I Asked Glamsquad for a Nude Mani Pedi.Here's What Happened.

Oh, the nude manicure. Add it to the list of beauty routines that aren't a "thing" for women of color -- especially women with a Rich 6 skin tone like me. However, with the nude movement in full force, I've started noticing brands offering more nude and neutral options, starting with companies led by trailblazing Black women; such as the Bianca Miller London Nail Collection or the Mented Cosmetics Nude Nail Collection.

But what about the mainstream brands? Well, a Google search for "nude nail polish" gives you SURPRISE (not surprised) an endless collage of beiges and pale pinks; a not-so-kind reminder that I don't meet this beauty standard.

This is why I've eliminated all aspirations of getting a nude manicure from a nail salon -- because there's simply no point. They don't carry my shade of nude.

However, I just joined a women's co-working space here in New York called The Wing that I'm totally obsessed with (as my insta followers know oh so well). My throne away from home, The Wing has beautiful showers stocked with Carol's Daughter products for my 4C hair, a Millennial Pink locker room to keep my items secure, and the most luxurious beauty room where I get to pretend I can afford the Gabrielle Chanel perfume they leave out for members to use.

This week I noticed a sign in the beauty room saying we could call for Glamsquad services. Then I looked down at my unpainted finger nails and untamed cuticles that, let's be honest, I've been keeping a little too natural while trying to balance startup life + rock climbing (my new favorite workout) + every other darn thing that keeps me busy.

So I downloaded the Glamsquad app for the first time, ordered a manicure and pedicure for 4PM, and hit "book." Then it occurred to me -- this would be the perfect opportunity to test out how prepared this mainstream service would be to meet the nude-beauty-needs (I'm making that a thing) of a rich-skinned woman like me. So I added style notes requesting a nude mani pedi -- and for some extra support, I made it clear I was a "dark-skinned African American."

When 4PM rolled around, I was greeted on time by an expert nail technician. We got settled in the beauty room as she pulled out a tub for my feet, a plethora of tools from her Mary Poppins-like backpack, and a carrying case of nail polish shades.

Before excitedly unzipping the case, I made sure to ask her the most important question, "Are you well-compensated by Glamsquad for this service?" She replied "Yes! The money is good," and proceeded to tell me how she's been with the company for a year and a half, that she has two young kids, and that she enjoys the flexibility Glamsquad gives her to work according to her own schedule so that she can spend time with her children on her own terms.

Encouraged by her response, I turned my attention to the nail polish. I rolled my lips into a smirk as I unzipped the case, SO READY to guffaw when there'd be no dark brown polish for my nude. Unexpectedly, the joke was totally on me.

Not only did I find a brown Essie polish that looked like it would be my nude, I actually had multiple dark shades to choose from. I made my selection, then proceeded to spend a blissful hour and a half receiving a top quality mani pedi while answering emails on my laptop (an entrepreneur's work never stops).

The color I chose was Essie's Mink Muff. Sure, the color isn't advertised as nude for women of color, but it does exist! Ladies with Rich skin, next time you are at a nail salon without your nude polish from Mented or Bianca Miller London, I encourage you to try and find this Essie shade.

I am so happy with my nails! I've never had such a close match to my skin tone before, and they complemented the Mocha Nude Barre Fishnets I wore the next day, too. Nude-beauty-needs, totally met.