NAIL POLISH - COLOUR
Our main ‘ask’, when calling for entries to this category, is that shades should work with all skin tones, so that testers are able to give their opinion on performance, rather than the colour of the varnish itself – it is the texture, shine and durability of the polishes that we ask testers to rate, when we send out the very detailed questionnaires.
Nowadays, many brands have eliminated some of the ‘nasties’ in nail polish, but we also ask that polish should is as friendly as possible to nails, while withstanding the knocks of daily life. We’re therefore delighted to share the ‘gloss leaders’, in 2023’s field, all of which are vegan-friendly. (Note: you’ll always get better performance with a topcoat, and you can find this year’s winners here.)
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) NailKind Natural Nail Polish
From Danish brand NailKind, this polish actually took the Bronze slot in last year’s Beauty Bible Awards, in another neutral shade, Bon Bon Blush. For 2023, it is the turn of deep rosy Pink Elephants to bag the top slot, tying mark for mark with Mii. The formulation is described as being ‘pro-ecology’ and low-chemical, relying on 85% bio-sourced ingredients including potato, manioc, corn and wheat, along with various minerals. There’s a veritable rainbow of shades, if this pink isn’t quite your thing – and while not cheap-cheap-cheap, worthy of our ’Beauty Steal’ Award, we think.
£8.95 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Loved this – the best nail polish I have ever used. Easy to apply, nice-sized brush that covered the nail in three strokes. Excellent colour pay-off, dried really quickly and lasted well, and best of all vegan and natural – I would certainly buy in this and in other colours’ • ‘Perfect nail polish. Dried very quickly, first coat was touch dry after a minute and second needed about five minutes to dry and prevent smudging’ • ‘Nails recovering from bad gels adored this; it really helped me through the between stage, covered up the damage done by the gels but – like a good doctor – did no harm’ • ‘Lasted a week, but I am hard on my nails as I work with my hands a lot, so this is good going’ • ‘Didn't drip and the smell wasn't overpowering’ • ‘Polish lasted so well on my toes, no wear or chipping. I really liked the size of the brush, it gave good coverage, and the polish spread really well over the nail’ • ‘Great coverage after only one coat. I like the fact that this nail varnish didn’t have the usual chemical smell, it also went on easily and had good long-lasting effects. I would easily put this on par with my usual Essie or Chanel.’
£8.95 - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD OPI Nail Lacquer
A previous repeat winner, here – although this time, in a fabulous, absolutely classic shade, which glories in the name of Big Apple Red. It is free from DBP, toluene and formaldehyde, and – as with all of OPI’s polishes – features their ProWide Brush, ‘for the ultimate in application.’ What if red doesn’t push your manicure button…? There are too many other colours and finishes in this range for us to count.
£14.90 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I was so glad to trial this because it is very hard to find a good nail polish with a perfect brush. This shade would be perfect for every woman; I love that my nails are shiny even without top coat’ • ‘Almost everyone I came in contact with complimented me on my nails. I am a regular shellac/gel nail polish user and the glossy finish on this rivals that, in a bright red that looks great with any skin tone’ • ‘Easy to apply and almost a salon like finish. The brush was just the right size to get good, but not excessive, coverage’ • ‘My nails are on the weaker side, so it took four to five days before I needed to touch up – good considering other nail polishes only last two days. When I applied it on top of the gels, it did not chip at all, just looked glossy and rich’ • ‘Easy to apply and glides on to the nails – such great quality. Even though I didn't use a base coat, there was no visible staining of my nails when I removed it’ • ‘My work friends asked if I'd had my nails done professionally. So easy to get a good, smooth result; two coats of this very glossy, shiny, intense colour is enough to look flawless’ • ‘Used on toenails, this lasted without chips till I was ready to remove it.’
£14.90 - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD Mii Cosmetics Colour Confidence Polish
Mii’s nail polish formula features a nourishing complex of ingredients: vitamin A (to help nails grow longer), vitamin C, vitamin B5 (for nail flexibility) and vitamin E, which is hydrating and shields nails against peeling and yellowing. A slightly mind-blowing 100+ shades are available to choose from, from bold primaries to soft pastels, but the one we dispatched to testers – Full of Charisma – is a couldn’t-be-more-classic red.
£9 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘A lovely nail polish - I tend to use OPI, so was a little concerned about trying something new, worried that I would apply once and then bin it – but it was LOVELY! Applied well, dried well. Great formula and great colour’ • ‘Easy to apply and quick to dry; a great nail polish formula. You can get away with a single coat. Worth a definite try’ • ‘I got a very rich, vibrant and glossy finish; the true red shade was perfect for me and has been amazing for summer – intense, rich and long-lasting colour’ • ‘This nail polish was easy to apply and dried fast, didn't chip and lasted well. I like the young, playful shade which is long -lasting and eye catching. Lasted well before chipping and looks very glossy’ • ‘Made the mistake of telling my partner it didn’t chip and got lumbered with the washing up! colour’ • ‘The shape and size of the brush make it a winner for me; I found it perfect for covering the nails. The drying time is great, too’ • ‘I love a good nail polish and once I find a brand that performs well, I tend to stick to it; I've already bought a couple more colours which are just as good as the one you sent me. I love how easily it applies, and four days before chipping is good for me as I am not at all careful with my hands/nails.’
