- Despite what the colors may look like in the bottle, not all nail polishes are the same.
- Some are made with biotin, keratin, or vitamin E to help keep nails healthy, while others are formulated specifically for longwear.
- The best nail polish overall is CND Vinylux Long Wear Polish because it's made with vitamin E and jojoba oil to nourish nails and lasts almost seven days without chipping.
With salon-quality manicures easily costing more than $50, it makes financial sense to paint your own nails at home. Nail-care brands are becoming increasingly innovative with polish formulas, so DIY manicures can still look professional and maybe even last longer than if you did it at a salon.
In my experience, I've learned that using a good base coat is important. Even the best nail polishes don't tend to sit as well without a good base. Similarly, Dave Crisalli, founder and CEO of wellness-focused nail boutique PROSE tells
Crisalli said that nail polishes made with biotin, keratin, or vitamin E are the best to help strengthen, grow, and nourish nails, leading to overall healthier nails. On the other hand, formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate should be avoided at all costs as they're known to negatively affect the health of the nails (and your body, in general) as well as the durability of a manicure.
While every nail polish will eventually chip, ones made with the right ingredients can last longer than others. When looking for the right nail polish brand, it's important to find a brand that not only uses nourishing ingredients, but also offers a wide range of colors that dries quickly, has easy applicator brushes, and is easy to shop online.
There are quite a few factors that go into making the right nail polish, so we've done the research for you through years of extensive testing both at salons and at home, and narrowed down the best five nail polish brands to shop.
Here is the best nail polish you can buy:
- Best nail polish overall: CND Vinylux Long Wear Polish
- Best budget nail polish: Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear
- Best gel polish: Essie Gel Couture
- Best luxury nail polish: Tom Ford Nail Lacquer
- Best for nail health: Butter London Patent Shine
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