What are the two main categories of nail polish finishes?

• A. Cream and glossy
• B. Matte only
• C. Glitter and metallic
• D. Transparent and opaque

Answer: (A)

Finish describes how the nail surface appears once the polish dries—the level of shine and the texture you see on the nail. The two main categories you’ll encounter are cream and glossy. Cream finishes are opaque and smooth, giving solid color with no shine or shimmer. Glossy finishes are highly reflective and shiny, producing a glassy look, often achieved with a top coat or a formula that dries to a high shine. Other finishes you might see—matte, glitter, or metallic—add texture or decorative effect, and opacity (transparent vs. opaque) refers to how much pigment is in the color, not the surface shine. So, cream and glossy capture the primary surface appearances used in everyday polishes.