I’ve tried bold yellow nail polish and it looks absolutely terrible on me. I thought I couldn’t make yellow work for me. But, I can wear pastel yellows with ease. The buttery yellow colors are more flattering and hey, who doesn’t love pastels for spring? Here’s a guide or a list of pastel yellow nail colors in a variety of price points and brands. If you know of any more, please add them to the list.

Budget Pastel Yellow Nail Color/Under $10: 

NYX Nail Polish in Pastel Yellow is what the name implies, a pastel yellow that retails for about $4.

American Apparel Nail Polish in Butter is a pale margarine shade that retails for $5. This one works very nicely with my complexion.

Revlon Nail Enamel in Sunshine Sparkle is a pale yellow with a sparkle finish. It retails for about $5. I find the sparkle finish easier to work with than pastel satin finishes.

Orly Nail Lacquer in Lemonade is a light yellow with a satin finish. This color is a bit brighter than the others, working nicely with medium and dark complexions. It retails for $8.

Nubar Nail Lacquer in Lemon Sorbet is a satin finish pastel yellow. It retails for $8.

Nails Inc. Nail Polish in Notting Hill Carnival is a pale yellow that retails for $9.50.

More Expensive Yellow Nail Color/Over $10:

Julep Nail Color in Blake is a creamy, yummy buttery yellow that retails for $14. It’s a very pretty “true” buttery yellow shade.

Laqa & Co. Nail Polish Pen in I Want a Pony is a soft, light yellow in a nail polish pen. It’s buttery but it has a little more pigment. It retails for $15.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Nail Polish in Square Pants is a sheer, light yellow glaze. It retails for $18. Being that is is a slightly translucent buttery yellow, it’s much easier to work with in my opinion. It gets my vote for “easiest to wear” out of this list. Plus, it’s nice for more conservative environments.

Dolce & Gabbana Nail Lacquer in Lemon is a limited edition spring/summer 2012 nail color. It’s a soft baby chick yellow. It will be available soon in the US for my guess, $20 at Saks.

Have you ever worn pale, buttery yellow nail polish? I’m sure like all yellows that this shade is a hit or miss. I’ve heard of some people saying it made their nails look dirty and others saying that it looks lovely on them. On me, a pastel yellow looks much better than a bright yellow on me. It’s something that I like to wear occasionally. It looks great paired with navy!

UPDATE: Post is older so some of these are no longer available.

*Post contains a few affiliate links (excludes American Apparel, Nubar, Julep, D&G and Rescue Beauty). Linda Evangelista butterfly picture from Design Squared.