It never ceases to amaze me how much time, money and energy I spend trying to look as if I've not made any effort at all. Most of the make-up I wear, weekends aside, is supposed to look like I'm not wearing any. I consider the words "but you don't really wear any make-up" to be one of the highest compliments. It's also a blatant lie.

Top of the list of "make-up that's not supposed to be noticed but is really" is anything with the word "nude". But the point of nude nail varnish has always eluded me. If you're going to all the bother of painting your nails, then why on earth would you want to paint them a "nothing" colour? Surely the whole point of painting your nails is to match them with your skirt - and who wears nude skirts?

Lately, however, I have come to see nude nail varnish in a completely different light. For a start, it goes with everything, various coloured skirts included, which means you can wear it for days without getting all annoyed by the fact that you are wearing a red outfit with pink nails. (Don't go all smug on me here. I know I'm not the only one who gets bugged by such inconsistencies.)

For another thing, nude nail varnish is way more flattering than you'd think, making even the scrawniest of hands look long, sleek and groomed - assuming, of course, that you pick the right one for your skin tone. Think of nude nail polish as foundation for nails: one person's "perfect shade" is another's "washed out". But, unlike foundation, avoid choosing the exact skin tone, because this will make the colour look dull and flat. Blue-based shades are good on fair skin, while yellow nudes work on darker, blue-black skin, and those with light brown skin should stick to transparent pinks.

If you've got better things to do with your life than hang around beauty counters wondering if nail varnish is yellow or blue in tone, the quickest way to tell is to hold it against a piece of white paper. And if you rather like the idea of nude skirts, you're reading the wrong magazine.