The fashion pundits have spoken! Metallic nail polish is here to stay. One of the best things about these sparkly shades is that they let us feel like girly girls with their shimmer but are classy enough for stepping out. What could be more high class than silver and gold? These shades combine with just about anything, and add just enough bling to your look without seeming tacky. For all these reasons, metallic nail polish is a very hot seller.

Alongside the standard metallic silver and gold, many designers are offering new shades for the 2011 season. Pewter is a great one, half way between gold and silver. While Chanel asks for $20 or more a bottle, Revlon makes a great inexpensive version. Chrome polish is another great option, though it can be hard to find a brand that isn’t just silver polish by another name. Sally Hansen is one brand that does a pretty good job. Keep in mind that chrome polish requires a little extra effort. A good system is to apply a clear base coat, two layers of polish, and then a super-brilliant top coat. While you will never achieve a reflective chrome bumper effect, it can be a stunning look if done right.

Standard gold and silver nails are usually achieved with much less fuss. There are many brands of gold nail polish available, so I recommend you experiment a bit to find the shade you like. My favorites right now are MAC Gold Veneer Nail Lacquer and Cover Girl Gold Rush. The first is an understated frosty gold, and the second goes for maximum shine. There are also burlesque collections from Revlon among others full of sparkles or flakes as well as smoother, almost orangey finishes. It really depends what effect you are after. Most of these polishes will leave a clouds or swirls due to the metallic pigments, but I  like the effect. Most metallic polishes I’ve tried go on pretty thin and dry quickly. While one coat might seem like enough, especially with the really opaque varieties, I’ve always found that two coats will stay bright and new looking a lot longer. If maximum drama is what you’re after, always use a shiny top coat.

Because they look so, well, metallic, I got to wondering if these shades were more toxic than other polishes, so I did a little research. While what I found out was a little bit chilling, it wasn’t because of metallic dyes in the polish. As it turns out, metallic nail polish as a rule isn’t more dangerous than other shades, but pretty much all nail polishes are full of questionable ingredients. Both the solvents and the pigments in many cases are associated with proven health risks, or haven’t even been tested at all! For health conscious consumers, there are several alternatives. Some of the best are No Miss and Sante nail polish. Some of the big brands like Revlon and Bourjois are also launching less toxic products. For now, the best thing you can do is carefully read labels and try to shop responsibly. Since we’re paying good money anyway, it also makes sense to find products that are good to our nails, offering UV protection, for example.

I think we will start to see more healthy products in years to come as consumer demand increases. In the meantime, however, the show must go on. Because it is the hot look this season, there are plenty of options at all price levels for metallic nail polish. I recommend that you fearlessly go ahead and buy a brand or two for those nights when you want to try something new. If you need more specific information on any given brand, please surf around the site and leave your comments. Thanks for reading!