Quick answer
Raphael is a translucent rich red-brown jelly polish that works as a core warm nude for people with warm or neutral undertones, but its sheer finish means you need patience to build coverage.
Why undertone matters for this shade
Raphael’s red-brown base leans warm, which means it harmonizes with yellow, peachy, or golden undertones rather than clashing or looking ashy. On cool-toned skin the same shade can appear muddy or too orange.
If you have neutral undertones, Raphael can still work because the red-brown pigment is soft enough not to pull overly warm. The jelly finish also lets your natural nail color peek through, which can shift the final look.
The jelly finish trade-off
Jelly polishes are designed to be sheer and buildable. Raphael will not look opaque in one coat. You may need three or four thin coats to reach the color depth shown in the bottle. That gives you control, but it also takes more time and care to avoid streaks.
If you prefer a one-coat opaque nude, a creme finish would be a faster choice. Raphael rewards patience with a glossy, dimensional look that mimics a natural flushed nail.
How to decide if Raphael is right for you
- Check your undertone first: Look at the veins on your wrist: if they appear greenish, you likely have warm undertones. If you can’t tell, you are probably neutral. Raphael will flatter both. If your veins look blue or purple, you are cool-toned and may prefer a pink-based nude instead.
- Decide how much coverage you want: For a sheer tint, apply one or two coats. For a solid warm nude, apply three or four thin coats, letting each layer dry before the next. The polish is buildable but not self-leveling — use even strokes. A quick-dry top coat can help smooth out any slight unevenness from multiple layers.
- Match the finish to your routine: Jelly polishes show every ridge and imperfection. If you want a flawless look, use a ridge-filling base coat first. If you prefer low-maintenance nails, the sheer look of one coat hides chips better than opaque polish.
Product facts
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Raphael: Raphael is a translucent rich red-brown polish with a jelly finish, meaning it is transparent and buildable. You can wear it as a sheer wash for a 'my nails but better' effect or layer it for a deeper warm nude, depending on the occasion.
Raphael
Who should buy Raphael
Best for
- People with warm or neutral undertones who want a natural-looking warm nude
- Anyone who enjoys building sheer color for a custom depth
Not for
- Cool-toned skin that tends to look best with pink or mauve nudes
- Anyone who needs an opaque nude in one coat
