Ive Worn Nail Polish Every Day for 20 Years. These are My Favorites.

Confession: The last time I can recall having bare nails was when I was a 5- year-old. When I was 6, my mom painted my tiny nails before a ballet recital, and they haven’t been bare since. The shade was Essie’s Ballet Slippers (great choice, Mom).

I am a nail-polish obsessive and if you do the math, I’ve been obsessed for almost two decades. I’ve had more drunken nail-polish-shopping binges than I care to admit. At home, I wear rubber gloves for more than just washing dishes for fear of ruining my mani. Last week, my manicurist staged an actual intervention: She told me I needed a breather and sent me home with naked nails.

So you can trust me when I say that I’ve tried every polish on the market. and these are the ones I know won’t let me down. Read on for my list, broken down by how long each polish lasts.

The Best Long-Lasting Nail Polish, Hands Down

Two coats of this polish will last you up to two weeks while maintaining a great shine. You don’t need a base coat, but it’s important that you use the brand’s Gel Couture top coat for the best results. There are over 50 shades to choose from in the Gel Couture line, and I can say with confidence that any bottle is a reliable investment.

The Best Long-Lasting Nail Polish That Feels Like a Gel

This polish gives gel results without the UV light or the foil-removal process. Do three coats, and it can last up to ten days without a chip. While it does take little while to dry, the wait is worth it. Note: You can use it with any base and top coat.

The Shiniest Long-Lasting Nail Polish

Butter London claims their new formula has ingredients that promote healthier, stronger, and brighter nails, and I believe them. This has lasted me up to ten days with no signs of chipping and lots of shine. Some polishes leave my nails stained or yellowed, but not this one.

The Best Sheer Nail Polish to Wear for a Week

Although this polish doesn’t claim to be gel-like, it can last up to seven days with two to three coats. It also dries fairly quickly. Pixie is a perfect light-pink gloss that doesn’t crack after a few days of wear. What’s great about Jin Soon polishes is that they’re free of harsh chemicals, have UV filter protection, and are not tested on animals. Jin Soon polishes are also now 10- free, meaning that they are free of formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate, parabens, and lead.

The Best Long-Lasting Drugstore Nail Polish

Chips in dark polish stand out much more than in light colors or nudes. This one normally remains chipless for around seven to ten days if you apply two coats plus a layer of the brand’s top coat. Miracle Gel polishes were one of the first in the market of UV-free, long-lasting polishes, and they’ve continued to be an affordable drugstore favorite. (ishonest and the Strategist both love them.)

The Best Long-Lasting Red Polish

This brand, developed by Hard Candy founder Dineh Mohajer, has recently won my love and trust. I got a free sample manicure at a department store and was skeptical at first, but after seven days, my nails were still perfect. Since then, Lovers Creep has been my go-to deep-red polish. Not only is the branding brilliant (I love the quirky color names and the unique hammered metal bottle tops), but the formula is free of harsh chemicals. Eighteen dollars is a lot, but it’s worth it.

The Best Neutral Nail Polish You Won’t Have to Touch Up

I can always count on OPI’s Bubble Bath to stay intact for days. This is the color I use when traveling, because I won’t have to worry about having to touch it up. Just two thin layers will give your nails a nice natural sheen without bubbles or cracks. Some darker OPI polishes chip at the two day mark, but the lighter, sheer shades tend to have longer lifespans.

Plus a Few More Long-Lasting Favorites From Cut Editors

You’ve probably seen these sweet, candy-colored nail polishes on Instagam, on the hands of celebrities like Mandy Moore and others. They arguably made the Skittles manicure a thing (with the help of Harry Styles), and are known for having some of the longest-lasting polishes ever. The brand held a “Mani Marathon” contest and one client said her manicure lasted without chips for 21 days. —Kathleen Hou

This nail polish has close to 2,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. The brand, ILNP (which stands for I Love Nail Polish), is also loved by the Laqueristas, Reddit’s nail-obsessive community. Reviewers love its durability and opacity (you only need one coat), and say the colors are so pretty that they wish they could dip their whole bodies in them. —K.H.

Nail polish obsessives love this black polish. They praise it as even better and richer-looking than Chanel’s Black Satin, the original shade which kicked off the black polish trend in 2006. And you only need one coat. —K.H.

Like Jin Soon, côte is “10-free” – guaranteed to be free of the ten most toxic ingredients found in polishes. If you hate sparkle, you’ll like this brand’s Farrow and Ball-like approach to matte nail-polish color. —K.H.

These luxurious Black-owned polishes are also 10-free, in addition to cruelty free, and vegan. They apply like a dream, stay just as smooth and chip-free well past the week-mark, and come in unique colors that pop on all skin tones, like this groovy chartreuse that’ll transport you straight to summertime. —Erica Smith

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