The Classiest Nail Colours According To Sofia Richie-Grainge’s Manicurist, Georgia Rae

Since Sofia Richie-Grainge’s wedding manicure last year, I’ve been totally obsessed with finding the perfect sheer nail polishes. There is something about a sheer pink that is universally flattering on everyone, and remains a timeless and classy nail colour. After having a manicure with celebrity manicurist Georgia Rae (the very pro behind Richie-Grainge’s wedding nails) I jumped at the chance to find out exactly what nail colours she used for her big day, as well as her favourite minimalist sheer pink and milky nail colours that have become her signature—they are truly the chicest minimalist manicures around.

How To get Classy Nails

Before we jump into the colour best colours to try, Rae has some advice for prepping your nails before applying polish, which can take your mani from looking good to great. “It all starts with a hand care and nail care routine,” she says. “You want your hands to be in really good condition, so even if you don’t have any nail polish on, or something very sheer, they look good.” This includes using a hand scrub to buff away dead skin and applying cuticle oil regularly to keep them neat.

In fact, the attention to the cuticles is what elevates a manicure. “It’s almost like shaping your nails and the other end,” says Rae. “There is a lot of emphasis on shaping the edge of the nail, but not so much on actually creating a really nice shape along the bottom of the nail,” she says. So, use a cuticle remover and cuticle pusher to remove any dead skin around the base of the nails. Then, you can apply a nail oil before bed and using an exfoliating scrub to maintain the look.

Rae‘s tip for a luxe-level manicure? Layering colours to get your own custom shade, which she often does for her bridal clients. “I like to mix and layer depending on skin tone,” she says. “I like layering a really sheer white first, as I find this really brightens the nail, and then from there you can either layer a more peachy-toned pink or a more baby-toned pink,” she says, explaining that you create your own bespoke shade that’s tailored to you.

7 Classy Nail Colours To Try Next

1. Biosculpture Sweet Candy Breath

Rae was behind Sofia Richie-Grainge’s wedding weekend nails, and she filled me in on the exact shades she used. “She had a clear picture of what she wanted. For the rehearsal dinner she wanted a sheer white, and for that we did OPI Funny Bunny (more on that below) and for her wedding day we did Biosculpture’s Sweet Candy Breath,” says Rae. “I always say it’s a mix of everything; not too pink, not too white, not too beige, it’s a really universally flattering shade.” The hue is available in gel polish, but also a matching nail polish if you want to get the look at home.

2. Essie Allure

Rae recommends applying a sheer white polish, which not only looks good worn alone, but is the perfect brightening base to follow up with other sheer shades. “I always apply a sheer white polish beneath every colour,” says Rae. “I like using Essie Allure, it’s a really sheer white that looks good on everyone. And then on top of that you can layer pretty much anything.”

3. Chanel Ballerina

As I sat down with Rae for my manicure, we landed on Chanel’s iconic Ballerina, which she also loves for a classy manicure look. One coat delivers a sheer veil of delicate pink, while two coats provides a milky, nail-perfecting gloss.

Wearing Chanel’s Ballerina, which I chose for my manicure with Georgia Rae.

4. OPI Funny Bunny

We all know the popularity of OPI’s Funny Bunny, which as become a got-to shade for many, and Rae loves to use it as another layering shade which she has done here by layering OPI Funny Bunny, Baby, Take A Vow and Put It In Neutral. “It sounds like I’m applying a lot of product, but as long as you apply really thin coats, you can really do whatever you like and they won’t end up looking thick,” she says. It’s a great way to create a custom colour that really suits you.

5. OPI Put It In Neutral

One nail colour shade you’ll spot all over Rae’s Instagram is OPI’s Put It In Neutral. This is a great nail colour if you want something sheer and minimal, but don’t want anything too pink. This shade has beige undertones that are more neutral and subtle, while still adding a hint of colour to the nails. Think of it as ‘no makeup’ makeup for your nails.

6. OPI Baby, Take A Vow

As the name suggests, this makes for a great bridal manicure colour that has more of a blush pink tone that makes the nails look really pretty.

7. OPI Bubble Bath

We can’t talk about the minimal nail colours without mentioning OPI Bubble Bath, and it’s a shade that you’ll always find in Rae‘s kit. It’s the perfect sheer pink that can be layered for a more opaque effect, or as a base for a French manicure or chrome manicure too.