Can Wearing Red Nail Polish Really Improve Your Life? TikTok Says “Yes”

Patient Zero

It's called 'The Red Nail Theory', and it was popularized by TikTok user @GirlBossTown, who noticed that whenever she wore red nail polish, she started receiving a lot more male attention than she normally would.

She admits she was surprised at first, but has ann idea as to why this may be happening. "I always thought red nails was like a grandma nail color, why the f**k is he liking red nails? And then it hit me."

Nostalgic Connections

She thinks it has to do with the makeup those same men giving her attention now saw in their childhoods. "In the '90s when we were growing up, women had red nails a lot, especially our moms. I weirdly think guys are attracted to red nails because it reminds them of their moms when they were growing up and taking care of them."

Her video gained over 1.2 million views at the time of writing and sparked plenty of response videos of other women putting this idea to the test.

A Glowing Review

The #rednailtheory tag took off after GirlBossTown's upload, with many women sharing their experiences, results, and overall thoughts.

One popular video had a woman named Melisse claiming that the theory is true. "I have never been out on so many dates or complimented as much as I have been in the past two or three weeks with these nails," she says, holding up her hand to show bright red polish.

"I've been asked on maybe five or six dates, which is not normal, so I don't know what it is, but it's real."

The Root Of It

Another video was made by a woman named Navya who first describes the red nail theory for any of her viewers that might not be aware, noting how strange the connection between older female figures in childhood and attraction to the same elements now really is.

She then says she got red nails right before a night out and received an "insane" amount of compliments the entire night. She also says, "I personally think that they look hot, and I feel super powerful when I have them on." This is a thought we'll come back to later.

Audience Feedback

Of course, it's not sound science. The origin isn't a formal hypothesis, nor are any of these tests measurable scientific experiments. While it's a fine theory, it's just an idea born from one person, one that has some extreme biases when put on trial.

There have been some more critical responses from those with professional backgrounds, namely other TikTokers currently in academia who are baffled by people looking at this concept with no nuance.

Casting Doubt

Aubrey Hoffer is currently getting her Ph.D. in psychology, and she had a number of thoughts about the trend. "I feel the need to rain on the parade of the red nail theory."

She begins her deconstruction with, "People are citing that this makes sense because of Sigmund Freud. Number one, Freud sucks, so straight to jail. Number two, attraction is complex, and you're not just attracted to people who remind you of your parents.”

Confidence In Color

She actually suggests this idea be more of a result of color theory than anything else.

"Number three, there is evidence that we do consider red to be an amorous color, and we tend to rate people wearing red as more attractive than people who aren't wearing red. Number four, if you believe that wearing a certain color makes you more approachable and confident, you will act differently, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Manicures Are Key

On the other hand, some people not only fully believe in the power of manifesting love through your nail color but think that different colors can help attract different things.

Astrologer Lisa Stardust talked to tarot reader and manifestation expert Bri Luna about manicures as a tool of attraction. Like Hoffer, Luna thinks that "beauty rituals such as manicures can help boost your self-confidence, which in turn is helpful in setting an intention."

Desire Profiles

Luna says that not only the color, but the shape of your nails can help encourage whatever it is you want to attract. If you do want love, you can go red or pink depending on the type of love you want (passionate versus sweet), but you should also get a square-shaped nail as squares align with the earth element, which will help bring about physicality and connection.

Meanwhile, to bring about abundance, you should look to gold nail polish. You can also use green, but Luna recommends gold because "gold is better for attraction [...] because it represents wealth and reminds us of [coins] as well as luxury." You should also pick oval or almond-shaped nails as they're connected to the element of air, and thus will give us confidence in openly discussing finances, like when asking for a raise.

Circling Back

Coincidentally enough, when it comes to confidence, Luna does suggest red nails, which holds some water as Navya said she felt very confident and "powerful" when sporting red nails. It all comes back to confidence, as a confident attitude can help solidify the goals you have already been striving for.

There's also something to be said for the ritual of partaking in a beauty routine, like getting a manicure. Taking care of ourselves and doing things that make us feel beautiful is a surefire way to boost our self-esteem, making us feel strong enough to go after the things we want.

So What About The Theory?

It's just that: a theory. You're allowed to put stock in it if you think it works for you, you're allowed to go out and try it if you want, and you're also allowed to believe the original reasoning that GirlBossTown came up with for why it might work.

However, it isn't something that should run your life. There are so many other elements at play when it comes to attracting love and building confidence. There's no one secret key that can unlock those opportunities for you.

Do what makes you feel beautiful, but also never stop working on yourself! Whatever you're wanting to bring into your life will take more than just a manicure to fully realize.