Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Beauty

    The nail polish colours you shouldn't wear to an interview

    Because your hands actually do a lot of talking

    Natalie Lukaitis's avatar
    By Natalie Lukaitis
    Published 12 December 2016 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    (Image credit: Matteo Valle)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Because your hands actually do a lot of talking

    Our hands play such an important role in how we communicate. We use them to gesture, help describe things and better convey our messages on a daily basis. Which is why it's so important to consider them when going for an interview. Even without you knowing, you'll most likely use your hands when answering questions or expressing your opinion. And no one wants to do that with chipped nail polish, or a colour that screams something completely different to what you're trying say.

    Pre-interview pamper? Tell the beauty editors at Powder a bit about your skin and they'll recommend the best face masks for you.

    It may not seem apparent, but your choice of nail colour is actually an extension of your overall presentation. And it's not a one colour suits all kind of situation. What might be better for an editorial or fashion job, may not be ideal for a corporate position. And vise versa. So before you head to your next interview, consider the shade of nail polish you should wear... and those you might want to leave until your first day on the job. What nail polish colour should you wear to an interview? Read on...

    Creative 

    You may like
    • nails Bare Nails Are Trending, But My Nails Weren't Ready Until I Tried These 'Nail Concealers'
    • How to keep long nails clean My Long, Natural Nails Never Look Clean—Here’s How 3 Nail Experts Recommend Keeping Them Salon-Fresh
    • Gel nail polish ban Bella Emar wears white Polo Club Top, white high waisted Sézane Skirt, white bag, Rolex Datejust watch on August 03, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. Is Gel Polish Inherently Problematic? Inside Gel Polish’s Never-Ending Safety Scandals

    You're in luck, because a creative position calls for a creative person, so generally any colour goes. Just keep in mind that glitter effects do give off a younger vibe.

    Corporate

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    Because these roles call for a more formal approach, you should go for rich, dark colours like plum, forest green and dark grey or neutrals like ballet slipper, dusty pink and nude. If you want to wear a more punchy colour, go for a classic red, as other loud shades might have the power to detract attention away from your actual interview.

    Health care 

    NHS guidance states that fingernails should be short and free of varnish, however polls have revealed that many health care professionals do wear nail polish. However, it's probably best to stick with neutral colours that have bene freshly done, as this is what will be expected once you're in the profession.

    Business casual 

    Although it's casual, these business roles will still expect a certain style of uniform, so popping pinks and electric blue are probably best left for another day.

    Natalie Lukaitis
    Natalie Lukaitis
    Social Links Navigation
    Read more
    nails
    Nails Bare Nails Are Trending, But My Nails Weren't Ready Until I Tried These 'Nail Concealers'
    How to keep long nails clean
    Beauty My Long, Natural Nails Never Look Clean—Here’s How 3 Nail Experts Recommend Keeping Them Salon-Fresh
     
     
    Gel nail polish ban Bella Emar wears white Polo Club Top, white high waisted Sézane Skirt, white bag, Rolex Datejust watch on August 03, 2025 in Berlin, Germany.
    Beauty Is Gel Polish Inherently Problematic? Inside Gel Polish’s Never-Ending Safety Scandals
    nail brush benefits
    Nails My £4 Secret to a Minimal Manicure—This Simple Tool Makes Bare Nails Look Immaculate
     
     
    Latest in Beauty
    The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Head Spas, Coco Mademoiselle Reimagined, and What the TPO Ban Really Means
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
     
     
    Best foundation balms
    Make Up If You’ve Fallen Out of Love With Foundation in Your 30s, This Hydrating, Blurring Alternative Still Gives Impressive Coverage
    Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: The Foundation Using Exosome Technology, the Treatment That Transformed My Skin Texture—Plus, the Ever-Earlier Advent Calendar Race
     
     
    Latest in Features
    The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Head Spas, Coco Mademoiselle Reimagined, and What the TPO Ban Really Means
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
     
     
    @nlmarilyn in transitional autumn outfits
    Fashion Goodbye Summer Dresses, I'm in Autumn Outfit Planning Mode—These 5 Are Fresh
    AW26 denim trends listing
    Fashion Autumn's Denim Trends Are Already Surfacing—Here Are the Cuts, Colours and Details to Know Now
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.