£9 - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Nails.INC Plant Power
Nails.INC drum home the ‘natural’ vibe of this polish through the use of a recyclable, 100% FSC beech wood cap, atop their classic bottle. They also trumpet the halal-friendly formula is ’21-free’, avoiding formaldehyde, acetone, parabens, Xylene, silicones, phthalates, acetone – and so the list goes on). The polish is delivered via Nails.INC’s signature wide brush. Shades can be updated, depending on the ‘trending colours of the moment’, but the option sent to our testers was Glowing Somewhere, a ‘nail illuminator’ featuring iridescent pearls to help brighten the pink of the nail bed, giving the look of whiter tips and healthier nails.
£9 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Looks so elegant with two to three thin coats; the colour made my manicure look clean and well put together, wouldn't clash with anything and would hold its own in summer or winter’ • ‘The overall longevity for a polish was rather impressive and didn’t chip if applied in thin coats’ • ‘Overall, very impressive. It went on very smoothly and I used two coats for the best coverage; I like that it can also be used as an illuminator over the top of other colours’ • ‘The brush was a good size, making it easy to apply and delivering good coverage’ • ‘I really enjoyed testing this; I took it on holiday and my husband remarked how lovely my nails looked. I don’t usually wear this sort of iridescent colour and it looked great against tanned hands! ’ • ‘I was pleased to see Nails Inc's efforts to produce a slightly less chemically product; I will definitely re-buy this shade and others in the range’ • ‘A positive is that unlike many other shades, I found this suited both long and shorter nail lengths. A lovely product if you want a nearly clear varnish that will last and with fewer chemicals.’
£9 - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) and BEAUTY STEAL (JOINT) Peacci Nail Polish
Founder Daisy Kalnina says she created Peacci ‘to provide professional quality products that anyone can use.’ That’s certainly true of this highly-pigmented, vegan polish, which we trialled in a pretty shade called Jane’s Jewels – a semi-sheer pink blush infused with flecks of gold, ‘fit for any queen.’ If you explore the Peacci range, by the way, you’ll find quite a lot of interesting kits featuring everything you need for at-home manicures. (Could save you a fair bit on salon outings, we reckon.)
£8.99 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘Great-shaped brush easy to apply on my small nails; got lots of compliments from people about the uniqueness of the polish – a really interesting nail colour that applies well, giving a groomed and glossy finish’ • ‘A super subtle yet luxurious nail varnish – perfect if you don't want to look bling, but just want to feel quietly manicured’ • ‘The finish is glossy, but such a natural pale subtle colour that my nails just looked like my natural nails, but better. It was so delicate that no-one noticed at work, expect for me – and I kept looking at my hands and enjoying them!’ • ‘A really high-quality polish that was easy to apply and looked great. I enjoyed applying it; my daughter also used the product and as a picky 14-year-old she really liked it too!!’ • ‘I got the best results from applying over gel, when this compares well with other gel nail polishes in terms of shine and lasting power. It is a really different colour and looks professional and smart while still being a little different’ • ‘It didn't promise to be by quick drying, which I thought would be a nuisance, but in fact it only took four minutes to feel safely touch dry’ • ‘Brush gave very good coverage and is just the right size to give a good application.’
£8.99 - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) Leighton Denny Nail Polish
Love a French manicure look? Our testers trialled the perfect product for that, in a shade called Starkers (yes, really) – the prettiest, most ballerina-ish pink that can be worn alone, or over white ‘French’ tips. Now, we’ve known Leighton Denny for years, big fans of this nail artist and the incredibly hard graft he’s put in to build his brand, so we’re always a little bit chuffed when our testers love the products, too. Free from formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, Xylene, DBP and many other nasties, this polish is available in an incredibly wide spectrum of other shades.
£12.50 - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I liked that it didn’t dry my nails out or have a nasty smell – overall, a great colour nail polish that lasts well and is easy to apply; dries quickly too’ • ‘Lasted a week! Which I thought was good. I applied top coat every other day’ • ‘I like the brush; product went on well and was easy to apply’ • ‘I have weak nails, prone to splitting and this was nicely protective. I did receive a few comments on the colour, and how nice it looked; I don’t usually wear nail polish, so I think this is why it was picked up on!’ • ‘Very easy to apply with brush straight from bottle. This would be a great nail polish to have on stand-by for many occasions as the colour is so versatile and it is so quick and easy to apply. I'll definitely continue to use this. My only complaint is that it doesn't give the same depth and shine as a gel manicure’ • ‘The brush was a good size and easy to apply with good coverage in one or two sweeps’ • ‘Glossy and rich finish; covered well and the brush size was frankly perfect; only took three minutes till it was perfectly dry, which is impressive. Good product.’
£12.50 - click to buy