The best way to polish off an outfit is the perfect manicure. The earthy tones of the fall have come and gone, and winter trends have set in.

The best colors to lean towards this winter season are very dark or very light shades. Neutral tones and deep colors are always a good choice.

Essie’s newest collection, Cashmere Matte, features soft-natural tones topped off with an additional dark blue shade.  And as Junior Ari Berke said, “You can never go wrong with a neutral!”

Coat Couture is a stand out color in the collection. This dark purple shade with grey tones can easily be utilized as an accent to a light grey or cream sweater.

As for their winter collection, the shades start with a light off-white and gradually enhance to deep reds.

Fashion icon Gwen Stefani’s OPI Holiday collection features deep purples, greens and reds. To add a festive sparkle, there are also a few glitter filled polishes in the collection.

One shade from the collection that is essential to add to your winter color scheme is Don’t Speak. This polish titled after Stefani’s band, No Doubt’s hit single is a gold metallic paint with a shimmery tint.

Light-soft tones, such as ivory or light pink, are an easy go-to winter choice. Besides the fact that they match almost everything, it’s nearly impossible to notice when they chip!

Another way to avoid chipping is to apply a gel manicure instead of a regular coat of polish. The gel manicure will last longer, which is perfect for the busy winter season.

As for the darker shades, they too can be very versatile. A deep red paired with a white blouse can provide a pop of bright color, whereas with a black blouse the deeper tones are accentuated. There are also many other darker colors that are perfect for the winter.

Berke continued, “In the winter I use dark colors like black or dark blues and greys.”

A relatively new trend is different finishes to polishes. Matte finishes are a great choice to accompany the winter color pallet, as opposed to the customary glossy finish. A matte finish has a no- shine appearance. It looks best on darker shades; which is perfect for the winter.

Nail polish – seemingly such an insignificant detail to an outfit- can be the defining accessory.