A guide to 18 beautiful nude and brown nail polish colors with swatches from Essie, Barry M, Douglas Collection, Nails Inc, Kiko and Revlon – light to taupe and dark brown colors!
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It’s only in the past year that I really started wearing all types of brown and nude nail polish.
Before that, only really light or bright green, teal blue or crazy colors like duochrome pink nail polish would have my attention…
But I realized that I was missing out on gorgeous amounts of sophistication that way.
Not to say that nude nail polish can’t be crazy: with the right shade of mauve nail polish, like Essie Clothing Optional or Douglas Rocky Vinyard, nude becomes overly interesting.
But there are people who want something a bit less greige, a bit less mauve, and a bit more true nude or brown.
So, here you go: these are all the drugstore nude and brown nail polish colors I’ve been loving lately, and definitely think should be part of any polish lover’s stash.
18 Beautiful Drugstore Nude and Brown Nail Polish Swatches
Reviewed and swatched in this guide are the following references:
- Douglas Collection Granit
- Essie Chinchilly
- Nails Inc Caught in the Nude in Mykonos Beach
- Nails Inc Caught in the Nude in Turks & Caicos Beach
- Essie Gel Couture Of Corset
- Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Honeysuckle
- Essie Eternal Optimist
- Essie Clothing Optional
- Nails Inc Caught in the Nude in Tulum Beach
- Revlon Ultra HD Snap Basic
- Revlon Ultra HD Snap Red and Real
- Barry M Sheer Strength in Sheer Joy
- Douglas Collection Rocky Vinyard
- Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Tiramisu
- Barry M Sheer Strength in Sheer Style
- Essie Buy Me a Cameo (click to read the review)
- Kiko Power Pro 26 Reddish Mauve (click to read the review)
- Kiko Power Pro 234 Toffee Charm (click to read the review)
Why Did I Purchase These Nude and Brown Nail Polish Colors?
You know how I usually tell you in my review of single polish shades, all about why I bought specific shades?
It’s a bit harder to do so when you’re presenting 18 shades, isn’t it – which is why I’ll tell you just a little bit of why now.
For instance, when it comes to the few Revlon Ultra HD Snap nail polishes I currently own, I was still living in Rome when I got them: I’d been seeing the range for a few months before I finally splurged.
I got a bit of everything, from the bright pink Rule the World (which happens to be a great summer nail polish shade!) to a beautiful teal polish, Daredevil, which you’ve been able to see in a few posts already.
When it comes to my nude Essie nail polishes, I got them little by little.
Fiirst, it was the mauve Lady Like, followed by sheer pink nail polishes like Mademoiselle, Ballet Slippers and Not Just a Pretty Face.
And, finally, colors like Eternal Optimist and Clothing Optional for more neutral shades.
The Nails Inc nail polishes I got, I did so while traveling to London – I just felt like buying them, so I did.
Whenever I’m getting new color – that’s my passion, after all!, money doesn’t matter.
I don’t think it should come into play when I feel like buying some new makeup, whether we’re talking about coral or pink lipsticks, or, say, new periwinkle blue nail polishes.
And it doesn’t, actually (tell that to my banker please).
Nude Brown Nail Polish Swatches on Fake Nails
Nude Brown Nail Polish Swatches on Natural Nails
Nails Inc Caught in the Nude Mykonos Beach Swatch
One of the three very nude Nails Inc nail polishes I currently own from the Caught in the Nude collection, Mykonos Beach is the lightest, a soft beige which almost looks like Essie Dance Til Dawn with warmer undertones.
Opaque in two to three coats, and a great base for all kinds of spring to winter manis.
Read: Duochrome Nails: Nails Inc That Euphoria Life Swatches
Douglas Collection Granit Swatch
The Douglas Collection Granit nail polish looks a bit like Nails Inc Mykonos Beach with pinker undertones.
On pale skin, olive skin and cool skin, this is one of the prettiest Douglas nail polishes to get to wear on the daily, and one I love using for manis that also include a duochrome polish like Douglas Gleaming Plum or Paranoid Blue.
Read: 4 Beautiful Hema Nail Polish Colors (Swatches)
Nails Inc Caught in the Nude Turks & Caicos Beach Swatch
Out of the three Caught in the Nude nail polishes I have, Turks & Caicos Beach is probably the easiest to wear on the daily.
Here, we’ve got a great mix of pink, brown and beige in the color that makes it good to go in two coats and any outfit.
If you’re looking for a more reddish brown nail polish, though, Tulum Beach, which we’ll see a bit later, is that type of perfect nude for medium skin, and some dark skin tones.
Read: Purple Nails: Essence Holo Bomb Nail Lacquer 02 Swatches
Essie Buy Me a Cameo Swatch
I don’t have many nude yet metallic nail polishes in my stash, but Essie Buy Me a Cameo is a good shade to get whether you have olive skin or warm skin.
