Orange nails look like a warm day, even in October. These orange nail designs run from soft apricot to burnt orange, with eight ways to wear the color and the nail care habits that keep it from looking tired.
Which shade of orange is yours?
Orange covers more ground than most colors. It can be pale and almost peach, or deep and almost brown. Pick the shade by how bold you want to be, not by the season.
The four shades differ in how much they show, and how much they ask of the rest of your outfit.
- Apricot: the easiest, for short nails and first-time orange wearers.
- Coral: leans pink, and suits summer clothes and tanned skin.
- Tangerine: the bright one, made for a plain outfit.
- Burnt orange: brown-leaning and moody, good for autumn.
If you are not sure, hold a swatch next to your bare hand in daylight. Warm, golden light flatters the deeper shades, and cool light makes the pastels look flat.
Eight orange nail designs.
1. Sheer apricot.
Two thin coats of a sheer apricot give a milky, healthy-looking finish. It hides regrowth better than any solid color.
2. Coral on short nails.
A coral polish on short, rounded nails looks clean and neat. It is the color to wear on holiday with a swimsuit and a tan.
3. Solid tangerine.
Wear tangerine on every finger and keep the rest of the outfit simple. Match it to a drink or a bag, and it will look planned.
4. Burnt orange in cream.
A deep burnt orange with a cream sweater is the autumn pair. Add a glossy top coat to make the color look richer.
5. Orange and white tips.
Swap the white tip of a French manicure for orange, or the other way around. It is a quiet way to wear color on a short nail.
6. Orange with a gold line.
Draw a thin gold line near the cuticle on a burnt orange base. It looks like jewelry on the nail and works for dinner.
The one I would book
I would book sheer apricot in spring and burnt orange in autumn. Both look expensive, and neither shows regrowth for two weeks.
7. Orange and brown leaf accents.
Paint a single leaf in brown or gold on the ring finger of a rust base. Keep the other nails plain.
8. Orange tips with a knit sleeve.
A thin orange tip is easy to live with. Wear it with warm knits and gloves, and with the colors in our fall outfit ideas.
What does orange go with?
Orange goes with navy, olive, cream and denim. It can clash with red and bright pink, so keep those away from your sleeves when you wear a strong orange. For another bold choice, try these purple nail designs, which sit across the color wheel.
How do you keep the color looking good?
Dermatologists suggest giving your nails a rest from polish. The American Academy of Dermatology advises going without it for one to two weeks or longer, and using a moisturizer such as petroleum jelly on your nails and cuticles between polishes (AAD gel manicure tips).
Bright oranges can stain a bare nail, so use a clear base coat first. That is a common nail artist tip, and it makes the color easier to remove.
If you wear gel orange
The AAD says to protect the skin around your nails with petroleum jelly, soak cotton in 100% acetone, wrap each nail in plastic food wrap and wait 10 minutes. It warns against picking or scraping, which can injure the nail and cause white spots (AAD guide to removing gel polish).
It also notes that fingernails take about six months to grow out, so growing out a gel color is another option.
For more seasonal ideas, see our guide to nail trends.
Orange nail questions, answered.
Who looks good in orange nails?
Almost everyone, if you pick the right shade. Apricot and coral are the easiest, while tangerine and burnt orange look best with a plain outfit.
What orange nail shade is best for fall?
Burnt orange and rust. They go with cream, olive, brown and denim, and they look richer with a glossy top coat.
Do bright nail colors stain nails?
They can. A clear base coat helps, and the AAD says to give your nails a rest from polish for one to two weeks.
