The White Nail Theory Counters The Idea That Red Manis Attract The Most Attention
A fresh manicure has always been a sign of self-care as well as a great way to express yourself. With one trip to the nail salon, you can channel your inner trendsetter or go for a minimalist nail design for your next manicure. People have been painting their nails since nail polish was generated in China in 3000 B.C., according to Good Housekeeping. In fact, in ancient Egypt, it was used to signify class, but now it has seemed to take on a new meaning.
On TikTok, there has been a growing theory that the color of our nails not only says something about us but could attract male attention (via New Beauty). There is an idea that if you have red nails, men are more than likely to flock toward you, based on Freudian theory. However, recently people have argued that the true man magnet color is not red after all, but white. With recent discourse, which one is the most accurate?
Red nail theory
The red nail theory originally took the internet by storm claiming it was men's favorite nail color. Sonya Meesh, a celebrity nail artist, described the red nail theory to New Beauty as the idea that men are more likely to notice bright red nails due to the shade being a color worn by their own mothers while growing up. Another nail tech, Julie Kandalec, chimed in on the subject, via New Beauty, explaining that the significance of the color adds some validity to the theory. The color symbolizes "power, femininity, love, seduction, strength, and confidence, so when worn on nails, it exudes those same characteristics in the person wearing them," according to Kandalec via the publication.
Red is a very striking color that can be attractive to anyone. While experts agree that it might help get male attention, it's not a make-or-break of a man's attraction toward you. They also clarify that things such as shade and length play a part in how much attention your nail color gets.
White nail theory
Despite experts agreeing that there is some validity to the red nail theory, others are finding more validity in the white nail theory. According to Pop XO, white nails often mean the person wearing them is single and available. This lets men know that you have no other suiters and are ready to start a new relationship. This nail color is also said to represent chastity and innocence, which is the complete opposite of a bright red nail. In other words, this might be great for someone trying to send a message without directly saying they're single.
Furthermore, if you want to send the opposite signal, paint your nails blue. This is because it is believed that women who are taken often have blue nails. It's been suggested that blue is a man's first choice when asked to choose a nail color. So, depending on your status, red nails might not be for you, but white or blue nails might be your thing.