Indeed, while it is a soft gold nail polish, it doesn’t have so much yellow inside that you can’t wear it if you don’t have warm skin.
Also, if you’re ever looking for an even crazier shade, the glittery pink gold Birthday Girl is another reference to look into.
Read: Mauve Nails: Essie Angora Cardi Nail Polish Swatches
Essie Gel Couture Of Corset Swatch
The sheer Essie nail polishes are some of my favorites to wear, and the Gel Couture Of Corset is probably one of the prettiest I currently have in my stash, as it can fit into pretty much any season.
Described as a soft nude with chestnut undertones, Of Corset is never really opaque – swatched are three coats, but I usually wear it with only one and call it a day.
Read: White Nails Aesthetic: Essie Blanc Nail Polish Swatches
Essie Eternal Optimist Swatch
If you’re ever looking for a somewhat warmer, bit more coral-toned nude, Essie Eternal Optimist, which is one of the most popular Essie nail polishes, is a good one to go to.
I feel like mauve nail polishes from the brand, like Lady Like or Clothing Optional with its brown undertone, suit my skin better, but I can still wear Eternal Optimist pretty effortlessly no matter what the season is.
Read: Mauve Nails: Essie Demure Vix Nail Polish Swatches
Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Honeysuckle Swatch
If however you gave me the choice between Essie Eternal Optimist and Barry M Honeysuckle, I’d choose the latter every single time – the undertone is pinker, which makes it easier to wear for me.
The texture is thicker than the Essie nail polishes, and Honeysuckle is opaque in about two coats, super glossy, long lasting, and pretty much everything you’d wish from an everyday, nude nail polish.
Read: Blue Nails Aesthetic: Essie Aruba Blue Nail Polish Swatch
Barry M Sheer Strength Sheer Style Swatch
I have three Barry M Sheer Strength nail polishes; Sheer Bliss, the light, sheer pink polish, is my favorite out of the three, and you’ll see the other two here today, including this one, Sheer Style.
If you have medium skin and are looking for a very sheer nude brown nail polish, it can’t get better than this one – especially at that price point!
Read: Sheer Nails: Essie Mademoiselle Nail Polish Swatch
Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Tiramisu Swatch
All of the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail polishes I have, I’m in love with.
It’s easy, from the texture to the application, drying time and dozens upon dozens of colors, they’re simply incredible.
One of the only true brown nude Barry M nail polishes, shade Tiramisu is a cool-toned brown that suits olive skin, cool skin and warm skin to perfection and can be worn as a fall nail color as much as during spring with a beautiful green nail polish (Pear or Pistachio would look amazing!).
Read: Electric Blue Nails: Barry M Blue Guava Nail Polish Swatches
Essie Chinchilly Swatch
The Essie Chinchilly nail polish is one of the fall nail colors I am currently in love with – with this color, we’re oscillating between grey and brown, and this gives a really muted greige type of color.
Two coats are enough for full opacity, but seeing as the formula is more liquid than other Essie nail polishes I own, I usually apply three thin coats.
Chinchilly pairs really well with a dark plum purple like Douglas Singular Mocassin and a white polish for extra light on the nails (Barry M Cotton or, if you want to stay with the same brand, Essie Blanc).
Read: 8 Sol de Janeiro Body Mist Scents Ranked
Nails Inc Caught in the Nude Tulum Beach Swatch
We’ve now got the third, darker shade of Nails Inc Caught in the Nude nail polishes I have; Tulum Beach.
A medium brown with slight reddish undertones, this is the one I consider prettiest, and one that resembles Essie Clothing Optional shown below, only with warmer undertones.
Read: Duochrome Nails: Barry M Glazed Sheer Nail Paint Swatches
Essie Clothing Optional Swatch
Clothing Optional is an Essie nail polish I’ve always seen as the darker, bit browner version of Lady Like, one of my very, very favorites from the brand.
Here, we’ve got a gorgeous brown with mauve undertones (or mauve with brown undertones), perfect from fair to dark skin, and opaque in just two coats – such a gorgeous fall nail polish!
Read: Soft Purple Nails: Kiko Power Pro Nail Lacquer 238 Lilac Whisper Swatches
Douglas Collection Rocky Vinyard Swatch
Douglas Rocky Vinyard is that proper greige nail polish, of the kind that was so in vogue a few years ago, and a color you could also see as a desaturated purple with brown undertones (or vice versa).
It’s opaque in one to two coats like most Douglas Collection nail polishes, and the perfect fall to winter nail polish color!
Read: Pastel Blue Nails: Kiko Power Pro Nail Lacquer 240 Kiss the Sky Swatches
Barry M Sheer Strength Sheer Joy Swatch
Sheer Joy is the darkest Barry M Sheer Strength nail polish – swatched here are three coats to get as much depth and accuracy in the color when I took the pictures.
