The Nail Color Tweak Every Woman Should Make After 50

It was a sad day when we learned that age could be told not only by your face, but by all the sneaky spots we coincidentally forget to target with an anti-aging arsenal of creams, serums, retinols, and SPF. In reality, it's also your neck, ear lobes, elbows (yes, elbows!), hair, and hands that make your age clock tick a little louder. So what now, do we give up?

No way! Southern gals love a fresh coat of nail polish almost as much as they love sweet tea, SEC football, and Mama (she made us say that), but there's one nail color tweak every woman should make after she turns 50. Tone down dark nail polish and go with something that enhances your skin tone. If you're feeling like your mittens could use a youthful boost, consider trading that vampy purple or jet black nail shade for a fabulous new shade at the other end of the spectrum.

Signs of Aging

Here's what we know: Hands are one of our biggest age tells. As we get older, the skin starts getting thinner, making our veins more apparent. Meanwhile, constant exposure to the elements—think sun damage and general wear-and-tear—quickens the development of wrinkles and sun spots.

There are plenty of tweaks that can help a sister—and her hands—out, and we'll get to preventative measures later. But for now, we're talking about aesthetics. Namely, your manicure.

Choosing the Right Nail Color

Dark polishes, particularly stark black, run the risk of making mature hands appear less youthful, especially when it comes to cool-toned shades like deep navy, bluish reds, and wine purples. These exacerbate any skin dullness or dark spots caused by sun damage that you might be worried about.

The older you get, the more you want to focus on flattering nail shades that bring a youthful glow back to your mani and brighten your skin. Think iconic nudes like Ballet Slippers or Bubble Bath, pops of color like Revlon Red or Cajun Shrimp, or trendy neutral hues like taupe or terracotta. For subtle, timeless nails, sheer polishes never disappoint. And pearl nails are a longtime neutral favorite that has been reinvented as the glazed donut mani.

Let's face it: OPI Lincoln Park After Dark and Essie Bordeaux will never truly go out of style (no matter your age!). Call these all-time best players up from the bench whenever you'd like. After all, beauty icon Elizabeth Taylor always did as she pleased, too.

Taking Care of Your Hands

Want to go the extra mile? You can start protecting and refining your hands on a daily basis. While we often concentrate on our neck and face, our hands work hard and deserve some TLC to keep signs of aging at bay. For your daily hand care routine, you can purchase hand creams with anti-aging ingredients like retinol, but any moisturizer will do. We recommend moisturizing your hands with a thick layer of hand cream at night. Look for ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter on the label. For everyday protection, be sure to use sunscreen.

Now that your digits are about to experience a major awakening, it's time to pick your next color. Funny Bunny, perhaps?