Me too
I love grey nail varnish, revlon nail enamel is great
I like Revlon too!
Do they have a gray shade? Haven’t seen any where I’m from 
Nubar has a gray collection that is awesome. You can find just about any shade of gray in it. I think the collection is called Fortress. Plus Nubar polishes wear amazingly well.
Thanks, Marcia! Never heard of Nubar before…will have to Google it
I love gray nail polish, it’s pretty and edgy!
Agreed, Gio
Haven’t tried this, but I definitely will now! It sounds really glamorously edgy!
Oh you really should, Michaela! It’s so fun and looks really beautiful, yet edgy
ooh ps i love your new header/menu thing!
Aw really? Thanks! Spent the whole afternoon doing it, haha. I feel it’s a little big, so will make make it a bit smaller. But thanks so much, I’m glad you like it! I’m on my way to liking it
Yes they do have two greys, I’m not sure if they have it in Singapore though. I live in the UK and they have ‘Steel her heart’ which is a darker grey and ‘Silver Screen’ which is lighter. I never did look at nail varnsihes when I was in Singapore in the Summer, maybe you could look in Watsons?
Oh great, will have to look tomorrow since I’ll be going Watsons to buy some other stuff
Thanks for the actual names, I’ll have a look around. 
No! Defeats the purpose of nail polish, I like happier and funkier colours on nails. But I’m in the minority on this. Strange that grey nails brings to mind pastel hair (my brain is weird), but I dig the pastel hair much much more.
Makes me think of pastel hair too! I guess it’s cause light gray is like a pastel color?
I asked my best friend if I should get pastel streaks and she was like, you’re not 4 years old. Ouch…!!
I’m thinking of getting blue highlights in my hair, you know. The only thing stopping me is that it is not so work-appropriate. Sighs. I say get your pastel streaks before you can’t. Ha. Hey, I saw this, and I thought of you! http://imabeautygeek.com/2009/08/13/grey-matter-ysl-la-laque39-stormy-grey/
Ooh! May I recommend Sally Hansen’s “Commander in Chic” (from the Complete Salon Manicure line)? I’m fixated on it. It’s a great matte dark gray with a subtle hint of lavender, which makes it all the more intriguing. (Grayer or more purple depending on the light.) I’ve gotten lots of compliments when I wear it.
Oh thanks so much, Val. I will def look out for it here! I adore Sally Hansen nail polishes – simply the best, I think. And afforable, too! Have you tried their shiny top coat? When I paint my nails really dark I always use it and it is seriously AMAZING. I don’t know why I haven’t blogged about it yet, but I should!
love your new web design too! if it’s too big u could probably try them in blackout stencil art? goodnight!
Aw thanks so much, Mabs! I’m kinda scared though, I think it might make the site load really slow on some people’s comp!
How have you been btw? 
Hmm… that sounds really cool but unfortunately I don’t know what you mean? Do you mean black outlines? I’m so clueless, sorry
it loads okay on mine and yea i really like the new look! those lil icons are real cute and interesting designs.
i’m good really (: pile on hair mask once a week for hair! and jump in the sauna. i was wrapping my hair in haor mask one night and she told me i should hop into the sauna… ha!
yea i meant something like tt but yours look great anyhow!
x
It’s sooo funny how trends roll around again. I’ve got some gray nail polish that is……27 years old. (It’s still good.) Probably older that many of you! LOL.
You have reminded me that I so need to do my nails!
Grey looks really cool on nails in all the photos. Will try!
But I still have Chanel Particuliere, which I adore too!
Usually I am completely loyal to my Revlon nail polish. Without exception. But I hunted for my favorite gray with a tint of brown shade and I ended up with: Rimmel London’s Steel Grey (270). It is day three and still not ONE chip. I am very impressed, I might even be a convert for the more unusual shades Revlon does not have.
You were totally spot on with this trend…
http://glo.msn.com/beauty/shades-of-gray-3041.gallery?gt1=49006
Aw thanks Jeanne! Who knew I would know what was ‘in’?! Haha
Renee, gray really rocks for guys too!
I have been trying to find the ‘perfect’ gray since early spring and I think I have finally landed on it: Essie Playa Del Platinum – here’s a great example: (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36359506@N07/4619591834/)
It’s not so dark that it looks macabre or goth, and not so light that it looks too grily for a guy to wear either. Just a nice understated yet classy creme that looks great on anyone, and I have been wearing it on my feet for the past month.
You were right, it is a cool trend – and guys are getting into it too!
Jake recently posted…The BB Couture Formal collection
Jake – that gray is PERFECT. Now I must get it too.
You have incredible taste! I also have a very dark metallic gray but I really wanted to find a nice lighter gray. Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll have to pick this one up! 
Where can I buy China Glaze, Sally Hansen and Zoya in Singapore? How much are they?
I have been using “Kiss Me Here” by Pure Ice. It’s a medium gray that is just slightly darker than China Glaze’s “Recycle”. I am in love with it and it was super cheap! I got mine at Walmart in Kentucky for $2. For as cheap as it is, it has great color pay off (you can get by with 1 coat, but of course 2 is always better) and it lasts for several days without chipping.
Grey nails are totally in. Especially now that lady gaga has been sporting it.
Which is funny, because I’ve loved grey nail polish for awhile now.
PoshPigments polish & makeup blog recently posted…French manicure with a nail art twist
So I just bought OPI “You don’t know Jacques!”, assuming that it would be a Fall Trend and I love the color in the bottle but alittle nervous about pulling it off as nail color but I will try it before I exchange for a lighter shade of gray. Anyone else tried this color yet?
I wish I’d read this before buying cheap grey nailvarnish! I’ll have to go out to buy another because the one I got is like WATER!
Buy cheap (and I mean cheap – £1.99!) but twice
I meant BUY twice. Idiot typing too fast…….
I LOVE grey nailpolish. Just discovered the perfect shades – Revlon Nail Enamel in Steel Her Heart and Silver Screen.
Im rocking the GRAY nail polish RIGHT NOW . And let me ust say IT IS THE BEST! ! ! Gray is my favorite color and it goes with EVERYTHING <3