This is what I think was designed as the perfect sheer nude for brown to dark skin, which mixes well with white (Barry M Cotton) or light mint green nail polish (Barry M Eucalyptus or Kiko 239 Minty Frost, for instance).
Read: Sheer Nails: Essie Ballet Slippers Nail Polish Swatch
Kiko Power Pro Nail Lacquer 26 Reddish Mauve Swatch
For a true chocolate brown nail polish, the Kiko Power Pro Nail Lacquer in 26 Reddish Mauve is a great, great choice.
I am currently entering my era of loving really dark brown nail polishes, and this one, with its slightly mauve undertones, is gorgeous whatever skin tone you apply it on.
Read: Sheer Nails: Essie Not Just a Pretty Face Nail Polish Swatches
Kiko Power Pro Nail Lacquer 234 Toffee Charm Swatch
If you’d rather get something a bit more caramel-toned, then the Kiko Power Pro Nail Lacquer in 234 Toffee Charm is the one I’d recommend – out of the two browns I have from Kiko, it’s undeniably my favorite.
Like 26 Reddish Mauve, it’s opaque in one to two coats, with an incredible glossy finish that makes you want to stare at your nails all day long.
This one pairs really well with the soft pink polish 237 Glimmering Petal Pink from the same range, but also with 20 Mermaid Pink if you’re more into duochrome nail polishes to mix with brown.
Read: Comparison: Essie Angora Cardi vs Island Hopping Swatches
Revlon Ultra HD Snap Basic Swatch
All of the Revlon Ultra HD Snap nail polishes are gorgeous, uber-performant, pigmented, and simply perfect for any season – if you want something bright for the summer, Bright Side and Rule the World are great.
If, however, you’re looking for more fall-toned colors, Grounded, a deep purple nail polish, Get Real, a beautiful periwinkle blue, or Basic, the reddish brown we’re seeing now, are just perfect.
One to two coats are enough to get the nail completely covered, the Ultra HD Snap in Basic is also very long-lasting, and well… I really don’t have the words to describe how easy to wear – and to love! – it is.
Read: Comparison: Essie Ballet Slippers vs Mademoiselle Swatches
Revlon Ultra HD Snap Red and Real Swatch
With Red and Real from the same Ultra HD Snap range, we’ve got another reddish brown, much more red this time, and a color that feels overly sophisticated every single time I have it on.
The Red and Real nail polish is also opaque in one to two coats, swatched here with two, and a great color to mix with the periwinkle blue Get Real for amazing contrast.
Read: Metallic Nails: Kiko Power Pro Nail Lacquer 29 Silver Green Swatches
Drugstore Nude and Brown Nail Polish Comparison Swatches
Light Nude Nail Polish Swatches
Medium Brown Nail Polish Swatches
Brown Nail Polish Swatches
Reddish Brown Nail Polish Swatches
Essie Nude Nail Polish Swatches
Nude Essie Nail Polish Comparison
Nails Inc Caught in The Nude Nail Polish Swatches
Light Nude Nail Polish Comparison
Medium Brown and Dark Brown Nail Polish Comparison
18 Beautiful Drugstore Nude and Brown Nail Polish Swatches
Well, here you’ve got all of my favorite nude and brown nail polish colors from brands you’ve been able to see over and over again here.
Nails Inc, Essie, Douglas Collection, Revlon and Barry M are currently some brands I use a lot for any kind of mani (like beach-inspired nail designs!), and I can’t get over the quality and price of these.
Now, if you’d rather discover something else for all seasons, do check out these other swatches I’ve done for you:
- My favorite teal blue nail polishes
- Gorgeous drugstore summer nail polish colors
- And of course, my favorite blue Barry M nail polishes too – love their textures and colors!
Until next time!
Other Essie Nail Polish
- Red Nails Aesthetic: Essie Russian Roulette Nail Polish Swatches
- Red Nails: Essie Too Too Hot Nail Polish Swatches
- Blue Nails Aesthetic: Essie You Do Blue Nail Polish Swatch
- Plum Nails: Essie Ferris of Them All Nail Polish Swatches
Other Douglas Nail Polish
- Duochrome Nails: Douglas Collection Sea Witch Nail Polish Swatches
- Duochrome Nails: Douglas Collection Pink Triteia Nail Polish Swatches
- Berry Nails: Douglas Collection Power of Fushia Nail Polish Swatches
Other Lip Makeup
- Drugstore Lipstick: Maybelline Superstay Vinyl Ink Swatches & Review
- Duochrome Lipgloss: Glisten Cosmetics Chroma Gloss Swatches
- Kiko Milano Smart Fusion Lip Liner Swatches
- 23 Gorgeous MAC MACximal Lipsticks For All Skin Tones
- 7 Gorgeous Pink and Coral Summer Lipstick Shades
- 7 Beautiful Summer Lipgloss Shades For All Skin Tones
- 4 Must-Have Matte MAC Lipstick Shades for a Statement Look
- 8 Popular Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Swatches