With nails, time to join the dark side

And that’s a great thing for Las Vegas nails.

While we don’t need to be so slavish to seasonal proscriptions (Think “no white after Labor Day”), the fashion fact remains in the valley that summer-ending temperature drops yield inky shades such as merlot, garnet, obsidian or petroleum green nail lacquer.

After months of showing off cool pink and punchy tangerine manicures comes an exciting time for the temperature of the dark nail color. Beauty experts say dark nails work year-round and suggest using a metallic shade to catch the summer sunshine and mix and match with a bright wardrobe. Also, deep shades actually look best against a healthy setting of bronze skin.

If you’re not sure what shade you should go for, stay within your favorite color family. For example, if you like blues, try going from your attractive turquoise to a glossy navy or swapping an acetate fuchsia to a shimmering Bordeaux.

Here are 10 options for shades that will absolutely look as good on a hot July afternoon in Vegas as well as the first sweater-weather days in the desert.

1. Revlon Nail Color in Mysterious Blue. Price: $3. Find it at Ulta.

2. Yves Saint Laurent Makeup La Lacquer Couture Nail Lacquer in Bronze Aztec. Price: $27. Find it at Sephora.

3. Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Bordeaux Lust. Price: $35. Find it at www.violetgrey.com.

4. Deborah Limppann Limited Edition Nail Color in Dream Weaver. Price: $18. Find it at www.deborahlippmann.com.

5. Butter London Nail Lacquer in British Racing Green. Price: $15. Find it at www.butterlondon.com.

6. Bobbi Brown Nail Polish in Twilight Night. Price: $15. Find it at www.sephora.com.

7. Nars Nail Polish in Purple Rain. Price: $20. Find it at www.nars.com.

8. OPI Nail Lacquer in Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous. Price $9.50. Find it at Macy’s.

9. Essie Nail Polish in Go Overboard. Price: $8.50. Find it at www.essie.com.

10. MAC Studio Nail Lacquer in Midnight Sky. Price $12. Find it at MAC Cosmetics.